Why is signage so important?
When developing signage for your business, you want it to be of good quality, durable, and of course, a suitable material for your needs. Signage acts as a first impression of your business, and is a great way to catch the eye of your audience and draw attention to your brand.
That’s why, at Chroma, we think that selecting the best type of signage is of paramount importance. This guide goes through the several different types of signage, the individual benefits of each, and the best uses for each piece of signage.
Dibond signs
Dibond is the brand name of a brushed metal style of signage. Manufactured from sheets of aluminium, finished with a flexible Polyethylene core, Dibond is a strong and durable choice of signage.
Due to being made of aluminium, Dibond is surprisingly lightweight, which makes it a great metal alternative, as it can be finished to look like brushed metal. Dibond has a low thermal expansion, meaning it weathers well, and doesn’t rust like other metal signs.
We recommend Dibond as a great choice for exterior and outdoor given it durability to all weather conditions
Foamex signs
Foamex is a form of vinyl material, made from compressed PVC foam, creating a board. Unlike the name suggests, Foamex is a strong and rigid board, combining this knowledge with its lightweight structure, Foamex is great for printing on to make signs and displays.
The benefits of Foamex are that it’s water and UV repellent, meaning it doesn’t fade, or get damaged, even in the most brutal of weathers. It lasts for approximately 7 years for outdoor use, and 10 years for indoor use.
Given its durability but also flexibility, it is great for all conditions both inside, outside for both permanent and temporary signage requirements. It is a more lightweight solution to that of dibond.
Acrylic signs
Acrylic signs are usually transparent, but can come in a range of different colours. Made from a polymer material, similar to that of plastic, Acrylic signs are strong, flexible, and lightweight, which makes it a popular choice as a transparent piece of signage to glass, which is heavier and more fragile.
The beauty of this material is you have the ability to print both on the top and reverse. All dependant on your preferences of course. Printing on the top will give more of a matt look and feel due to the ink. By printing on the reverse you print on the underside and comes through the ‘cover’ of the acrylic. This option is more suited when fully covering the acrylic and on the ‘top’ for finer details and content
Acrylic signs are great for indoor use for things like large wall displays, or signs to hang from ceilings, such as fire exit signs.
Roller banners
Made from PVC, and printed in full colour, roller banners can act as a real eye catcher for your audience. Due to their structure being tall rather than wide, and being able to be neatly packed away, roller banner displays are suited for indoor use.
Another benefit of roller banner is that they’re lightweight, making them portable. This means that you can take your roller banners with you for things such as presentations, events and other scenarios where you are looking to talk to your brand.
Magnetic signs
The giveaway is in the name, magnetic signs are a form of signage with a high magnetic range. A sign best tailored for both indoor and outdoor use, magnetic signs are easy to bond and remove from metal surfaces, such as car bodywork and for easily removable signage that needs to be changed daily or weekly. Also cuts out that installation cost and time.
Developed with fade away resistance, magnetic signs are durable, which is why they’re such a good fit for vehicle use. Of course, magnetic signs aren’t just for use to vehicles, but their easy application means they can be used on lots of different surfaces that a magnate can bond to.
Vinyl signs
Similar to a large sticker, vinyl is an adhesive and sticky material. Best utilised for indoor use, vinyl can be stuck to floors, walls, windows or ceilings. Vinyls are laminated usually with anti-scuff technology, meaning that the vinyl sticker remains at the highest quality for a longest period of time.
The benefits of vinyl is that it can be cut into different shapes and sizes, meaning there is no limit to the design you want, and can be cut perfectly dependant on your design. You can also have vinyl profile cut which is a process of removing the background leaving just elements of print such as text and logos. A very versatile signage option to say the least
Outdoor PVC
Designed with outdoor use in mind, Outdoor PVC is a form of large scale signage. Because it has been developed with outdoor use in mind, Outdoor PVC is more weather resistant that traditional banner, this achieved due to the material being thicker. This allows it to fair better against the changing weather climates throughout the year.
Outdoor PVC banners can be printed in full colour, using solvent inks. The traditional finish of these banners is to be hemmed and eyelet so you can fix them to surfaces such as fences and similar outdoor structures.
Certainly best for outdoor use. I mean, it is in the name after all…
Mesh banners
Mesh banners are a form of printed banner, with small holes cut in the fabric. The purpose of having the small holes is to let the wind sail through the banner without the risk of it ripping, meaning your mesh banner will last even in the harshest of weathers.
Best used for outdoor use, mesh banners are printed in UV and abrasion resistant ink, meaning that your banner won’t fade over time, leaving your marketing message clear for years to come.
Despite being permeable to the air, we find the aesthetic of the material suits both indoor and outdoor signage requirements.