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Call me crazy, but we were doing a 3 x 4 sandwich board (1/2" mdo) today and wondering what to clear it with. I decided to just laminate the whole thing with 5 mil UV gloss film. Used a hot film and laid it down at 230f. Got the edges sealed well beforehand and am going to finish the edges with black enamel.
Know anyone with a laminator??
-------------------- Mike O'Neill
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value. - Arthur C. Clarke
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We have NEVER top-coated any of our commercial signs.
I believe that by using quality, exterior-rated substrates, quality, high-performance vinyls, and good old-fashioned One Shot enamels...there's no need to.
Never having been one to use intermidiate vinyl over corregated plastic, and lettered in acrylics, well...you get the idea.
I've got signs we installed in the early 80's, One Shot on Signal grade MDO, that still look great!
i'm NOT an expert, but the few times i've added a clear coat, i wished i hadn't, afterwards.
i think if you're going to do a clear coat, you do it a few years later -- that way you get to visit the customer again and sell them something else... like "oh, i could clear that for you and lighten your wallet... i mean, make it look new again."
i clear coated a sign that was a little past due as a "freebie" to the customer, to make up for my tardiness. then she says "if it needed a clear coat anyways, why didn't you include it in the first place?" well, i couldn't really explain that it didn't "need" it... blah blah. the only times you'd "need" to clear coat is maybe if you've got a sign near an ocean port, where salty wind will eat the sign, or maybe in other extreme conditions. or if you want to give the whole thing a deeeeeep luster. or if you've got some airbrush work on the vinyl -- in which case i'd just clear the vinyl.
as for which to use... anything but Frog Juice -- it doesn' t like 1-shot. (1-shot makes a clear coat -- i'd probably use that).
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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Most of our work is real estate development using MDO, enamels and vinyl. We have only put on a clear coat for a slight protection against vandalism or to protect deep rich colors that have a southern exposure from fading. We use Danacolor UV clear for this.
My only warning would be to make sure that all the enamels are dry before you put on the clear or you'll get some interesting results!
-------------------- Mark Sheflo Renton, Washington A-Squared Signs, LLC Posts: 145 | From: Renton, Washington | Registered: Feb 2003
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I've clear coated signs before with Frog Juice...WHAT A MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I swithched to Porter Acrylic Paint about five years ago after reading an article Gary Anderson of Bloomington Design, Bloomington, IN., and talking with him several times on the phone.
These paints last much longer than enamels, dry faster,clean-up easier,protect the wood better, with very little smell, and I have NO problems with using vinyls on them. I use only 3M.
There is a bit of a learning curve to the coat-outs but I can hand letter and do pictorials the same as I did with the enamels.
Jobs I did 5 years ago still look brand new!!!!!
I use it on HDU and MDO and think its great. It sure speeds up production too. Prime both sides of a panel and one topcoat in a day!!!!!!!
Russ Mills Artcraft Signs Pineville Kentucky
-------------------- Russ Mills Art & Sign Studio 212 W KY Ave Pineville, KY 40977 Posts: 8 | From: Pineville, KY | Registered: Feb 2003
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Hey Russ, you got me curious about that Porter acrylic paint. I havn't heard of it. Where does it come from?, and tell us more about it...colors and clear? good pallette selection? shelf life? do you mean acrylic like water based? does it take special thinner? cost? roll, spray, brush? how's the coverage?
Adrienne, We rarely clear anything. We do add a urethane hardener to most of our alkyd enamels though (which we still prefer over water based, for both backgrounds and lettering). About the only time clear might come into use would be to 'smooth out' some mottled sheen problem, not for protection. In no case would I use clear over vinyl letters - they move around too much.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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As you know...we clear all of our really nice MDO signs, and a few other things. We use DanaColor Clear with UV. We have used it for at least 8 years. I tell the customer that it should be cleaned and recoated every two years....waxing it every spring. Alas...very few people maintain thier signs.
However...it is very interesting to hear other comments regarding clearcoats. Many different thoughts on the durability of clears, but we have found that the signs we have cleared hold up very well. I would say at least 5 years...depending upon the location. I have a sign we cleared hanging on a piling at the marina...right above the water....3 years ago...and it is still holding the colors....the top however, is home to at least 50 seagulls,,,and you know how they leave a reminder.
see ya.
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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I don't know if it is still available but in years past we had excellant results with a danacolor product called plastishield. It may be labeled as the uv clear Jackson mentioned now,but I do know that when the billboards that had been coated out with this dana product came up for repaints the crews would grab a chance for those work orders as all it intailed was a washing off and add another coat of the same product. Boards that were not coated out with this often as not needed repainting due to fading /oxidation etc.I do not however have any experience with these clears over vinyl but would think there are inherent problems with vinyl shrinkage and paint adhesion due to this shrinkage.
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hi Adrianne, I never have put a clear coat on any of my signs. I was always taught that pigmented paints last loneg than clear paints. But if a customer insisited on a long lasting clear coat, I would use an automotive clear coat. But of course that would require that I use a hardern in my enamels. I always tell people that if they want the finish on their sign to stay nice and shiny, they should wax it once in a while. PS When are we going to get together for lunch?
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3819 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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Porter is a brand of ACRYLIC HOUSE PAINT. No clears needed, dozens of colors,brush,roll,spray,airbrush, you name it I've done it with it.
Coverage is great on even the darker colors and Gary Anderson is now selling a whole line of acrylic paints via Rhino Paint Co., Bloomington, IN and ships anywhere in the country!!!!
Porter is manufactured in Louisville, KY and sold worldwide thru it's own paint stores and hardware store distributors.
Call my shop if you're interested in further info the phone is listed on our website.
By the way all the signs on our sit have been done with Porter and Rhino acrylic paints.
-------------------- Russ Mills Art & Sign Studio 212 W KY Ave Pineville, KY 40977 Posts: 8 | From: Pineville, KY | Registered: Feb 2003
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