Outdoor sign substrate

[GhostPrinting]

What substrate are you all using for an outdoor temporary signage that will be attached between 2 4x4 post until contractors get finished on site. Will be a 4ftx6ft dimensions. Looking for something to stand up to the elements and I’m not sold with the corrugated to stand up to wind etc at that size. Was actually leaning more towards a mesh banner. TIA

 

[Billct2]

10mm coroplastic is fine for a sign like that as long as it’s properly fastened. Or for just a bit more an econo acm.
I hate banners on 4x4 posts because they never get put up well and don’t stay taut.

 

[compu6199]

If you run 2 pcs. of wood across, you can use 3mm DiBond - or even 4mm Coroplast

 

[Johnny Best]

ACM, aluminum clad material, comes in different thicknesse.

 

[signbrad]

Many of the contractors we do job site signs for specify the substrate. Usually, it's "1/2-inch exterior plywood." We just use prepainted MDO. It doesn't require bracing and readily accepts both vinyl graphics and paint.
The contractor usually wants something they can nail to posts and throw away after a year, so MDO is perfect. Many contractors require a digital print of a color rendering provided by the architect. The pre-painted MDO (not just pre-primed) has a nice shiny surface that holds a print well. If they want a colored background, it's easy to paint with Matthews.

We used Coroplast in the past, but more than one contractor said, "don't use that corrugated plastic stuff anymore." They said it was too much trouble.

Brad in Kansas City

 

[visual800]

Im all about 10mil with digital printing. Some ask for .5" mdo and i price that out with 10 mil coro and its a no brainer for them

 

[Kbrecken]

I'd go with .5" Krezone, not sure what they call it in your area, but it's essentially Good 1 Side plywood with enamel paint, I don't print direct cuz I once shot one across the room when I forgot to raise my head height on my UV flatbed, I decal / mount with 3M IJ35C + matte lam

 

[signbrad]

I'd go with .5" Krezone, not sure what they call it in your area, but it's essentially Good 1 Side plywood with enamel paint, I don't print direct cuz I once shot one across the room when I forgot to raise my head height on my UV flatbed, I decal / mount with 3M IJ35C + matte lam

Crezon®, originally spelled with a C, was the grandfather of medium-density overlay plywood. The Crezon® brand name originally referred to just the resin-impregnated paper overlay, but eventually came to be applied to the plywood panel product as well. It was registered as a trademark in 1954 by Dynea Overlays of Tacoma, Washington, an adhesive manufacturer. Both HDO and MDO were originally developed for the concrete industry to be used in making reusable concrete forms. The sign industry quickly caught on to MDO's usefulness as a paintable sign substrate. The Crezon trademark is "dead" now.

Many versions of MDO have been manufactured. The attached PDF is dated 2007 and lists Crezon® as a product made by Olympic Panel Products, Shelton, Washington. Note that Crezon is listed as the product equivalent of MDO Two-Step®, another brand name of MDO, characterized by a sanding step performed before the paper overlay was applied. Signal® MDO was considerd Olympic's premier MDO panel—it had hardwood plies directly under the paper and hardly any core voids, making it a good choice for flat cutout letters. Once painted, Signal MDO looked like 3/4-inch plastic. Guardian® MDO was the standard, no-frills (bulletin board) grade. I built my highway bulletins with it. I think it only came in 3/8-inch. MDO had a long run, over 60 years, as a sign substrate.

Olympic Panel was acquired by Swanson Group Manufacturing and the assets of Olympic Panel were to be moved to a state-of-the-art plywood facility in 2016 in Springfield, Oregon. That's where I lost the trail. Obviously, MDO is still manufactured and being used by the sign industry, as well as other industries. My 1960 GMC bread truck had a roll-up rear door made of 3/4-inch thick metal-covered MDO panels connected by hinges. Once, when the spring assist broke, I realized the door was heavy as hell. MDO is popular in the building trades, too, because it's paintable. It makes a good soffit material. And I'm sure HDO is still used by many state highway departments as a (low-cost) substrate for reflective signs.
Presumably, the MDO brands are still part of the Olympic family of brands.

Brad in Kansas City

 

[signbrad]

I'd go with .5" Krezone, not sure what they call it in your area, but it's essentially Good 1 Side plywood with enamel paint, I don't print direct cuz I once shot one across the room when I forgot to raise my head height on my UV flatbed, I decal / mount with 3M IJ35C + matte lam

Crezon®, originally spelled with a C, was the grandfather of medium-density overlay plywood. The brand name originally referred to just the resin-impregnated paper overlay, but eventually came to be applied to the plywood panel product as well. It was registered as a trademark in 1954 by Dynea Overlays of Tacoma, Washington, an adhesive manufacturer. Both HDO and MDO were originally developed for the concrete industry to be used in making reusable concrete forms. The sign industry quickly caught on to MDO's usefulness as a paintable sign substrate.

Many versions of MDO have been manufactured. The attached PDF is dated 2007 and lists Crezon® as a product made by Olympic Panel Products, Shelton, Washington. Note that Crezon is listed as the product equivalent of MDO Two-Step®, another brand name of MDO, characterized by a sanding step performed before the paper overlay was applied. Signal® MDO was considerd Olympic's premier MDO panel—it had hardwood plies directly under the paper and hardly any core voids, making it a good choice for flat cutout letters. Once painted, Signal MDO looked like 3/4-inch plastic. Guardian® MDO was the standard, no-frills (bulletin board) grade. MDO had a long run, over 60 years, as a sign substrate.

Olympic Panel was acquired by Swanson Group Manufacturing and the assets of Olympic Panel were to be moved to a state-of-the-art plywood facility in 2016 in Springfield, Oregon. That's where I lost the trail. Obviously, MDO is still manufactured and being used by the sign industry, as well as other industries. My 1960 GMC bread truck had a roll-up rear door made of 3/4-inch thick metal-covered MDO panels.
Presumably, the MDO brands are still part of the Olympic family of brands.

 

[ColorCrest]

My 1960 GMC bread truck had a roll-up rear door made of 3/4-inch thick metal-covered MDO panels.

Let's hear more about the bread truck!

 

[Johnny Best]

Many years ago MDO had about 10 to 12 layers of wood laminate. Now if you look at the edges it is about 5 thicker lams of wood. Now it will delaminate in about 2 weeks or shorter. I prefer the look of MDO for a sign but the way it comes apart so easily it is ACM for me. Even if you put that cheap plastic edge cap on it still falls apart.

 

[ProSignTN]

High end cabinet makers (kitchen, bath, etc.) still use it for draw bottoms. My house was built in 1959 and the majority of the siding in 3/8" MDO. Last time I painted, I counted no less than 6 color changes through the years.