How to Extend the Life of Your Printed Banners and Signs

Extending the life of your printed banners and signs starts with placement and maintenance. Being an out-of-home advertising medium, banners are more susceptible to damaging weather and vandalism throughout the year, so it is critical to take extra care to extend the life of your printed banner.

Hear are a few points to ensure your printed banners and signs are looked after and look the best they can:

Sunlight and Heat

Different substrates withstand harsh environmental elements better than others. For example, vinyl banners are better protected against moisture. Direct sunlight and heat have huge permanent effects of your printed banners and signs by breaking down the chemical bonds in the ink, hence major fading. In order to keep your vibrant colours, either place the sign in a shady area or undercover. However, at Mesh Direct we only use the finest UV stabilised ink for printing on our banner. This ensures minimal fade to your high impact printed banners and signs.

Wind

Wind is the biggest killer for signs, tearing the materials and pulling it away from its structure. Two thing that will help preserve your printed banner is perfect installation and the perfect tension. The installation of the printed banner is a huge part of extending its life. Whatever type of banner mesh you have, it is likely to have supertuff edging and a nylon welded backing, giving it that supreme strength. When installing, the most important step is tensioning; make sure you use cable ties in each eyelet so there is no chance for your banner to sag, fold, or come loose during high winds. The tensioning overall, should be significant and is the best way to prevent any tears.

Cutting holes into the sides of your banners is another idea. Without cutting into the graphic design, this will simply allow wind to flow through and not just push the solid banner. Although, one type of banner mesh that is perfect for windy conditions is shade cloth, as it is a permeable substrate which creates a light load on the structure, and allows wind to move through the banner easily.

Vandalism

Limiting your risk of costly vandalism is a contributing factor. This is a smart move as it will save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in damages and aid in keeping the appeal of your banner. The anti-graffiti coating comes in a matte and gloss finish, perfect for any look. They both have the ability to simply wipe off graffiti on your printed banner quick and easily without damaging the colour. Adcoat is a highly praised anti-graffiti coating which ads a layer above the original ink, so in the act of being vandalised, your signage can be easily restored to its original appearance. It is particularly recommended when your hoarding or large scale project is easily accessed in an urban area where vandalism is highly likely to occur. For more detail information on anti-graffiti coating, check out our blog post ‘Anti-Graffiti Coating: How to Protect Your Signage’.

Regular Maintenance

Regular cleaning expands the life of your printed banners and signs and keep them looking sharp, as being outside will attract a lot of dirt and grime. A solution of warm soapy water and a damp cloth is an ideal way to wash off all dirt and dust. Then with another clean cloth, wipe off all excess suds and thoroughly dry.

Perfect Installation

Your beautifully printed banner and signs have cost you a bit of money but is now all set to repay you in conveying your message – all you need to do now is to install it. Installing banners on fencing us usually a fairly simple task if you know some basic tips and the cornerstone of those tips is tension. A banner that is crooked, sagging or flapping in the breeze can be more damaging than helpful, displaying a lack of care and sloppiness.