I have a job to replace a "Granite" sign. I looked carefully at the material on the existing EXTERIOR sign, and it is a DiBond type material. It appears to be factory-finished with a black granite surface. From a few feet away, it looks just like the real thing.
I know it is NOT just a vinyl print applied to the DiBond.
I can't find it listed as a product anywhere local (although I think I found one in China). Does anyone know a Mid-Atlantic supplier? I will be needing about 130-150 s/f total.
Posted by Brad Farha (Member # 931) on :
Nudo Polymetal comes in "marble" colors.
Posted by Gene Golden (Member # 3934) on :
Brad, thanks, but if they have it you SURE as hell can't find it on their site! Rolling, flashing, fading... JUST GIVE ME INFO. I can't stand sites like that. No search either.
Posted by Adam M Cranmer (Member # 8100) on :
Maybe the panels were printed straight to the board on a flatbed. Just a thought.
Posted by Gene Golden (Member # 3934) on :
I touched, scraped, peeled etc, and it really appears to be a factory finish. The outer finish is too perfect to be printed and sprayed by a custom shop.
Posted by Joe Crumley (Member # 2307) on :
When you find the answer, please share it with us.
I agree with your response to websites with all the hokey flashes.
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
A few years back there was a company that produced REAL granite veneers on a honeycomb core of either plastic or aluminum (I'm remembering aluminum).
Could it be that product, Gene? Or do you see a screenprint pattern on the factory finish?
I'd love to see a product like that (that would last outdoors) - so I'll be following this thread . . .
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Alpolic had a line of stone colors. I haven't researched to see where it's available. There is a company about two miles from me, Stone Panels, that cuts stone into 1/4" veneer which is laminated to an Aluminum/fiberglas honeycomb and used for building fascias.
Posted by Cam Bortz (Member # 55) on :
You guys are missing out on the fun of creating your own granite finish! A little paint and a dose of creativity can go a long way...
Posted by Joe Crumley (Member # 2307) on :
That dog gone Dave has everyting. Between him and Chapman, I want to move down there where the living is easy, fish are jumping, and the cotton is high.
Posted by Gene Golden (Member # 3934) on :
One thing I haven't thrown into this mix yet, is that this sign is "internally illuminated".
It has a complete aluminum frame with these panels routed out and letters "pushed through". There is a halo glow around the letters.
This is why it needs to be a composite panel. I have a call into Harbor Sales, and they think it may be a Nudo product, but there is no image on the website.
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
David,
That's the product I was talking about. Are they still making it? It sounds like it . . .
Could it be a digital granite image printed direct to Dibond? We've done that with great success.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
They have a huge range of products. We've done some work for them in the past.
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
Gracias, David.
I may be needing that product soon . . .
(Always been concerned about expansion contraction. What do you know about failure of laminations? Any?)
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Jay, give them a call. From what I understand, there's very little stresses left in the stone and the expansion/contraction isn't a real issue with the honeycomb background. They have a number of mounting systems for building fascia and their product is used all over the world. They can mitre the corners and give a polished edge as well.
I've toured their plant and it's quite fascinating. They buy blocks of Granite and Marble and saw them on giant diamond saws that are ganged up in multiples. They have an assembly line that expoxies the honeycomb to both sides of a sawed piece of stone, then it is sawed again down the middle and both pieces polished.
The final product is very light weight. Typically, Granite is about 13 lb. per square foot for 2 cm, their product is 4-5 lb.
Posted by Jay Allen (Member # 195) on :
When did you start selling for the, David!!??
Very interesting. I have to imagine that the cost is not 1/3 of the cost of stone - even though the weight is about 1/3 of real stone. So how does it compare cost-wise to real stone? Any idea? If not, we'll check with them . . .
I see they do the mitred corners . . . that would help. But I bet they are more set up to skin buildings than sign bases - but if spec'd, now I know where to go.
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