FAQs
We require 50% down on all orders.
If possible, we prefer a vector format image or an EPS file. However, depending on your needs and the design of the sign, many formats are viable. We will discuss this on a case by case basis.
Yes, and we do often! The better quality the photograph, the better your digital image will turn out!
Yes. This depends on your vehicle and budget. The best thing to do is have one of our design engineers inspect your vehicle and take measurements for a quote.
Yes. Depending on the type of sign and it’s uses, we can match according to your needs.
You may or may not. We will do the work to find out exactly what you need and help attain the permit before the sign is installed if necessary.
Most vehicles can be lettered in one business day.
Yes. We can customize them, or sell you pre-fabricated, travel booths.
There are no signs too large for us!
Contrary to popular belief, graphic design is not all about artistic skill. A variety of external factors, including everything from personal taste to raw talent, play a big role in how your design will turn out. Recognizing the importance of these outside influences on the success of the design process, we set out to develop a web site chock full of tools that would allow our customers to confidently create their own designs.
While anyone can dabble in the craft, some people are just better at it than others. If you’re one of those less fortunate, not-so-artistic types, not to worry. By following the guidelines we’ve set forth below, you should have no trouble designing a respectable sign, banner or vehicle layout, no matter your pre-existing artistic ability.
Colors
Choose colors that will not blend together and opt for combinations that are easy on the eyes. While red on black is not a very readable choice, if that is what you want, fine. Keep in mind, however, that by choosing tone-on-tone variations you are sacrificing readability. If your potential customers can’t easily read your sign, chances are they’ll ignore it. Over the long haul, that can result in a significant loss of business. In most cases, the farther away you can read your advertisement the better. Some good color selections are yellow with black, yellow with green, white with any dark color (i.e. blue with white, red with white, etc.). The key is to choose colors that sharply contrast each other so as to leap off the design. If you’re still set on using dark combinations, like red on black, consider outlining the edge of your letters in white. This technique allows for separation between the colors and will attract your audience’s eye much better.
Shapes
Choose a shape that fits your design’s intended concept. For example, if you are designing a sign with long rows of text, then opt for a long rectangular sign to accommodate your lettering. Do not attempt to squeeze it all in on a square sign. Doing so will force you to use smaller letters and will result in a lot of wasted space. The same rule of thumb applies if your intended design requires several short rows of text, one on top of the other. In this instance, opt for a sign shaped to fit your lettering.
Simple
Do not get carried away with information overload. Give your audience only the details they need and no more. The more you try to squeeze into your design, the more it detracts from the sign’s effectiveness. General rule of thumb: If it needs to be said say it; if not, leave it off.
Bold
Fill as much of the sign’s area as possible. This doesn’t mean you should get carried away and start adding text or graphics to every square inch of the design. Fill as much of the space in with your text as you can (remember, large letters can be read from a farther distance) then get creative with the remaining free space to make it as attractive and eye-appealing as possible.
Fresh
Graphics, colors, borders, shadows, etc., all add their own flavor to your design. Be bold and experiment with a few of these techniques to see what you come up with; you might be pleasantly surprised with the results. We have the ability to create any or all of these enhancements if you wish to incorporate them into your design.
Clear
Alignment is extremely important in a design’s overall visual appeal. We have tools that can center-, left- or right-align all of your text for you. If the design is meant to be aligned, make sure that it is. If not, make it obvious that the design was purposely misaligned. You don’t want your advertisement to appear amateurish. If your design’s elements are not in proper alignment, it will show.
Research
Our final piece of do-it-yourself design advice is to examine other designs. Search for some existing designs you like for inspiration. To that end, we add new design templates to our database on a regular basis. Feel free to modify or copy them as you see fit.
If, having reviewed all these design tips, you are still feeling uncomfortable about the prospect of designing your own sign, you can send your request to our customer service staff. They will be happy to work within your specifications to create a design you will be thrilled with.
Aluminum
Our aluminum substrates are .040 and thicker. We can supply you with mill finish, or a high gloss baked on enamel. This is a good choice for small to medium size indoor and outdoor signage.
Aluminum Composite
Aluminum Composite is a rigid, durable aluminum composite material consisting of two pre-painted sheets of aluminum bonded to a solid polyethylene core, a unique composition that makes it approximately one-half the weight of aluminum. Aluminum coposite is an excellent replacement for aluminum, MDO, plywood, thick gauge plastics, and some laminated fluted/solid core sheets. This is a good choice for indoor and outdoor signage.
PVC
PVC is a lightweight, versatile, flexible, and durable foamed PVC sheet that is widely used in signs and displays, as well as construction applications. Our PVC exhibits the whitest available surface and was successfully tested by the majority of digital flatbed printer manufacturers. Printers and advertisers benefit from its consistently smooth and bright surface for producing high quality displays. This is a good choice for points of purchase displays, exhibition graphics, indoor signage, direct digital printing, and applications in corrosive environments.
