How to choose the right media for your signage project.

Monomeric, Polymeric Calendared, Cast. Confused? It’s not surprising. Vinyl print media comes in a lot of forms, and not all forms perform the same. Instead of using these scientific sounding terms I intend to make it simple. 3 year, 5 year and 7 year.

3 year (Monomeric): Without getting into the weeds too much on the factory processes of how they make this stuff, this is the cheapest media you can get. This also means, it doesn’t last as long outdoors as the rest. This media is perfect for interior decals, core flute signs, temporary window graphics and an affordable option for promotional stickers. 

5 year (Polymeric Calendared): This is the most common media chosen by sign makers and customers alike. It’s the Toyota Camry of print media. It’s robust enough to last a long time outdoors, but affordable enough not to break the bank doing it. Perfect for more permanent window graphics, panels signs & a cost effective option for some vehicle decals. 

7 year (Cast): Primo, the best, top shelf. Cast is created in a completely different factory process to the 3 & 5 year. It’s thinner, it lasts longer and there’s a reason sign writers call it conformable. It likes to bend and warp. It goes around fenders and wing mirrors and over bows. It’s generally bubble free and overall responds to using a heat gun better. This is the stuff used for car wraps,  boat wraps and, more recently, hand sanitiser unit wraps. 

It’s important to note here that these time periods are the estimates the manufacturers provide for the life of the material, UNPRINTED. The difference is the Ink. Different brands, types and colours of ink react differently, so with different designs and ink coverages it is very difficult to know how long a particular sign will last. This is why most sign writers only offer a 3 year warranty on their work. But you can reasonably expect your sign to last for the above durations, perhaps longer depending on where it is and how much sun it gets. Thankfully for most clients it's irrelevant needing to know How to choose the right media for your signage project, that's usually reserved for the sign maker. What is important is being aware of the differences so you can make an educated decision and avoid paying for a premium product but instead receiving something that isn't going to last the test of time.