White or Clear Acrylic backlit sign...

[bendeane]

Okay, so here's the deal...I want to make sure I have all my options laid out before I dive into my first backlit sign. It's all about materials. I'm printing full color on a Mutoh 1614, laminating, and applying to acrylic and installing the final sheet with printed vinyl and lam into existing customer lightbox (4'x4'). I was getting information from one source saying get 7328 white acrylic and using a translucent vinyl over the top.

Got a phone call from a MacTac rep after a request for some samples and she said clear acrylic. When I told her a guy said white, she seemed like that wasn't the way to go.

Plastics mfg here in town said this..."Most of the sign people that I work with prefer to use a 7328 white acrylic for backlit signs."

Any suggestions? tips? etc.?

Thanks a bunch.

Ben

P.S. Just a little nervous about buying all the stuff with only 1 backlit order on the books. Want to make sure I buy all the right materials.

 

[Rick]

It's a matter of preference, I have sign shop clients that do one or both methods. One thing about clear acrylic is you have the option of adding transparent film (they make 30- and 60% diffuser) to it if you get hot-spotting, on translucent white, you can't "un-translucent" the acrylic.

 

[J Hill Designs]

Usually go 7328 white here

 

[bendeane]

It's a darker print (I hate it but I can't convince the customer otherwise). Just FYI as I'm sure it would make a difference if the colors are darker (dark blue and green) as opposed to a bright orange or yellow.