Choosing the Best Material for Outdoor Signage
In this modern era of limited focus and numerous distractions, attention has become a valuable currency. Communication that brings attention is as valuable. This is where signages play a key role as an essential tool for businesses, and organizations (small or large) to draw attention.
In an extremely competitive environment, outdoor signage plays the role of conveying vital information and guiding traffic. They help in messaging your brand values and stand to advertise your products and services.
However, the effectiveness of outdoor signage depends on its quality. Quality rests on your material selection. In this article, we discuss all the essential factors that determine what goes into choosing the right material for making quality outdoor signage.
Durability of the signage material
Durability is the backbone that ties down all the factors in making quality outdoor signages. The material should withstand the rigours of the external environment without succumbing to degradation.
Metals such as aluminium, and stainless steel are popular for their exceptional durability. Some variety among the plastics can also withstand diverse weather conditions and last a long time. Durability is a combination of all multiple factors, which will be discussed in detail below.
Weather Resistance
Outdoor signages can be subjected to weather elements including heat, rain, snow, and temperature extremes at extreme ends. The chosen material should be capable of withstanding the fluctuations and maintaining structural integrity and aesthetics.
Metals like aluminium and stainless steel are resistant to corrosion and rust, even in harsh outdoor environments. With protective coatings, the resistance to adverse weather conditions can be improved. Modern technology has given us plastics like PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and acrylics, which possess weather-resistant properties
UV Resistance:
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can threaten the longevity of outdoor signage. With prolonged exposure, colours can fade, materials can degrade, and even the structural integrity can be tested. UV-resistant materials are imperative for keeping the vibrancy intact.
Versions of plastic like polycarbonate and acrylic, are UV-resistant, making them the right candidates for outdoor applications, where exposure to sun is unavoidable.
Water Resistance:
Resistance to exposure to rain in tropical regions with high humidity and snowfall-prone areas. Adequate water resistance is paramount to resist warping, delamination, or rusting over time. Aluminium and stainless steel, owing to their non-porous nature are corrosion-resistant. Similarly, acrylics with weatherproof adhesives, sealants, and fasteners can improve their resistance against water and corrosion.
Temperature Resistance:
Exposure to heat and cold can steal the sheen away from the outdoor signages. Materials picked for outdoor signage must withstand fluctuations in temperature and retain their structural integrity and appearance.
Materials like aluminium, stainless steel, PVC, and acrylics can hold out against a wide temperature range. Some composite materials and engineered woods can handle temperature fluctuations without deterioration to a certain extent.
Wind Resistance:
Is your signage installation rooted and engineered to withstand the forces exerted by strong winds without breaking? This is also an essential question you have to ask when you are looking for outdoor signage.
Aluminium and steel can keep their structural integrity. Even materials such as fibreglass-plastics and composite materials can be lightweight yet strong enough to retain their shape against stronger winds. There is a shared onus on installation techniques, which includes frames, and anchors, that can improve the signage’s resistance to stronger winds.
Resistance against Vandalism
When you are thinking about outdoor signages, you can ignore its vulnerability to vandalism. Outdoor environments, vicinity to public facilities, high-footfall areas in an urban setup, vandalism can be a threat to signage’s integrity.
Incorporating protective measures to deter any vandalist activity and a SOP to removal of graffiti within a quick turnout time is essential. Going with metal based materials can protect the signages such as stainless steel and aluminium offer natural resistance to scratching, denting, from dents, scratches or any other damages. Incorporation of proper lighting and monitoring setup can be an effective vandal deterrent.
Maintenance Requirements
Frequency of maintenance determines the costs associated with the lifetime of a signage. low-maintenance materials which are durable reduce the need for frequent repairs, cleaning while maintaining a limited downtime. Metals are generally considered low-maintenance. While PVC and Acrylic signages made out of plastic tend to fall into that category. Acrylic, which is prone to scratching, doesn't carry the burden of heavy removal costs.
Visibility and Legibility
The easier and quicker is to get the message out of Outdoor signages, successful your campaign. Colour, contrats, fonts compatibility plays a part in keeping the signage visible and legible.
Materials with reflective coatings like vinyl or aluminium composite panels, can work better even in the low-light conditions. During the day, the material should also deal with glare and reflections, ensuring visibility from multiple angles. Feasibility to add extra lighting also plays a key role in improving its likeliness to be easily visible. Keep that in mind while going for outdoor signs.
Weight
The heavier the signage material, the more difficult it gets to handle, transport and install. The additional structural requirements play a huge factor in instalment feasibility. Materials such as PVC, foam boards, Acrylic and corrugated plastic can keep the handling part easy, while not requiring any additional support installation. Metals and alloys can be on the heavier, which leaves a structural equation to be solved before getting it installed.
Cost & Ease of Installation
Upfront expenses, maintenance costs must be factored while considering the costing . Finding the right choice between cost-effective materials with more frequent maintenance or repairs or huge upfront expenses with low maintenance often tends to be a huge decision.
One cannot ignore the ease of installation while choosing the material for outdoor signages. You have to make the choice between heavy materials that additional equipment and expertise will increase the time, labour charges . Going for lightweight materials such as vinyl banners, foam boards, and PVC sheets often keep the installation charges to minimal.
Regulatory Compliance & Environmental Impact
Keep an eye on local regulations, building codes, that may place restrictions on the size, placement, materials, and design in purview of maintaining public safety, and environmental protection. Materials chosen for outdoors should factor in local climate conditions, environmental hazards to avoid any future ramifications and material losses.
By choosing environmentally friendly materials for outdoor signages, you can send across messages to demonstrate your commitment to sustainability, environmental responsibility that indirectly improves your brand reputation.
Conclusion
A lot of thought goes into the selection of the right material for your outdoor signage. A multi-pronged approach is required in-tandem with assessing branding requirements and budget constraints, to create appealing signage which leaves a good impression on its viewers.