what is this?

[Marlene]

Does anyone know what this material is? It is light weight. The core isn't soft but it I can make a dig into it with my nails if I push really hard. Is this an exterior product or an interior product?
thanks

 

[Johnny Best]

Is it Gatorboard?

 

[Gino]

Where did you find it ?? How was it being used from wherever you got it ??

 

[Marlene]

Where did you find it ?? How was it being used from wherever you got it ??

The sign was sent to us to install by a company for their customer. The sign is an exterior sign. The customer thought the mounting gave way but it didn't, it broke where the holes where drilled into the sign for the mounting. We don't use Gatorboard so I have no idea if this is that product. I have a feeling that this stuff is not an exterior grade product but have no idea what it is as we don't use stuff like this for anything. The core looks powdery in the photo because of the break but it isn't. It is solid, not like PVC but maybe a dense foam of some kind.

 

[billsines]

Kinda weird...looks like drywall.

 

[Gino]

I don't think it's Gatorboard, but there are many other substrates out there like it which are a little denser, but just because they won't rot or mildew, does not make them essentially exterior products. However, if that small circular cutout near your thumb is where the bolt /fastener went through, it was mounted wrong. There should've been a sleeve going through with a flat head on each side to take the weight off of the material and distribute it more evenly for much added strength. Something, perhaps, you should;ve gone over with the other sign guy and corrected for them. Did this sign have any movement when installed, like from a chain or wire ?? It appears to be double sided with no extra support for anything outside. Big No-No in the sign world when installing exterior signs.

 

[bannertime]

What kind of print surface does it have? Or is it all the same material?

 

[Marlene]

I don't think it's Gatorboard, but there are many other substrates out there like it which are a little denser, but just because they won't rot or mildew, does not make them essentially exterior products. However, if that small circular cutout near your thumb is where the bolt /fastener went through, it was mounted wrong. There should've been a sleeve going through with a flat head on each side to take the weight off of the material and distribute it more evenly for much added strength. Something, perhaps, you should;ve gone over with the other sign guy and corrected for them. Did this sign have any movement when installed, like from a chain or wire ?? It appears to be double sided with no extra support for anything outside. Big No-No in the sign world when installing exterior signs.

It was sent with the hardware and as far as I know it was a top clip with a bolt. It does hang from an arm and has a wire that hold it from swinging. This sign gets redone every couple of years as the client changes the look/colors often. Up until this sign, none sent have been made from this material. From the look of it they decided to use something cheap this time. The piece shown weighs next to nothing. It kind of looks like PVC until you pick it up and feel how light weight it is. I think it is some kind of interior material that is one step up from Gatorfoam as the foam is a little firmer than that. It does kind of look like sheet rock in the photo because of the break but it isn't powdery like sheet rock.

 

[Marlene]

What kind of print surface does it have? Or is it all the same material?

I tried to peel the green off the material but it looks like it was printed directly onto the surface of the material and then that print was laminated with a clear. This material doesn't have a laminate of. It appears to be one solid piece with a semi smooth surface, kind of the same as a PVC would have. Could this be a cheap PVC, less dense than regular PVC?

 

[chester215]

Why not call the company you got it from??

 

[Jean Shimp]

We had a sales rep come in Friday with a sample material call "Sky Board". It has an eps foam core and a smooth plastic type surface on two sides. It looks similar to your photo. Don't Google the name because all you get is skateboards. The label on the product says: Division of EPS Specialties Ltd. 800-422-3556

 

[JTBoh]

Heavy weight Sintra can break like that, especially after some UV

 

[ChrisN]

It looks like standard foamed PVC. The break doesn't show any layers like a foamboard based product would need.

Digital print grade PVC tends to be a bit lighter than outdoor grade gloss PVC, so that might be why you think it seems too light? (although in a piece that small you might not notice it)

 

[Billct2]

Looks like one of those foam substrates that Grimco sells. They have a whole page of them. They are like that Sky Board Jean mentioned.

 

[theyllek]

I would hazard a guess that it's a version of Ultraboard.... I've printed on the stuff before but only for indoor use. The outside was styrene and the inside was similar to foamcore but had a bit more umphfff to it.. That or it's some shitty PVC ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

my best guesses without touching it...

 

[Johnny Best]

What about Ryno HD board? Clay coated liners both sides. I would never use it outdoors.

 

[Gino]

So Marlene, were the graphics laser cut, carved or just a print on the surface ?? In other words, was it a relief type sign ?? Also, how many colors were involved in the end results ?? Do you have a picture of the sign as a whole ??

 

[Marlene]

So Marlene, were the graphics laser cut, carved or just a print on the surface ?? In other words, was it a relief type sign ?? Also, how many colors were involved in the end results ?? Do you have a picture of the sign as a whole ??

It looks like a direct print onto the surface of the material and then it was laminated with clear. From what I rad from the responses, I think it could very well be printable PVC. It doesn't have surfaces and a core, it is a solid piece. The weight of it so light, I didn't think it could be PVC as that stuff is pretty heavy.
Thanks for all the help with this as I've never seen a product like this and hope to never see it again.

 

[Gino]

Yeah, you did mention that. I overlooked it. My bad.

I guess short of calling your supplier of the sign, you'll never really know, huh ??

 

[fixtureman]

It looks like the sign material I used to install for CVS drug stores not Sintra or expanded PVC but a real dense foam.