Lettering on a 37 ft concrete wall

[nolanola]

Hello.
We have a customer who wants us to give him some quotes for different options for putting letters on a concrete wall.
It should be relatively permanent.
The options I have in mind:
- paint with a stencil
- flat cut aluminum letters from Gemini + other options from Gemini
- sandblasted with a stencil

What do you think?

Also, if they go with letters from Gemini how to estimate the installation time of a job that size?

Thank you!

 

[J Hill Designs]

FCO / cast letters would look best IMO

install isn't 'that big' and its all ground level.

depending on wording, I can't see it taking more than 6h on site

 

[letterman7]

Sandblasting will weaken the concrete, so your client wouldn't be too happy in a few years if it starts to crack. That looks like a pretty modern building... IMHO brushed aluminum/stainless letters on stand-offs would work well for that wall. Don't give your client too many choices - pick two or three you feel would represent them best and sell them on that.

 

[reQ]

FCO / cast letters would look best IMO

this

 

[nolanola]

Thank you!

 

[fresh]

you need a hammer drill!

 

[rdm01]

+1 for FCO or Cast. I would never use fabricated steel ground level.

Depending on how many letters it would be 1-4+ hours on site for us.

 

[nolanola]

There are 42 letters, 1 foot tall.
Does it take 6 minutes to install one letter?

 

[J Hill Designs]

There are 42 letters, 1 foot tall.
Does it take 6 minutes to install one letter?

apply pattern ~1hr
drill holes ~1.5hr
thread studs ~1/2 hr
install letters ~2hr
clean up/prep/etc ~1hr

 

[rdm01]

I think J Hill is spot on actually. That's a fair amount of letters to install.

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

apply pattern ~1hr
drill holes ~1.5hr
thread studs ~1/2 hr
install letters ~2hr
clean up/prep/etc ~1hr

I'd probably estimate closer to 7 or 8 hours, myself. It seems to me like threading the studs in usually takes longer than what I tend to think it will given the occasional cross threaded stud, etc. Also, 2.8 minutes per letter seems like a stretch for install. I'd allow extra time for any holes and/or studs that might need some tweaking. I guess if you're off a little on a 12" tall letter it would likely not be all that noticeable, but I'm a perfectionist when it comes to these things so I'd allow a little extra time to step back and take a good look at the overall positioning every now and then.

 

[fresh]

apply pattern ~1hr

we did a big concrete install last year. the pattern was a huge PITA. we had high-tack duct tape that wouldn't hold. i swear it took longer on a few of the panels to get the pattern up than it did to drill the holes.

and i already mentioned this, but I wouldn't attempt this without a hammer drill and one of those air puffers to clean out the holes.

 

[OldPaint]

1st question........needs to be answered
HOW DEEP ARE THE CLIENTS POCKETS? and what do they want to spend?????
2nd question..........
is it going to be illuminated in any way????
THIS AGAIN brings it back to
HOW DEEP ARE THEIR POCKETS????
HEHEHEHEHE
work smarter........................ not harder)))

 

[J Hill Designs]

mine was based on a two man crew, and possibly a little high, but I wouldn't go lower quote wise

 

[Moze]

I wouldn't touch this with a hammer drill. I would go pick up a SDS rotary hammer. It's well worth the cost. You can get a Bosch Bulldog Xtreme for under $150 and it'll run circles around a hammer drill. Along with that, get some Bosch Bulldog Xtreme bits. For the pattern, get some Gorilla tape.

 

[nolanola]

I just watched the comparison of hammer drill and the sds rotary drill.
Impressive!

Thank you!

 

[OldPaint]

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE WALL?
WHAT IS STICKING UP IN THE CENTER OF IT?
WHAT IS THE MANHOLE COVER(white circle)FOR?
IS IT SOLID CONCRETE, OR JUST SORTA LIKE A STACO FACIA?
IF IT IS SOLID CONCRETE.....WHAT PSI CRETE DID THEY USE? 2000 PSI HAMMER DRILL IS FINE.......3000-4000 PSI.......SDS)))

 

[Brandon708]

I'd do cast or dimensional channel letter that stands on the top of the wall. The finish I opuld chose would be a chrome or, brushed aluminum or silver letter. That would look great with the mirror windows. This would look the best and add some height to that short wall not to mention help it not getting blocked by over growth of plants.

 

[Moze]

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE WALL?
WHAT IS STICKING UP IN THE CENTER OF IT?
WHAT IS THE MANHOLE COVER(white circle)FOR?
IS IT SOLID CONCRETE, OR JUST SORTA LIKE A STACO FACIA?
IF IT IS SOLID CONCRETE.....WHAT PSI CRETE DID THEY USE? 2000 PSI HAMMER DRILL IS FINE.......3000-4000 PSI.......SDS)))

42 letters, 4 studs per letter, 168 holes....why triple/quadruple your times by using a hammer drill?

 

[SightLine]

I have to agree with Moze.... that many big letters is a lot of holes to drill. A rotary hammer will pay for itself on this one job. Of course as also mentioned, if its just lightweight concrete then yeah a hammer drill will also tear through it quickly. If there is any decent size aggregate or anything though....