Typical Sign Substrates/Materials:

Substrates listed can have standard or digital vinyl applied as needed.  Using the correct material for your project will help you achieve a sign that will look professional, last an appropriate timeframe and be completed on budget.

Acrylic – Indoor & Outdoor applications.  Typical thickness is 1/8” or 3/16”, also available in other thickness.  Available in a variety of colors and clear.  Cut to custom dimensions.  Often used in illuminated sign faces.  Also used in a variety of interior signage.

Aluminum – Indoor & Outdoor applications.  Typical thickness is .040 or .080 for signs, also available in other thickness.  Available with enamel faces coated in white.  Available in several standard sizes or can be cut to custom dimensions.  Often used for rules, directional or other uses that may have exterior exposure.

Alumi-lite (dibond, omega-bond, other trade names) - Indoor & Outdoor applications.  2 thin aluminum sheet faces with a composite core.  Typical thickness is 3mm, available in other thickness.  Available enamel coated in several colors.  Cut to custom dimensions and custom shapes.  Often used instead of aluminum as weight to stiffness ratio resists “oil-canning” better than standard aluminum sheet of similar weight.

Banner - Indoor & Outdoor applications.  Many different types available.  Typical thickness is 10 or 13oz.  Available in a variety of colors or in digital media that can be printed any CMYK color.

Coroplast – Typically outdoor applications.  Corrugated plastic material.  Typical thickness is 3mm, available in other thickness.  Available in a variety of colors.  Custom cut to size or shape.  Inexpensive, often used for temporary signage.  Fluted material allows for easy use of simple step stakes.

Foamcore – Indoor applications.  Typical thickness is 3mm, available in other thickness.  Typically available in white.  Custom cut to size or shape.    Used to mount digital prints.

Gatorboard – Indoor applications.  Typical thickness is 3mm, available in other thickness.  Typically available in black.  Custom cut to size or shape.  .  Used to mount digital prints.  Resists bending and dents better than foamcore.

Lexan – Typically outdoor application.  Similar in most ways to Acrylic.  Typically more difficult to shatter.  Often used in areas with high vandalism.

Magnet – Indoor or outdoor.  Typically thin and can conform to items like vehicle doors.   Available in white or black.  Custom cut to size or shape.  Typically used on vehicles.

MDO (Medium Density Overlay) – Typically outdoor use.  Typical thickness is ½”, available in other thickness.  Custom cut to size or shape.    Available with white faces.  Engineered plywood with 1 or 2 faces prepped for sign usage.  Variations available see below.  “OmegaBoard or WonderBoard (other trade names)” are essentially MDO with 2 thin aluminum faces applied.  Gives strength of MDO with a nice, clean alum face.  Custom cut to size or shape. 

PVC – Typically indoor usage.  Typical thickness is 3mm, available in other thickness.  Custom cut to size or shape.  Available in a variety of colors.  Inexpensive, often used for temporary signs or identification.

Romark – Typically indoor usage.  Typical thickness is 1/8”.   Custom cut to size or shape.  Available in a variety of colors.  Often used in engraving processes.

Scooterboard – Typically outdoor usage.  Typical thickness is 1/8”.  Custom cut to size or shape.  Similar to masonite with faces prepped for vinyl application.

Showcard - Indoor usage.  Used to mount digital prints.  Very thin, typically mounted to easel backs.  Often used as inexpensive desktop displays.