Alupanel signs and cut vinyl
Sturdy, durable, and versatile is what you need when it comes to outdoor signage, and alupanel is your best bet
2016 / November 30 / 7:15 PM / Ottawa, ON
Alupanel comes in various thicknesses and is great for long-term outdoor use. During manufacturing one side of the panel is coated in a nice solid white or black finish, making alupanel a great option for cut vinyl like you see in these signs. Cut vinyl is typically cheaper than covering the sheet in a full colour print.
Depending on the size of the roll of vinyl and the dimensions and colours of the artwork, larger signs made with cut vinyl are typically put together in pieces using alignment techniques to preserve the integrity of the original design. Both signs pictured were pieced together in sections of cut vinyl.
The ‘Breathe E-Z’ sign, while only 2′ tall, was cut from a 15″ wide roll of vinyl. The design was split in half lengthwise and little rectangles were temporarily added to the artwork. These rectangles act as alignment marks and are placed in a spot where they can be included in both sections of the design, which will be cut separately, and then used to line up the two sections on the canvas.
When lining up two sections of vinyl, the first section will be applied along with the rectangles onto the canvas, and the second will have the rectangles removed before application by cutting along the edges of the shapes (all the way through the backing paper). With holes in the exact shape and location of the rectangles, you can line up these holes on the canvas overtop of the first section of vinyl that you’ve already applied to the canvas.
Ottawa Orthotic Lab’s alupanel storefront sign
Once you’ve lined up at least two holes the entire section should be lined up perfectly, and while you can go ahead and apply the second section at this point, it’s wise to double check your measurements first!
The ‘Orthotic Lab’ sign is a full 8′ x 4′ sheet of alupanel and was put together in six pieces, three alone for the logo. Alupanel signs larger than 8′ x 4′ are made up of multiple sheets and will have seams that need to be compensated for when designing, producing, and installing the sign.
—James
