What material - interior signage?

[Engstrom Graphics]

I have seen cut out signs that are made of some type of plastic for interior purposes?.... Assuming they are CNCd to a specific custom shape to match a design - or obviously you could use a rectangle/square piece and wrap with whatever.

My question is - what material is this made out of? Acrylic?

Opposed to wrapping vinyl on Cinder Block (using Arlon or 3M, etc.) - what is a common substrate to drill into cement walls, yet install a wrap over said piece of substrate?

Don't need backlit or anything - just a solid piece of plastic - but what kind? Sorry for my lack of knowledge - interior signage that does not involve straight up wrapping is new to me.

Thank you!!

 

[Billct2]

Not quite sure what you're asking. Are you asking "What is the best substrate for a full coverage interior print to be mounted to a block wall?"?
If so it kinda depends on the use, short term high end retail, permanent corporate identity, parking garage directionals...etc
But some materials to consider are gatorfoam, PVC,and ACM (dibond).

 

[Engstrom Graphics]

Sorry I am not explaining it very clearly - like the material in these examples: I do not have a CNC or something to cut the plastic? - but would like to find a supplier for regular shapes of which I can then wrap/apply graphics on top - then mount to walls, etc. Hope that helps my lack of articulation - ha.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

Left image looks like it might be ACM and Gatorboard or Ultraboard maybe? Right image looks like ACM, PVC, and maybe acrylic?

A Zund or anything similar can cut all that stuff. Just find somebody locally who can do it for you.

 

[Engstrom Graphics]

Left image looks like it might be ACM and Gatorboard or Ultraboard maybe? Right image looks like ACM, PVC, and maybe acrylic?

A Zund or anything similar can cut all that stuff. Just find somebody locally who can do it for you.

Is there an online supplier you can recommend for ordering custom sizes of any of these? Also - what are the differences (pros/cons) of ACM, PCV, Acrylic, etc.

Thank you so much - again I apologize - this aspect is all new to me.

 

[letterman7]

Both of those images look like a painted pvc overlaid on a piece of 3mm ACM. What you're asking is somewhat akin to ordering a McDonalds menu item - too many options without a context. What are you trying to do with it? Are they flat on the wall or are they flagged away? Does your client want a multi-dimensional (as the photos suggest) or are they ok with something mundane? Do they need to be ADA compliant? Everything has it's place - one substrate can work in place of another for interior, it's all in the 'how much work' category do you need to get into. PVC has different finishing aspects than ACM or acrylic...

 

[Engstrom Graphics]

Thank you! It would be for locker room graphics. Opposed to using a texture vinyl on cinder block - thought this would have capabilities for locker room signage of many sorts. So application would be interior, on a flat wall, and drilled/hung on cinder block.

Multi-dimensional not needed - but I do like the looks of it (how it is accomplished)?

Just need something that will take being fully or partially wrapped - and again being hung inside athletic locker rooms.

Thank you! Hope that provides more insight

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

Like letterman7 said, without context it's kind of difficult to give you and straight advice. The short answer is ACM with laminated vinyl applied to it, screwed directly to the wall. That's by far the easiest and sounds like it's something you're set up to do. Anybody who sells sign and graphics materials should be able to get ACM for you. Laird, N. Glantz, Grimco, etc. If you want to make it look a little nicer, wrap the edges so you don't see the ACM cross section.

As to how the other signs were made it, it's kind of difficult to tell from the pictures, but my guess is that the picture on the right is simply a piece of black PVC cut to shape on a CNC and attached to a piece of ACM to give it a little more rigidity. Probably attached with some kind of adhesive, maybe print mount? PVC could be direct printed, could be cut vinyl applied to the face, could be an entire graphic applied to the face.

The piece on the left look like it's ACM cut to shape on a CNC, it looks like it has either cut vinyl applied to the face or maybe Rowmark (looks like it might be raised a little, I can't tell) that was either plotted in the case of vinyl, or laser cut if it's Rowmark. Looks like there might be a piece of black PVC or Gatorboard mounted to the face of it, cut on a CNC in either case, then the top layer looks to me like a piece of acrylic that was laser cut and either direct printed first surface or has vinyl applied. It's really difficult to tell from a section of a picture that's cropped/zoomed.

If you're considering making a move into permanent signage and want pros and cons of materials, my best suggestion is to go your plastics vendor, get a crash course in materials (ask them questions until they make you leave), then come back here with specific question once you've got a basic idea of what each material is capable of.

 

[Engstrom Graphics]

Thank you for your insightful and thorough response - it is appreciated!

I've ordered some samples of some ACM from 3A.

 

[China signage Maker]

yes , usully use acrylic solid board. 3MM 5MM 10MM 15MM 20MM,