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You’ve already decided to adorn your property with a monument sign. Now you’re in the graphic design stage, a step in the process where you can let your wildest creative ambitions run amok!

But not so fast. Every aspect of your monument sign must fit into an overall vision, and no aspect is more fundamental than the material your signage is made from. Beyond the aesthetic difference between various substrates, many offer a wide range of benefits and trade-offs.

As you might’ve guessed, there is no one-size-fits-all material for every business or organization. Choosing an ill-suited material can leave visitors with the wrong impression of your building, or even worse, perplex newcomers struggling to find your home office.

So, join us in taking a closer look at the different materials that make up monument signs.

Foamcore & Armored Foam

Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) is lightweight, durable, and impervious to rot and water damage (unlike more traditional materials, such as wood and brick). If you’re on a strict budget, foam can be a great way to achieve the time-tested appearance of stone masonry without getting down on your hands and knees and laying actual brick.

And, if you’re looking for something even closer to the look of real masonry, foamcore-based paneling allows for the application of a veneer. These veneers range from synthetic stucco to granite; they feature the natural imperfections that give masonry its unique beauty.

Foamcore monument signs are much easier to remove than signage fabricated using other materials. So, if you’re thinking about replacing your monument sign later down the road, foam core might be your best bet.

Aluminum and Metal

If you prefer the sharp edges and the sleek simplicity of modern industrial design, you’ll love the look of an aluminum monument sign. Malleable, cuttable, and ductile, aluminum will give your business the highest degree of customizability as far as shape is concerned.

Other metals, such as wrought iron, will deliver a similar appearance with more rigidity. However, the biggest benefit of aluminum is that it’s rust-resistant, so you’ll have much less time and money spent on maintenance.

Now, if you want illuminated signage or a digital message board, you’ll be out of luck (for the most part). Aluminum monument signs can only be lighted from the exterior with angled lights. While this may be considered a setback for some businesses, exterior lighting delivers a moody, resort-like atmosphere at night.

Plastics

Similar to aluminum, plastics like acrylic and high-density urethane can be formed into an extensive assortment of shapes and sizes. If you have a complex design in mind, plastic is the way to go.

Make sure to match the plastic monument sign to your building’s façade by choosing complimentary colors. Since plastic can be fabricated in almost any hue, accenting the color of the office or even coordinating with the same color can give your architectural signage a huge boost.

Wood

Commercial and municipal properties steeped in tradition, such as cottage resorts, state parks, hotels and luxury stores, benefit from a rustic and nostalgic quality that only wooden monument signs can provide. A charming routed or carved wooden sign can be an inviting addition to your business’s entrance or parking lot, too.

Fully varnished wooden signs are weather-resistant – however, expect to perform regular maintenance in order to avoid termite and insect damage. Wooden monument signs may also wear down over the years, especially if your business is located in a geographic area prone to adverse weather conditions.

Stone and Brick Masonry

Yes, it’s possible to build a monument sign out of the same type of material used to build the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, and St. Peters Basilica. While by far the most expensive option on the list, natural stone monument signage is the most stable, and possibly the most elegant (depending on your tastes).

If you’re outsourcing the installation and transportation of your sign, be aware that this type of monument sign is much heavier. Hundreds of pounds heavier. Pricing might vary accordingly.

Poured Concrete

The most utilitarian option, concrete is a viable choice for those who want a no-frills look, along with longevity. Poured concrete is virtually indestructible, and is commonly found at the gateways to cities and local parks.

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What is Inside Glass Printing? How Does it Differ From a Standard Print Surface?

You’re probably wondering what the difference is between inside glass decals and your typical decal (we’ll refer to these as standard decals as this is the default on our website and is called a “Standard Print Surface”); we’re sure you’re familiar with both but a little refresher course never hurt anyone. We’ve included some pictures below to help you distinguish between the two.

Standard surface printing allows decals to be visible, even on highly reflective windows.

Inside glass window decals are often placed inside store windows to promote sales and promotions. Note the reflection of the window continues onto the surface of the decal because of the decals placement using inside the glass.

As you can see, inside glass decals are visible from the outside, but are placed on the inside face of the glass (hence the name inside glass). The adhesive will be on the front of the decal while the design will be printed on the back of the clear vinyl material, allowing it to show through to the front of the decal. Because the front side of the decal will not have any printed ink, it will stick to the surface of the glass on the inside.

The same effect can be accomplished with opaque materials despite the idea seeming impossible given the solid material of our opaque window decals and opaque clings. To get the Inside Glass functionality but with an opaque appearance, your design will be printed on the back of the equivalent clear materials. The difference is that there will be a layer of white ink that is printed behind your design to give it an opaque appearance. Because it is a white ink background, rather than a solid opaque material, it won’t have the exact same appearance as an opaque decal but will be close. In both cases, the adhesive will be on the front for an interior window placement. Using this workaround your decals or clings can be opaque in nature yet be placed inside and visible from outside.

