Tee signage materials

[Seabrook]

Does anyone have a suggestion for an all weather sign that is affordable? I'd love to get aluminum signs but I'm guessing they are pricey. I've thought of corrugated plastic signage, cheaper and easily replaced when damaged. Any suggestions, rough price costs?

Thanks, Steve

 

[biscoe]

Aluminum are not really all that pricey any more. You can probably do them for $20-$25 apiece.

 

[glassila]

It depends on what you mean by "pricey".
Check with a Graphics place/sign maker in your area. I believe a 8" x 12" plastic sign will run about $20 if you supply the graphics.

I print my own tee signs and trail signs on a high end copier then have them laminated and attached to a board. Final cost about maybe a buck each. They are definitely all weather and cheap.

 

[Casey 1988]

I was thinking for posts they have the metal fence posts, wood fails quicker overtime and as long as they are clear coated with the enamel spray/clear coat spray, they will last a long time, as is without the Protectant the paint comes off and after 10-15 years they are rusting out.

 

[glassila]

4 x 4 treated posts should last forever.

 

[Casey 1988]

4 x 4 treated posts should last forever.

Well not if you have people cutting up the post on sides and edges in vandal style. The Rain will mess up 4x4 Treated posts over time, about 25-30 years depending on the wood. Trust me I have seen some Treated wood fail over time when the treating wear off enough of the posts.

 

[glassila]

You're worried that metal posts will rust out in 10-15 years and treated wood posts will "only" last 25-30 years??? Methinks your expectations may be a little too high.

If vandals are going to cut up anything it will be the sign itself.

 

[davetherocketguy]

Got access to a Cricut? Those make easy work of cutting out vinyl lettering. Heck, you can go to your local Michaels/Hobby Lobby and buy precut vinyl lettering and put it on corrugated plastic signs if you aren't worried about making graphics. If you have the graphics already worked out, you could go to the local sign shop or promotions place and have vinyl labels made up with to apply to the corrugated plastic signs for much cheaper than having aluminum signage made.

I've made a few next tee signs for our local course using this method and while they're only a couple of years old they are holding up quite well.

 

[wellsbranch250]

Does anyone have a suggestion for an all weather sign that is affordable? I'd love to get aluminum signs but I'm guessing they are pricey. I've thought of corrugated plastic signage, cheaper and easily replaced when damaged. Any suggestions, rough price costs?

Thanks, Steve

"Metalmax" which is two aluminum sheets sandwiching plastic, costs me exactly $26.60 locally for one 12in x 18in print. they get cheaper as I buy more. A state park (monte sano) which I've been working with to re-do the signs, has a contract with an out of state vender that can actually get them for just under $20 for the same size.

these are the prototype signs i printed for $26.60 ea. includes tax. photo was taken at my backyard course, not monte sano.

 

[ohtobediscing]

Corrugated plastic is fairly cheap, but it does "sun-rot" in about 5 years, so you'll have replacement costs on that time frame.

 

[Shankapotamus]

It depends on what you mean by "pricey".
Check with a Graphics place/sign maker in your area. I believe a 8" x 12" plastic sign will run about $20 if you supply the graphics.

I print my own tee signs and trail signs on a high end copier then have them laminated and attached to a board. Final cost about maybe a buck each. They are definitely all weather and cheap.

I did the same. Printed them out on photo paper and then laminated them. The 4x4's were already in place, so I attached the laminated signs to 8x10 pieces of wood and then attached those to the posts. We eventually replaced them after fund raising, but these were adequate and served as the template for the professional sign maker.

 

[Shankapotamus]

One thing I failed to mention is I attached acrylic covers to them. They are precut 8x10" at Lowe's. https://www.lowes.com/pd/LEXAN-0-093-in-T-x-8-in-W-x-10-in-L-Clear-Polycarbonate-Sheet/3143465

 

[CalHon]

One thing I failed to mention is I attached acrylic covers to them. They are precut 8x10" at Lowe's. https://www.lowes.com/pd/LEXAN-0-093-in-T-x-8-in-W-x-10-in-L-Clear-Polycarbonate-Sheet/3143465

That's a great idea!

 

[glassila]

I would really worry about moisture and dirt getting between the acrylic and the sign.

 

[BillFleming]

I would really worry about moisture and dirt getting between the acrylic and the sign.

Caulk them - that's the least expensive solution. One course I play has acrylic over the sign, but they frame the sign in treated wood and that keeps the water out. Doesn't stop the jerks from putting stickers on the signs or bashing the acrylic.

 

[Silboh]

It depends on what you mean by "pricey".
Check with a Graphics place/sign maker in your area. I believe a 8" x 12" plastic sign will run about $20 if you supply the graphics.

I print my own tee signs and trail signs on a high end copier then have them laminated and attached to a board. Final cost about maybe a buck each. They are definitely all weather and cheap.

What's the best way to attach the laminated signs? I tried with a stapler but I think water entered by the tiny holes made by the stapler because the signs are really bad after a couple of weeks.

 

[Golden Tuna]

In terms of long term cost to value, 0.80 aluminum is probably your best bet.
I'll echo biscoe's statements about price (in the Midwest). A 9" x 12" is likely around $25.
* A quoting consideration some people overlook is the necessity for auxillary signage: directional signs, cautions signs, info boards, etc. The more material you buy the more discount is available.

The DIBON product "Metalmax" product is ok in decent neighborhoods, but we've had trouble with vandalism in some our our parks with these signs. At 3 mil, they really just don't stand up to environmental damage. Even on our "nicest" course (in terms of surrounding area), the DIBON/Metalmax "mando" sign was hit a few times and broke.

So, again, I recommend 0.80 aluminum.

If you choose to go with DIBON, get the thicker option (6MIL?). Either way, you get vinyl stickers for the illustrations and UV film to protect from fading. In these instances, I can borrow a hole punch (from our printer) for the pin placement marker holes (in the sign's info box).

For mounting signs, I typically use (2) 2-3" hex head lag screws to mount the sign to the 4x4 post. I pilot the holes on my drill press since they can't be reached by the printers' hole punch, which also helps the graphic from binding when you tighten the screw. Be careful not to over-tighten at installation as you'll torque the graphic and it'll start to deteriorate.

 

[Silboh]

What about 3mm DIBON but attached on a board?

 

[glassila]

What's the best way to attach the laminated signs? I tried with a stapler but I think water entered by the tiny holes made by the stapler because the signs are really bad after a couple of weeks.

I used a paper punch to create 1/4" holes in each corner then used washer head screws to screw them down.
Yes, water will find its way into any cut or pin hole in the laminate and ruin the sign.

 

[Silboh]

And with paper punch and washer head screw, you don't have any problem? I would think water would also find its way.