Signs are a cost effective way to market your products or services. If developed correctly your sign will be long lasting and will deliver your marketing message clearly and uniquely. By using the right tools and techniques in the initial stages of application, you can guarantee your job will last the distance.

Prevention is the best way to ensure failure on your sign does not occur. You pay great attention to the design and layout of your marketing message and you should take the same position in developing your sign. Attention to detail is the key and making certain that you give your sign the best opportunity to give you a return on your investment.

• Clean the surface

Rivets, curves and corrugations are classified as problem areas because they are prone to trapping contaminates such as water and dirt. These contaminates can ‘cake’ on to the surface making it difficult to clean and prepare correctly and as a result applying signage hard.

To clean the surface properly, and to guarantee the life of your sign, follow these three easy steps:

• Wash the surface with detergent and water.

• Wipe the surface with a product such as Wax and Grease Remover or Isopropyl Alcohol in a circular motion using a clean paper towel or rag. Make sure the surface is dried with a clean, dry rag before the solvent evaporates. When cleaning the surface, particular attention should be paid to curves, seams, rivets and in hard to reach places. If these areas are not properly cleaned, the vinyl may not adhere correctly and the product will fail.

• Dry the surface thoroughly. Allow time for the solvent, which may have entered the nooks and crannies, to dry. Use a heat gun to dry solvent around rivets, seams and in hard to reach places. Remember that substrate solvent retention may affect some adhesives. Excessive cleaning may also cause product failure, because this may cause the surface paint to fail. A sensible approach will provide the best possible result.

• Apply it correctly

A sign is less likely to fail if particular care and thought goes into the initial planning of the sign.

Points to consider:

• How much of the total area the graphic will cover.

If the graphic covers a small area of the total sign surface it is less likely to fail. If you are applying large pieces of vinyl to a surface the risk of failure becomes greater because problem areas are less likely to be avoided. By using smaller pieces of vinyl, such as individual letters, you are more likely to avoid these problem areas.

• Applying techniques.

When application on problem areas cannot be avoided, consider cutting the vinyl into smaller pieces. This will enable you to work the graphic through the curve without stretching the material. Alternatively you could bridge the graphic over a small area and, while using a heat gun, heat and mould the graphic to fit the contour of the surface.

To ensure the risk of vinyl failure is reduced for your signage application, make sure you clean and prepare the surface properly and use particular care in the application process. With the right approach your job will have lasting results.