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Advice for billboard style sign materials

Santimus

Member
Hi all!

We are making a couple 120" x 72" signs for an apartment complex to go onto their existing wooden frame. pic attached. We already submitted the artwork/estimate and got approvals but now apparently we can't get 4x10 sheets of the Lusterboard we quoted for. After being turned down by all of my suppliers I reached out to the rep at Laminators Inc to see whats up and they said they can't make it due to a MDO shortage for the 10'. 8x4 Lusterboard is available but I don't think my cusomter would be happy with 3 panels. I am looking at ACM but all I see in oversized panels IN STOCK are 3mm and I don't think that would hold up to winds on the frame. I think I could talk my customer into a smaller 5x10 size that acm comes in. What would you all make this out of? Would 3mm acm hold up to winds? The bottom of the sign is 8ft off the ground. Its in Southern California. The only weather realated issues would be sun/rain exposure and some high winds.
 

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Gino

Premium Subscriber
With today's business environment and almost daily changing prices, why didn't you call for an up-to-date cost and availability when you quoted it ?? That has become almost a daily need to do kinda thing.

3mm would never hold up with that type of a frame work...... or at least, I wouldn't try it or trust it.
 

Santimus

Member
With today's business environment and almost daily changing prices, why didn't you call for an up-to-date cost and availability when you quoted it ?? That has become almost a daily need to do kinda thing.

3mm would never hold up with that type of a frame work...... or at least, I wouldn't try it or trust it.

I know I messed up on that one. I checked the price on a couple online stores but did not check availability. Luckily the customer is very understanding that I will need to change up the material.
 

unclebun

Active Member
You can get Alumacorr in 4'x10'. It will serve in that application better than 3mm ACM. It does have the corrugated core visible from the edge, but it is much more rigid and sturdy.

Rather than scabbing the two pieces of the face together like they did, I'd move the stringer down to the seam, and add a third stringer on the 4' high piece.
 

Santimus

Member
You can get Alumacorr in 4'x10'. It will serve in that application better than 3mm ACM. It does have the corrugated core visible from the edge, but it is much more rigid and sturdy.

Rather than scabbing the two pieces of the face together like they did, I'd move the stringer down to the seam, and add a third stringer on the 4' high piece.

Thanks! Yeah I was looking at AlumaCorr and Alumalite as well. I just wasn't sure about the flutes being strong enough.

My Grimco rep is looking into ordering NuAlum sheets for me. Hopefully that pans out since it looks to be the same thing as Lusterboard but if not, then we'll probably do Alumacorr with some edge caps
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
6mm ACM comes in 5x10 sheets. It's it's not local glantz will ship it from another park of the country and you'll still have it in about a week in so cal. Don't recommend 3mm for that
 

weyandsign

New Member
3mm will tear off in the wind, unless maybe you add extra horizontal supports and use washers to attach. But better to go with a more durable substrate.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Yea, you gotta have two people to handle one of those. My issue isn't really the weight but getting that 5' sheet any higher off the ground
 
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