What would you use?

[Kemble]

Customer said this sign was made 2 years ago by another company and it looks like this.

Wants it redone and were thinking of using 4x10 1/2" Luster Board but were not sure if we should print on it directly with our HP Latex R2000 or on IJ180CV3 with 8518 lam and either a) die cut the logo and apply to center or b) print a full 4x10 rectangle the logo with background. The sign is N&S facing and this is the south side and is in constant direct sunlight.

How would you do it and how long would you warranty if for?

 

[weyandsign]

I would do the vinyl full 4x10 with laminate. I would not necessarily offer them a warranty thru your own business, but tell them the manufacture specs as far as how long it is rated for. Explain that it will last much longer than this painted sign with some type of paint or clearcoat that was never meant to be used outdoors for a sign.

 

[signheremd]

Not familiar with the durability of HP Latex inks, we use UV and EcoSolvent, but I would use a good UV laminate. I think the 8518 is a 7 year, we usually use Oraguard 290 Gloss which is a 10 year. But in any case, laminate it. I would print onto the IJ180 with a diecut on the lettering and graphics and let the white of the Luster Board show through. If you direct print, then laminate the whole 4x10. as far as warranty, 3M has IJ as 7year, not sure Luster Board's warranty, but would only follow the lesser of the two. I would emphasize the 7 year durability of the IJ and laminate.

The frame of this sign looks like they did not use a good etching primer before painting.

 

[JBurton]

Looks like a solvent printer got in too much of a rush and forgot to outgas before laminating, that or sub par base materials. I'd offer a 5 year warranty on IJ35c with Arlon 3420 laminate, with the edges wrapped around the back of the panel. 5 years and they can expect to see some fading, but not this...
Also, take a rattle can of white rustoleum to this poor structure, sheesh...

 

[Gino]

It looks like it was originally made with vinyl stencils and someone hand-painted the colors, outline and flower on a painted background with possibly some kinda clearcoat on it which thoroughly failed. Using most hand-painted paints today is like using snot. I would use acm and make the lettering in die-cut vinyl and use a digitally printed flower with a proper lam on it. Most likely, you'll hafta vectorize the flower, unless they still have the source somewhere. I'd also tell them to completely sand and wire brush the frame system and use a rust sealant then re-paint it.

 

[JBurton]

I can kinda see a handpaintedness to it, the uneven fading, outside the lines on the rad rectangle, but I'd be surprised if anybody 2 years ago decided to paint a sign unless it was somebody's relative with a cricut.

 

[jfiscus]

The "burning" issue is very common with people using (junk ) Oraguard 210 laminate. Do a search on this forum and you'll see it come up a lot.

 

[Billct2]

Interesting, I immediately assumed cheap vinyl with cheaper laminate. But in any case I'd clean up the structure and repaint the frame.
Reface with acm and probably do a full laminated print. You could do vinyl with a print for the flower, but the flower will fail before the vinyl so
may as well just print the whole thing.
As for warranties I hesitate to offer them and will usually limit it to 1 year (while mentioning the expected life of the print is 5 years)
and recommend they wash and wax it several times a year.
If people question a 1 year warranty I will mention that's the same you get on a new $500K house.

 

[gnubler]

Reface with acm and probably do a full laminated print. You could do vinyl with a print for the flower, but the flower will fail before the vinyl so
may as well just print the whole thing.

I second this, and have done similar signs for people who complained about their old signs peeling at the edges. Full print/lam and maybe wrap around the edges as someone else mentioned. Though this one is framed out so it'll protect the edges.

 

[JBurton]

Alright, my final guess is they cut the copy outlines in vinyl (it's cracked and the cracks don't extend into the colors around it), they colored in the letters, painted a box around the one set of copy, then did a great job hand painting the flower. Once all the paint dried, they proceeded to laminate the whole thing, which just shortened the life of the whole project.

 

[Gino]

Looks more like an alligator p!ssed on it while it was lying down and they were putting up the posts. The pee dried, they put it up and now the pee is quite evident. Wha....... ?? It could happen.

 

[2B]

there is a LONG list of issues seen here.

new ACM face, full print with CAST lam.
when the face is removed, need to blast the frame clean, repair the weld, and repaint from bare metal

 

[rydods]

Looks like the orange cracking portion could be a bad liquid laminate??

 

[visual800]

I would do a 4x10 with acm and a full digital print over it, depending on how sun hit sit I might give them a 3 year warranty...you can help how the sun hits!

 

[MarkSnelling]

I'd recommend against using a cast vinyl and lam on a completely flat sign. A good polymeric film (both print vinyl and laminate) will perform the same for a fraction of the cost. Like half the cost.

 

[Stacey K]

Everything looks bad with this sign. It's completely rusty, the screws are rusty - yuck. I would do ACM with IJ40 and Cast lam.

 

[petepaz]

agree on the cheap lam, that's what is burnt up there. loos like they put cut vinyl on top of the laminate because the graphics are not burnt, just the background, weird combo.
agree the frame needs to be cleaned up and painted and if you're going to use the whole existing structure and not replace the sign panel i would uv print on .040 aluminum and screw and glue it to the existing structure.
paint the screws white so they blend in with everything else or put some sort of molding over the edge