Large Format Printing: The Top Benefits
At A1deSIGNS, we’re not just experts in the field of neon. From Flat CNC cut letters, to tray panels, light boxes and built-up letters, if it exists in the sign world, we have probably done it and still do.
One of the most popular signage requests we receive is for large format printing – again, something we know a lot about.
Large format printing is an incredible way to display your product, business, sale or event on any scale with vibrant colour and incredible definition. And here, in our opinion, are the top benefits of large format printing…
Versatility
It is not just vinyl that can be printed on either. Card, paper even certain fabrics and materials can be printed on allowing for different effects and suiting different requirements.
Choice of Colours
With large format printing a whole range of colours open up, including CMYK and pantone ranges
Cost effective
Despite the initial investment in equipment and materials, large format printing can be cost-effective, especially when compared to other forms of advertising and marketing, such as television or radio ads.
Illumination
Printing can also be used in combination with light boxes and other forms of lighting to ensure that your prints are visible even at night.
Clarity
When using a high-quality source file, even large prints will be displayed with outstanding clarity.
Brand Recognition
Large format printing can help increase brand recognition by prominently displaying your logo, message, or product in high-traffic areas where it is likely to be seen by a large audience.
Check out more of our signage articles here. And please drop us a line if you’d like to chat about any of the details we’ve covered or to find out more about how our variety of neon signs can help your business.
Top 5 reasons to buy light bulb signs
Light bulb signs and fairground lights are a great way to add illumination to signage, whether it’s to a large fascia sign for a west end theatre or individual letters that can be used in your home, lightbulb signs or fairground lights are a great way to add a show biz feel to your sign.
And here – in our humble opinion – are the top five reasons for buying lightbulb signs!
Eco friendly
Providing the right bulbs are used, light bulb signs can be extremely energy efficient. You won’t have to spend a fortune to maintain the sign and you can benefit from having signage that catches the lightbulb signs or fairground lights are a great way to add a show biz feel to your sign. eyes of everyone who walks past.
Eye catching
Light bulb signs provide an attractive way of catching the eyes of potential customers. Position them neatly in a shop window or as part of a display inside and you will find yourself dealing with customers you have never seen before.
The bright bulbs will not only add aesthetic appeal to your place of work, but will also help to ensure your business is seen by the right people.
Multi use
A light bulb sign is not just great for decoration either. The light bulbs will help brighten a space, which is great for advertising in the darker hours, or creating a new atmosphere in a room at home.
Lots of colours
With the variety of bulbs, you can have them indoors or outdoors. You can create a vintage effect or have something reminiscent of a fairground or west end show.
Versatile
With the variety of bulbs, you can have them indoors or outdoors. You can create a vintage effect or have something reminiscent of a fairground or west end show.
We hope you found this post helpful? Check out more of our signage articles here. And please drop us a line if you’d like to chat about any of the details we’ve covered or to find out more about how our variety of neon signs can help your business.
Maintaining and Repairing Signage: Frequently Asked Questions
Maintenance is the key to getting the most value out of your sign – extending its life cycle and making sure it continues to look as good now as the day it was installed.
Signage maintenance is also a legal obligation for shop and business owners.
For any commercial sign it is the law that you must maintain the sign you own, to ensure they remain safe and secure.
As experts in all things signage – at A1deSIGNS – we’re frequently asked questions about sign maintenance and repair.
Here’s a few questions and answers…
How often should my sign be maintained?
It is recommended that your signs be checked at least once a year. However, if you ever notice anything about your sign that doesn’t seem right, especially if there has been recent periods of strong winds/stormy weather, it is always advised to get in touch and if necessary book in an appointment.
By having this done regularly, we can spot problems before they cause more damage.
Is sign maintenance expensive?
Costs can vary based on the number and size of signs that need checking, any works that are needed (cleaning, parts being replaced etc).
But having the peace of mind that your signs are safe and secure is worth the cost and it is a lot cheaper than if (worst case scenario) something were to happen with the sign that injured a member of the public.
What maintenance services do you offer?
We can handle any part of the maintenance when it comes to your sign. From a simple cleaning, to replacing of LEDs/fluorescents/neon, to remaking and replacing other areas of the sign. We can replace or add extra fixings as needed to ensure the sign is secure and can also help with weatherproofing solutions if you are finding that water is getting into any part of the sign.
If you have any further questions around signage maintenance and repair or would like to speak to someone about an idea you have for a project – please get in touch and speak to a member of the A1deSIGNS team.
Our online neon shop is open
A1deSIGNS’ online neon store is now open!
We’re showcasing a range of new, exciting neon signage products including LED flex neon infinity mirrors and LED flex neon signs – at great value. Have a look and let us know what you think…
In addition to our standard signage offerings – if you don’t see what you need, or require something custom please get in contact via our Contact Us page and we will be happy to help you with your project.
LED Flex infinity mirrors
LED Neon Flex signs are a great alternative to neon signs when needed. If you need a product that is a bit more durable, or if real neon is out of your budget, or even if a venue will not allow real neon, LED Flex signs can provide a cost effective solution while still maintaining a look that resembles real neon.
