Outdoor signs: a cheap way of doing them

[Bill Wright]

I needed some half A4-sized customised signs (adhesive or screw-on) to go outdoors. I got prices. They seemed high. I wondered if I could print the signs and then lacquer them. I experimented with a laser printer, and different papers and cards. It was amazing how the different papers reacted differently to the lacquer. In the end I printed the signs on matt card; the expensive stuff that we make our Christmas cards on. I found that Range sold two types of clear lacquer so I bought an aerosol of each. One proved to be perfectly clear, the other left a very slight yellow cast. I applied the clear lacquer with the cards flat on the bench. I gave them about twenty very sparing coats over two days. The card did not absorb the lacquer at all. The result was very good. I fixed the signs up with industrial impact adhesive. They have been out there for three months now and they haven't deteriorated. It doesn't matter if they do really: they're easy enough to replace. It's useful to be able to do this. I produce the little posters for various local 'dos' and this will be better than laminating them, which has never been all that satisfactory.

Bill

[Tim Watts]

On Thursday 17 October 2013 21:39 Bill Wright wrote in uk.d-i-y:

For next time - how about laser printing onto A4 laser film (not regular acetate - it melts) and mount on white plastic?

[newshound]

I've not used a laminator for stuff outdoors for as long as three months, but I've found it fine for "one day" signs and much quicker than lacquering.

Also, for weddings / funerals / photo albums for handing round at talks, etc. I find an A4 print from an ordinary laser printer and laminated is cheap, durable, and while not "exhibition quality" is far better received than standard postcard sized prints.

[Bill Wright]

We used laser film for an OHP presentation and I have some left. Are you thinking I could print a mirror image and mount the film with the printing on the back, as it were, thus protected from the elements? In any case I'd want to mount it on white card to keep costs down.

Bill

[dennis]

Staples can laminate stuff up to about A0 if you want a big sign.

[Martin Brown]

Apart from water getting in where you staple them what problems did you have with laminating them? I find that quick and reliable. I only ever buy the laminating pouches when Staples have a 3 for 2 deal on...

Most are reusable the following year with the addition of a waterproof white sticker over the date and a deft hand with a black marker pen.

I also do up to A3 posters for village hall do's. You can't really read anything smaller at the roadside. I colour laser print up to A4 but only have inkjet for the A3 stuff. And we have a couple each of big black (and white boards) that are A0.

The main problem we have is wind damage. One fell off yesterday in the gales after a staple tore and was advertising the summer BBQ instead of the Halloween Quiz which was flapping in the breeze.

I have found that inkjet prints survive OK outdoors under glass or UV protective lacquer but fade badly within a month under perspex. Laser survives unmolested until the wasps eat the paper away. One of our neighbouring parishes has a brand new noticeboard (expensive) with the wrong sort of perspex glazing. It has already gone translucent yellow and brittle with big cracks in it only about two years old.

[Dave Liquorice]

Main failure reasons I've seen for laminated stuff is put up with drawing pins or anything else that pierces them or not enough border around the sheet being laminated, there needs to be at least 1/2", probably nearer 3/4".

To get best results it's not simply a case of buy any old machine and some randome pouches. The machine has to be able to handle the thickness of pouch by adjustable temperature and/or speed. Thicker pouches need more heat but are much more sturdy ...

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 18 October 2013 01:54 Bill Wright wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Yes - something like that. It should be pretty stable. It might even be feasible to spray the printed side with white Plastikote or similar.

I use laser film sandwiched with coloured film glued with spray evo-stik to make some new illuminated panels for my old Maestro - the fan lever decals to be exact. They were back lit and the old ones had scratched away. Although not exposed to rain, mine did suffer wide temperature swings and damp and lasted the couple of years I had the car for. I concluded laser printing onto film was pretty stable.

[Brian Gaff]

Another way is to laminate them of course but I find that this does need the heavier duty lamination sleeves and care needs to be taken to get the edges all the same to give the heat glue a good chance of sealing properly. Brian

[Rick Hughes]

Laminate ?

[Martin Brown]

Agreed that puncture damage from staples or pins and rain or wind is what does for them eventually. But if you are glueing them on that isn't a problem. I find a 5mm border is sufficient on mine. I agree that the pouch sizes are not over generous. I have an A3 guillotine.

Mine is an old discounted Maplins finest. Works well enough, the only caveat is when you have young volunteer helpers don't ever let them put a thing to be laminated in open end first it totally wrecks the machine by the time they admit to something being wrong!

[Bert Coules]

Bill,

Have you thought about printing onto photo paper and then having the signs laminated?

[Bill Wright]

I've not had much luck with laminated signs outdoors, and anyway they look amateur.

Bill

[Tim+]

Bill, you've gone back to your "not leaving a clear line beneath text that you're responding to". It fecks up the quoting.

Laminated signs outdoors can work okay as long as you don't puncture the laminated paper. Reduce the size of the paper if necessary to create a "pinning/stapling zone".

Tim

[Bill Wright]

No I haven't gone back to it, it's just that I don't always remember. Bear in mind that this morning I put a cup in the cupboard where I keep the matches and then started to make a cup of tea in a matchbox. Laminated wouldn't do for the signs I was making. They were to go on a vehicle and wouldn't have looked right. They needed to have no surround whatsoever. They really had to look like proper manufactured ones.

Bill

[Tim+]

I can forgive that. Just as long as you don't become a top-poster. (Messages to Brian excepted). ;-)

Wouldn't disagree Bill. Because "anyone can" make a laminated poster, they usually look like "anyone has" made one. I.e., not very professional looking.

I surprised how few people realise (or care) how quickly water can penetrate if you stick a pin/staple/nail through the paper part which was why I mentioned it.

Tim

[John Williamson]

Using Thunderbird or other proper newsreaders, you can automatically add a proper signature automatically. The accepted format for a .sig file is:-

dash dash space Then whatever you want your sig. to say, with an accepted limit of four lines.

Mine is saved as a .txt file, with a link from the composing part of T'bird to that file.

[spuorgelgoog]

I was wondering this morning where I'd put my latest book purchase from ebay.

Found it this evening in the freezer when I was getting my dinner out.

It was in the freezer for a reason (beetle damage).

Owain

[Harry Bloomfield]

I agree, I have had some outside for years, but as already said you must leave a good margin and must not puncture where the paper or card is located. You can get matt finish ones - they look more professional for signs due to less reflections.

[Chris J Dixon]

That's not something I've heard before, and Agent seems quite happy. This how I saw it:

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Bert Coules wrote:

I've not had much luck with laminated signs outdoors, and anyway they look amateur.

Bill

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It looks like Bill left a quoted line space, which is something I often do.

Chris