Letterville Bull Board Letterville | Bull Board
 


 

Front Page
A Letterhead History
About Us
Become A Resident
Edit Your Database Info
Find A Letterhead

Letterville Merchants
Resident Downloads
Letterville BookShop
Future Live Meets
Past Meets
Step-By-Steps
Past Panel Swaps
Past SOTM
Letterhead Profiles
Business Cards
Become A Merchant

Click on the button
below to chat with other
Letterville users.

http://www.letterville.com/ubb/chaticon.gif

Steve & Barb Shortreed
144 Hill St., E.
Fergus, ON, Canada
N1M 1G9

Phone: 519-787-2892
Fax: 519-787-2673
Email: barb@letterville.com

Copyright ©1995-2008
The Letterhead Website

 

 

The Letterville BullBoard Post New Topic  New Poll  Post A Reply
my profile login | search | faq | calendar | im | forum home

  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» The Letterville BullBoard » Letterhead/Pinstriper Talk » Acrylic or Polycarbonate?

 - UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!    
Author Topic: Acrylic or Polycarbonate?
Dana Blair
Resident


Member # 951

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Dana Blair   Author's Homepage   Email Dana Blair   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Customer has a fair food trailer with several broken plastic signs. The white plastic signs are backlit with fluorescents. Is acrylic or polycarb a better choice to make the replacements?

--------------------
Dana Blair
Blair Signs
Wooster, OH
www.blairsigns.com

If sign makers go on strike, is there anything written on their picket signs?

Posts: 835 | From: Wooster, OH, USA | Registered: Jul 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Mark M. Kottwitz
Visitor
Member # 1764

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Mark M. Kottwitz   Author's Homepage   Email Mark M. Kottwitz   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Polycarbonate.

--------------------
Mark Kottwitz
Kottwitz Graphics
Ridgely, MD
www.SeeMySignWork.com
--------------------------
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein

Posts: 746 | From: Ridgely, MD | Registered: Oct 2000  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Alicia B. Jennings
Resident


Member # 1272

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Alicia B. Jennings   Email Alicia B. Jennings   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
And why is that? Does the poly not yellow as it ages?

--------------------
Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl)
Tacoma, WA
Since 1987
Have Lipstick, will travel.

Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Dana Blair
Resident


Member # 951

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Dana Blair   Author's Homepage   Email Dana Blair   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I found this comparison online, and it still doesn't really seem like a definite either way. Poly appears as though it is less brittle and stronger for impact.
http://www.hydrosight.com/acrylic-vs-polycarbonate-a-quantitative-and-qualitative-comparison/

--------------------
Dana Blair
Blair Signs
Wooster, OH
www.blairsigns.com

If sign makers go on strike, is there anything written on their picket signs?

Posts: 835 | From: Wooster, OH, USA | Registered: Jul 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
John Moritz
Visitor
Member # 34341

Icon 1 posted      Profile for John Moritz   Author's Homepage   Email John Moritz   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Polycarbonate is bulletproof to some extend and is the more durable option, but the white isn't as bright. Acrylic is much more brittle, but is a much brighter white an it retains that white color better, as polycarbonate is known to yellow with age.

Either one is a fine replacement option, but if you want the new panels to match the old panels better, go with whatever was used originally. Any yellowing or a dull white color will give you the indication that they are polycarbonate. If they are a very bright white, they are acrylic.

--------------------
John Moritz
Simply Signs & Screenprinting
1001 D West Mt. Vernon St.
Metamora, IL 61548
Phone 309.849.9016
Fax 309.849.9017

Posts: 24 | From: Metamora, IL | Registered: Jan 2013  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Dale Feicke
Resident


Member # 767

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Dale Feicke   Email Dale Feicke   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
You know, something to think about, Dana....almost any kind of paint or finish color will somehow fade or discolor a little with time.

If you're doing the whole face or job at one time, it will all discolor uniformly.

Given the fact that the polycarbonate will not break, under most any normal circumstances, why go with anything else? Most people would never notice the gradual discoloration anyway.

Used to be, poly was much more expensive than acrylic. Not so much anymore.

--------------------
Dale Feicke Grafix
714 East St.
Mendenhall, MS 39114

"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."

Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Jean Shimp
Resident


Member # 198

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Jean Shimp   Author's Homepage   Email Jean Shimp   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
If breakage is an issue I would go with the polycarb. We did a lighted sign about 3 years ago in a high crime area. To date I don't see any discoloration. The cost was higher initially but it's cheaper in the long run than replacing the faces.

--------------------
Jean Shimp
Shimp Sign & Design Co.
Jacksonville Beach, Fl

Posts: 1266 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Dave Sherby
Resident


Member # 698

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Dave Sherby   Email Dave Sherby   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
I would go with polycarb every time. The slight yellowing takes many years to show up and isn't as bad as you think. In fact most people don't even know it has yellowed until they see a new piece next to it. If you're worried about it, design him something nice with lots of color. It's real easy if they are flat panels. Here's one I did with a minimum of white showing. It is 10 years old and still looks white. Course we don't get a lot of sun up here in the Great Lakes.
 -

[ September 04, 2015, 09:23 PM: Message edited by: Dave Sherby ]

--------------------
Dave Sherby
"Sandman"
SherWood Sign & Graphic Design
Crystal Falls, MI 49920
906-875-6201
sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net

Posts: 5396 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Wayne Webb
Resident


Member # 1124

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Wayne Webb   Author's Homepage   Email Wayne Webb   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
Polycarbonate would be my choice.

--------------------
Wayne Webb
Webb Signworks
Chipley, FL
850.638.9329
wayne@webbsignworks.com

Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Lynda Yoder
Resident


Member # 7340

Icon 1 posted      Profile for Lynda Yoder   Email Lynda Yoder   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post   Reply With Quote 
There is a material called sta tuf. Stronger than acrylic but retains its whiteness.

--------------------
Lynda Yoder Wayne
Yoder Signs & Designs
4735 List Rd
Grass Lake, MI
5176884951

Posts: 154 | From: Grass Lake, MI | Registered: Feb 2007  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

Quick Reply
Message:

HTML is not enabled.
UBB Code™ is enabled.

Instant Graemlins
   


Post New Topic  New Poll  Post A Reply Close Topic   Feature Topic   Move Topic   Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
 - Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:


Contact Us | Letterville. A Community Of Letterheads & Pinheads!

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classic™ 6.7.2

Search For Sign Supplies
Category:
 

                  

Letterhead Suppliers Around the World