ALTERNATE NAMES FOR INSIDE GLASS AND STANDARD SURFACE DECALS

There are a number of different terms used within the signage industry for these two very different functionalities of your custom window decals. For decals that adhere to the inside and are visible from the outside, there are: Inside Glass, Reverse Stickers, Adhesive On Front and Second Surface. For those that adhere to the exterior of your window and are still visible to those that approach your store, there are Standard Surface, Adhesive on the Back, First Surface.

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A vinyl overlay is a vinyl sheet with either a printed design or solid color, adhered to a rigid material.  These overlays offer a cheaper alternative to smaller sign shops who often can’t afford large, flatbed printers.

Vinyl Overlay Advantages

Vinyl overlays work best for temporary signs. The ease of removing and replacing the overlay makes them ideal in scenarios where information constantly changes. For example, an exterior aluminum sign outlining store hours or parking regulations benefits from the advantage of simply printing a new vinyl overlay and replacing the old one.

Removing and replacing vinyl overlays requires a razor blade, cleaner, non-abrasive brush, etc. After removing residue from the rigid portion of the sign, update the sign for only the cost of printing new vinyl overlay. That makes vinyl overlays a versatile, semi-permanent solution for a variety of uses and situations.

Vinyl Overlay Disadvantages

Installation and Removal

The overlay’s versatility also creates some disadvantages. Anyone who has installed a sticker or decal of any type knows it’s easy to run into issues during application. That could mean tearing the material when removing its backing or unwanted bubbles and lines during application. There’s also the risk of damaging corners or edges from handling, which leads to peeling and weakens the adhesive. Considering all of this, working with vinyl overlay can mean a lot of headaches.

That said, carefully following installation instructions can help prevent air bubbles or pockets. Doing so will require some sweat equity and a knowledge of appropriate tools and cleaners to use. Keep in mind, some of the rigid materials used for displaying the vinyl overlay may not be strong enough to withstand the vigorous scrubbing needed for removing residue, and may scuff or scratch when replacing new vinyl overlays.

Peeling Possibility

An exterior sign using a vinyl overlay may not hold up against weather and the elements. Over time, the adhesive will weaken and the overlay will begin to peel off, significantly diminishing the quality of your sign. Another scenario is intentional damage or removal of the vinyl overlay by passersby that deface the sign. Much like any externally placed sticker or decal, this risk will always be present. A person or group of people determined to deface, damage or destroy signage only need to peel up a corner and remove the vinyl all together. While this disadvantage pertains to vinyl overlay, where someone intends intentional damage, any sign faces the risk of vandalism.

WHAT IS DIRECT PRINTING?

Direct printing means that the sign manufacturer prints your design or logo directly onto the surface of the sign. This print method is standard when printing on non-rigid materials such as vinyl banners, and is considered a superior method over vinyl overlay for creating rigid signs. At Sign Parrot direct print comes standard on all of our products, with the exception of our vinyl lettering and wall graphics, and our aluminum signs. Though we do not offer signage that incorporates vinyl overlays, we do offer clear vinyl signage that can be placed on a variety of substrates. Clear window decals can give the effect of a vinyl overlay, as well as our backlit decals and vinyl lettering.

Direct Printing Advantages

Direct printing offers a number of advantages over vinyl overlay. Primarily, with no layer in between the substrate and the design, direct printing offers vivid, crisp reproduction of text and images. While vinyl overlays can reproduce high resolution image (assuming the original file is a high resolution or vector image)  it won’t be as sharp or vibrant as direct printing.

Another advantage is the durability of the ink and the sign. Sign Parrot prints with UV inks that provide a durable, fade and scratch resistant finish to your sign. These inks are rated for outdoor use and can last for years with proper sign care and maintenance. That means more protection against loss of adhesion or peeling since this method cures the ink directly onto the surface. However, even direct surface printing is susceptible to scratching and other damage caused by sharp objects or intentional abuse.

Direct Printing Disadvantages

Permanence of Design

Unlike with vinyl overlay, direct printing will be permanent. As mentioned above, vinyl overlays enable  reuse of the rigid material when updating sign information. Direct printing, unfortunately, doesn’t offer that benefit. Having said this, we’ve found that rigid materials such as aluminum, brushed aluminum and rigid plastic signs are best when intended for long-term use.

These are signs that are placed outdoors and expected to last for a long time. So, the inability to change the messaging of the sign usually isn’t necessary. Even other rigid signs that are used for shorter durations (foamboard and corrugated yard signs) result in more affordable signage by printing directly to the surface of the material rather than adding in the cost of the vinyl overlay and the installation labor on top of the material cost.

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