Tradeshow graphic displays - what media to use?

[MikePro]

client has one of those fold-able mult-isection tradeshow booths with "velcro-receptive panels" and wants us to put graphics on it.

My initial thought is to use a thick polystyrene and velcro, but are there other options for solvent digital printing media that any of you prefer?

 

[Gino]

How big of a sign are you making ??

 

[MikePro]

i believe there's 16 panels, each 2'x4'. mainly curious if I'm not "in-the-know" on some sort of tradeshow-booth graphic media out there that is meant to work with these "displays2go" setups.

 

[animenick65]

We do these several times a day and use 1mil sintra/komatex. We'll precut the material and run it through our VUTEk butt up against each other to make one seamless panel once it's attached to the carpet wall.

 

[Gino]

Like he said, most pvc's will work. I also like gatorboard. There's another substrate out there, and we have it, but I honestly don't know it by name. I just ask my vendor for trade-show display clear. It has a textured feel to the front side and totally smooth on the back side.

We do a reverse print and it can be used for backlit or regular. Put velcro on the back and it's a nice set up.

 

[MikePro]

1mil sintra/komatex.

sweet! i assume that you just frame it on the backside with velcro?

Like he said, most pvc's will work. I also like gatorboard.

my initial thought was gatorboard as well but I always hate how easily "bruised" they get. ultraboard/gatorplast has been a new favorite for me too, as the face can take more of a beating without denting.

 

[animenick65]

sweet! i assume that you just frame it on the backside with velcro?


my initial thought was gatorboard as well but I always hate how easily "bruised" they get. ultraboard/gatorplast has been a new favorite for me too, as the face can take more of a beating without denting.

That's correct. The main reason we use it is because most of the booths we print on it for are of the curved variety.

Ultraboard is great, but like you said, scratches, bruises and picks up fingerprints easily. It's a fragile material given the price.

 

[Gino]

sweet! i assume that you just frame it on the backside with velcro?


my initial thought was gatorboard as well but I always hate how easily "bruised" they get. ultraboard/gatorplast has been a new favorite for me too, as the face can take more of a beating without denting.

You might be confused with foamboard and I don't know what ultraboard is.

Gatorboard is a very strong rigid foam material but you can hit it with your knuckles with no marks and unless you are deliberately trying to ruin it, it's hard to do. That's what I like and many of our cusomters like, however, we probably make just as many from the pvc products as well.

We do stay away from Sintra, since it does contain lead. Years ago we used it, until we found that little tid-bit of information out.
​

 

[animenick65]

You might be confused with foamboard and I don't know what ultraboard is.

Gatorboard is a very strong rigid foam material but you can hit it with your knuckles with no marks and unless you are deliberately trying to ruin it, it's hard to do. That's what I like and many of our cusomters like, however, we probably make just as many from the pvc products as well.

We do stay away from Sintra, since it does contain lead. Years ago we used it, until we found that little tid-bit of information out.
​

Ultraboard is similar to gator but is a bit cheaper. It has a polystyrene face. It's not as sturdy but is lighter.

Just an FYI, they have stopped using lead in Sintra.

 

[Gino]

Ultraboard is similar to gator but is a bit cheaper. It has a polystyrene face. It's not as sturdy but is lighter.

Just an FYI, they have stopped using lead in Sintra.

Good to know on both counts.

However, how do you know they stopped putting lead it in ??

The reason I ask this is..... even when it was in [which I still believe it is], they denied it 100% and said their product did not contain any harmful lead whatsoever. After you would delve deeper and get right up in their face, they would say, well, it does have encapsulated lead, but that can't harm you. HUH ?? It can if you cut enough of this stuff in a day's time, over weeks, months, years...... and catch my drift ??

You get some of these shops that cut this stuff routinely, you're breaking them that little capsules up all over the place and letting lead into the air. I'd have to see the complete specs and make sure they didn't use another play on words like before.

No harmful lead in it.It's contained. Therefore, it's not harmful. My butt it's not. Perhaps now it really is out, but then it will have lost about it's only claim to fame... it won't fade. Without the lead it will.

Anyway, there are many alternatives to Sintra. Check it out.

 

[animenick65]

Good to know on both counts.

However, how do you know they stopped putting lead it in ??

The reason I ask this is..... even when it was in [which I still believe it is], they denied it 100% and said their product did not contain any harmful lead whatsoever. After you would delve deeper and get right up in their face, they would say, well, it does have encapsulated lead, but that can't harm you. HUH ?? It can if you cut enough of this stuff in a day's time, over weeks, months, years...... and catch my drift ??

You get some of these shops that cut this stuff routinely, you're breaking them that little capsules up all over the place and letting lead into the air. I'd have to see the complete specs and make sure they didn't use another play on words like before.

No harmful lead in it.It's contained. Therefore, it's not harmful. My butt it's not. Perhaps now it really is out, but then it will have lost about it's only claim to fame... it won't fade. Without the lead it will.

Anyway, there are many alternatives to Sintra. Check it out.

We know because it snaps in half now, and it didn't before. We also know because we are one of the largest purchasers of sheet PVC products in the northeast and have an extensive recycling program to go along with it. Part of the certification process we required our suppliers to go through included proving that their products didn't contain certain things. I wasn't involved in the scientific aspect of it, but I do know the product was approved green and lack of lead was a factor in this.

We have since switched to an E-PVC product for various other reasons.

 

[Malkin]

Our suppliers switched to Kometex years ago because of the lead-in-Sintra issue.

We use Sihl 3508 DuraSOL for flexible trade show graphics, it has the slightly textured surface and prints real nice on the VersaCamm. Best for curved displays as it tends to keep a curl after coming off the roll, but once attached with velcro or magnetic strips is just fine.
Almost every supplier I have talked with has to have it drop shipped from the manufacturer, so plan ahead on lead time.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

I love 0.5 or 0.75mm clear PETG. Can do reverse graphics or front positive. It's flexible, has ZERO memory (stays 100% flat - bounces back when let go or taken off) and is cheap, and very easy to cut. Reverse graphics look great - the surface is glossy as glass.

Re the printing, I just print on vinyl and mount/laminate as required.