LED flex neon signs
LED Neon Flex signs are a great alternative to neon signs when needed. If you need a product that is a bit more durable, or if real neon is out of your budget, or even if a venue will not allow real neon, LED Flex signs can provide a cost effective solution while still maintaining a look that resembles real neon.
Keep a regular eye out on our shop page – as our ranges are continuing to expand!
What is Wayfinding Signage?
When you are walking outside and see a signpost with various locations and distances pointing in their respective directions, that is wayfinding signage. When you are at a shopping centre and look at the map that tells you where you are, that is wayfinding signage. Even something as simple as a directory board on a wall of a reception area is wayfinding signage.
Put simply, wayfinding signage covers anything that helps you know where you are, or where to go. Because of this, it can encompass many items that you would look at almost every day without even considering it. Something as simple as a door number for example, or a street name can be included within the realm of wayfinding signage.
What types of Wayfinding signage are there?
Though you can technically make wayfinding signage in anyway, there are several standards that the general public have come to recognise and since the purpose of the signage is to aid the general public, it is important to ensure they can locate and understand whatever system you put in place.
Below are a few examples:
Directional signage
This type of signage is great either outdoors to point people I towards a location. You often find these on footpaths indicating distances and directions of local towns or popular locations. These are often wooden or metal poles with arrow-tipped panels extending from them in the direction of their destination.
Directory signage
Often found in multi-level buildings, this will as a standard be some form of board, split into different sections or floors, telling you which shop / business is on which floor. These can be made in several different ways, from something as simple as a clear acrylic board with vinyl detailing, to an etched stainless steel panel with many different variations in between. This type of signage also includes boards outside retail / industrial parks, letting you know a list of all the businesses or shops.
Location Signage
You will find this type of signage in theme parks, zoos, shopping centres and even some town centres. In its basic form it is a map of the surrounding area, usually numbered, with an accompanying list next to it telling you what each number represents. The key feature about this type of sign however, is that it will contain a small dot, or arrow, with the phrase “You are here”.
This then allows everyone, whether new to the area or not to be able to quickly identify where they are in relation to everything else and identify where they need to go.
This type of sign can be as simple as two posts, with a board in between and the graphic on either side. Sometimes there will be acrylic pockets fixed to the sides that will then have leaflets sat in. Higher end versions might have digital screens that allow interactivity and a more in depth user
If you have any further questions related to this topic or any other around shop and retail signage, please take the time to get in touch and we can talk to you about any type of project you have in mind.
Superdry’s Supersigns
July 13th 2017. We received an order from one of our clients for three new Superdry neon signs for a new store opening up in London’s Covent Garden. They were to display the Classic Superdry Trademark Japan Logo, with additional text above reading London. Two of the signs were to be 3.6 meters wide and 2.13 meters high while the third needed to be 2.75 meters wide and 1.67 meters high.
The smaller neon sign was to be mounted onto a tray panel which would then be put up onto a wall, standard stuff for a company who assemble neon signs onto tray panels all the time. The two large signs however were going to be mounted onto clear acrylic panels and then onto portable mesh panels. There was a twist however, these panels had to stand off of the mesh panels by at least 25mm. While this was a little trickier than the tray panel version, we have never been a company to shy away from a challenge.
As it turned out there was a bigger challenge than suspending 10mm thick acrylic panels holding approximately 55 meters of glass tubes on each sign, all three had to be made and installed by the end of the Thursday 26th July ready for the shop to open the end of that week. With a full workload, a standard medium sized neon sign will take about 5-10 working days to be made once all artwork has been agreed, we had 9 days to make and install almost 150 meters of glass.
It was no easy feat, with each tube having to be hand bent over a hot flame and the design calling for double line neon, that is, neon that follows the outline of a shape rather than the central line of it. Once bent, every single piece of glass then has to have a pair of electrodes attached that then allow electricity to run through them before then pumping them with the neon gas that would then light up.
It took four people working in the glass shop to bend, electrode and pump approximately 100 individual pieces of glass, over two full weekends and 5 additional working days, just to have the neon signs ready to assemble onto their respective panels before they were transported to Covent Garden. It then took another 4 people to prepare each panel, mark out the drawings and then assemble the neon ready for transport.
The installation of the signs took place over the 24th,25th and 26th July, with three people working approximately 13 hours a day to ensure we met the deadline, but by Lunchtime on Wednesday 26th, all three neon signs were mounted and turned on.
This project took a combined total of approximately 500 hours from start to finish, but we pride ourselves on meeting a deadline once we commit to it and with all of our signs being manufactured in house, we can often meet tight deadlines that would otherwise result in a client not having a neon sign when they needed it.
And the result of our efforts? Well we think they turned out pretty well. But don’t take our word for it, take a look at some of the photos below and decide for yourselves.
Big or small, A1deSIGNS can help you with your signage needs. Whether it is a complex project or a tight deadline, if it is possible, we will do everything we can to help you get your neon sign. So drop us an email, or call us today to get the ball rolling on your next project!
