Best way to mount an ACM sign to corrugated metal siding?

[Kim Stevenson]

What fasteners do you recommend for mounting an ACM sign (for argument sake, lets say a 4' x 8' sign panel) to corrugated metal siding? Part of the issue also are the metal screws with which the metal siding is screwed into place with. Thus the sign panel can't be flush mounted to the siding, but needs to be offset by 1/4" - 3/8, if that makes sense.

TIA.

Kim.

 

[Gino]

In all my years, the signs which are mounted directly to a building, regardless of being corrugated, dryvit, block, wood..... whatever, they look bad and don't weather well. There should either be a framework mounte first or a pan system of some sorts. Only channels can be direct mounted in my book.

That being said, build a frame for the sign, mount it, then mount your sign to it.

 

[Moze]

Self-tapping, exterior grade wafer head screws.

If the existing screws make the panel uneven, pull them, silicone the holes and run additional of the above screws through the panel to compensate. Paint to match.

 

[unclebun]

We do not mount signs directly to the siding. We attach stringers to the siding, then put the sign on the stringers. I believe it looks better as well, since the sign is not just flat on the wall but instead floating an inch and a half away. In addition, you can then use low profile lath screws with painted heads to mount the sign rather than hex head siding screws.

 

[Kim Stevenson]

We do not mount signs directly to the siding. We attach stringers to the siding, then put the sign on the stringers. I believe it looks better as well, since the sign is not just flat on the wall but instead floating an inch and a half away. In addition, you can then use low profile lath screws with painted heads to mount the sign rather than hex head siding screws.

Makes sense. What do you use for stringers and what fasteners do you prefer to mount the stringers?

Thanks all for your input.

 

[unclebun]

Makes sense. What do you use for stringers and what fasteners do you prefer to mount the stringers?

Thanks all for your input.

We use treated lumber 2x4's cut 2 or 3 inches shorter than the sign on each end and mounted 2" in from the top and bottom of the sign. A 4' high sign needs 3 rows of stringers. We use a screw which can withstand treated lumber and can be driven into the wood so it's flush. Typically it means a decking screw, even though they don't have self-tapping tips. Some of the new fancy deck screws have a self drilling pointed tip (and use a torx bit instead of phillips). Then for the sign face you can use pointed tip truss washer lath screws 1" long. 5 screws per 8' of length.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Self-tapping, exterior grade wafer head screws.

If the existing screws make the panel uneven, pull them, silicone the holes and run additional of the above screws through the panel to compensate. Paint to match.

Not that the building will fall down but the screws in R Panel are considered part of the structure plus that is a good way to make someone's building leak.

 

[Billct2]

Like was said a frame works best. But we have used the same screws that they mount the panels with. Like Moze said the existing screws that are in the way can be removed and then the screws thru the panel will replace them. Or you can put a spacer, we use scrap pvc

 

[Moze]

Not that the building will fall down but the screws in R Panel are considered part of the structure plus that is a good way to make someone's building leak.

That's why I suggested if screws are removed, to add compensating screws through the face. There are very few screws in a 4'x8' area on corrugated siding anyway, so there's not going to be any structural compromises.

I also suggested using silicone where screws are used in order to prevent leaking.

 

[Gino]

Not that the building will fall down but the screws in R Panel are considered part of the structure plus that is a good way to make someone's building leak.

He did say to silicone them closed, but what if you are doing a sign about 12' x 48' ?? That's a lotta screws to remove and not replace. Now, your building wall integrity might be compromised.

We generally use 2" x 6"s and we almost always run the battens up and down. This doesn't prevent birds or bees nests, but it is much easier to clean behind. We also keep the battens in 2" from top, sides and bottom. We countersink the 2 x 6s for the roofing screws. The top screws are just the lath screws with a flattened head at whatever length we need. They are painted beforehand to match the background.

 

[Moze]

My advice was for a 4x8, which is what the OP asked for. I did these years ago. They're flat and have never leaked.

 

[visual800]

I usually remove screws that are obstructing put silicone over them and then screw my panel in the same ridge the screws were removed

If it is a larger sign I will use 1x2 aluminum tubing to back the sign and pull it away from the building. It doesnt take many screws to hold the 1x2 on the building that would be less than the panel takes

 

[a77]

I usually remove screws that are obstructing put silicone over them and then screw my panel in the same ridge the screws were removed

If it is a larger sign I will use 1x2 aluminum tubing to back the sign and pull it away from the building. It doesnt take many screws to hold the 1x2 on the building that would be less than the panel takes

Nice sign, but if you ran stringers you would have been able to centre this sign instead of trying to get both panels to line up with that one peak in the corrugated.....

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I agree with Moze, must be a Texas thing. Self tappers though the face on the ribs. Take existing fasteners out, caulk and you are replacing them with the ones you use for the face.

If they want some dimension and no visible fasteners, make a pan face and a frame inside to hang it.. Something about using wood on a metal wall and metal sign doesn't really jive with me.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

He did say to silicone them closed, but what if you are doing a sign about 12' x 48' ?? That's a lotta screws to remove and not replace. Now, your building wall integrity might be compromised.

We generally use 2" x 6"s and we almost always run the battens up and down. This doesn't prevent birds or bees nests, but it is much easier to clean behind. We also keep the battens in 2" from top, sides and bottom. We countersink the 2 x 6s for the roofing screws. The top screws are just the lath screws with a flattened head at whatever length we need. They are painted beforehand to match the background.


View attachment 156862

Stop buying your fasteners from the hardware store. Get them online... less than half the price.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

My advice was for a 4x8, which is what the OP asked for. I did these years ago. They're flat and have never leaked.

It looks silly. If you were going to mount it directly to the building, why didn't you make it a 4x7 or 4x9? The ribs are always 12" OC, they managed to get the awning and the door in the right place but the easiest part of the whole place is 1 foot off center.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Stop buying your fasteners from the hardware store. Get them online... less than half the price.

What are you saving? 2 bucks? The thing with legit roofing screws is that washer will stand up in the sun. A lot of bonded washers don't even though they look the same.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Buying them at retail hardware store in those little packages are costly but it depends on how many you use in a year. I buy them in bags of 1000 and I bought about 5 bags last year. Not only are you saving $$ but you save a trip to the store over and over again.. and not wasting those plastic containers.

 

[Moze]

It looks silly. If you were going to mount it directly to the building, why didn't you make it a 4x7 or 4x9? The ribs are always 12" OC, they managed to get the awning and the door in the right place but the easiest part of the whole place is 1 foot off center.

I agree but it wasn't my call. There were existing panels that they wanted replaced like-for-like. Same size, same location due to shadowing. I made suggestions and this is what they asked for.

 

[Gino]

For quite a few years, I've been buying my stuff how I see fit and as I see fit. Buying in bulk sometimes pays off, but generally we're getting all kindsa lengths and sizes, so while we're picking up wood, we pick up that stuff, too. We did a job about 3 months ago on a corrugated and brick building, that took about 1,500 fasteners alone. Plus the fasteners for mounting the sign faces. I'd say we might've used 5 or 600 in the faces. If we were doing the exact same thing, I'd buy in bulk, but ours is very customized, therefore we don't wanna overstock anything, more than necessary. In the end, the customer is, in fact, paying for it with or without a quantity discount.