Corrugated Plastic
Corrugated plastic refers to a wide range of extruded twinwall plastic-sheet products produced from high-impact polypropylene resin with a similar make-up to corrugated fiberboard. It is a light-weight tough material which can easily be cut with a utility knife. Manufacturers typically offer a wide variety of colors and thicknesses (quite commonly 3, 4, 5 mm). This material is commonly used to erect commercial, political or other types of signs and for constructing plastic containers and reusable packaging. It is widely used in the signwriting industry for making signs for real estate sales, construction sites and promotions.
FoamCore
FoamCore is a lightweight and easily cut material that consists of a board of polystyrene foam clad with an outer facing of paper on either side, typically white clay-coated paper. FoamCore is a good choice for interior signage, and custom shaped interior signage.
Ultraboard
Ultra board is a heavy-duty, all-plastic panel used for vivid prints and high-use displays. Like foam core and gator board, ultra board also has a rigid and dense foam interior. The difference is that its outsides are made of moisture resistant sheets of polystyrene plastic.
If you have decided to purchase a banner, it is very important to place your new banner is a position that will do your company the most good. By selecting the proper location, you can ensure that your new purchase will perform up to expectations and that it will be able to function to the utmost.
The old slogan, “Location, location, location,” applies to much more than real estate. When you are placing a banner, this is the most important factor. Here are some useful tips to help you find the best location for your banner.
Make it Visible
Placing a banner on the side of your building or under an overhang can greatly reduce the ability of potential customers to see this banner. You will need to make sure that your banner is located where it can be easily seen from the majority of directions and angles.
Try it Out
Before you finalize your banner’s position, try hanging it in several different angles. Then, place yourself in your customer’s position. Is it visible from the road, sitting in a car? Can it be easily seen from across the street in multiple directions? You will need to find the one location that provides the most visibility. Take some time with this step to make sure that your final location is the right location.
Remember the Elements
Weather can be detrimental to your new banner. If it is not secure properly, your banner may flap in the wind, making it unintelligible to passing pedestrians and vehicles. Make sure that your banner is located somewhere where there is at least some protection from the elements. If this is impossible, make sure that the banner is well secured and that it will not flap in the wind, obscuring the text.
Get Feedback
Try to find a few impartial friends to test-drive your banner. Ask them to walk and/or drive by your location and get their input on what they think of the banner. Ideally, do not reveal what your banner says to these test-drivers. It is important to make sure that they are able to read the banner as they pass-by. You know what the banner says and your brain may automatically fill in places that may not be completely visible. By conducting this test, you can make sure that everyone will be able to read your banner, regardless of whether they are walking or driving by.
Don’t Be Afraid to Change
If your banner is not performing up to expectation, a move may be in order. Try a few different locations at first, to see which one provides the desired effect. Once you have narrowed down your options, you will be able to select the best location for your banner, based on actual customer reaction. This step should be carefully documented to provide you with the most useful data.
By following these steps, you will be able to get the most out of your banner, both in actual life of the banner and effectiveness in getting your message across.
For proper adherence, all surfaces should be considered as dirty and should therefore be cleaned prior to any vinyl application. Household surface cleaners, such as Windex, are acceptable; however, we recommend a 2-to-1 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol. After thorough washing, wipe the surface dry with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.
Air and surface temperature must be above 55 degrees Fahrenheit for the application of the vinyl. Apply the vinyl using the following steps:
Note: It is recommended that a novice installer have a helper present on the following steps. It is not a requirement however it will help insure a quality installation.)
Measure and mark the area you wish to apply your vinyl using a water-soluble pencil. Precision marking will help assure a level application. Once you have the overall area defined and marked, you should have a good idea as to where the upper right and left corners of the decal should be placed. At this time, take your decal (paper and all) and tape the right upper corner of it to your predetermined area. Have your assistant hold the upper left corner of the decal in place while you stand back a few feet and look at it. If you like it’s placement, move on to step 2.
Tape the left corner in place and put a piece of tape down the center of the decal. At this time, using your water-soluble pencil, place a mark on the right and left side of the decal. Make sure you mark both the tape and the surface you are mounting the decal to. You will be aligning these two marks later, so be sure you can see them clearly.
On the Left side of the decal, hold the paper and peel off the tape until you reach the center of the decal. (The decal should stay stuck to the application tape at this time) Cut the paper as close to the center as you can, without scratching your surface.
Spray the surface on the left side with water or application fluid (we recommend the application fluid).
Note: do not spray water or application fluid when using reflective vinyl. Reflective vinyl should be applied on a dry surface. Place the left side of the decal down on the surface, taking care to line up the lines you drew in step 2. With the application tape still intact, squeegee the decal to the surface by applying pressure with smooth even strokes. Start at the middle of the decal and work your way out to the left. Note: Before you squeegee, make sure there are no wrinkles in the decal or application tape.
Lift up the right hand side of the decal and remove the remainder of the backing paper. (It is ok to lift up the piece of center tape at this time). Apply application fluid to the right hand surface. Place the right hand decal taking care to align your marks on the right hand side. Again, start at the middle and squeegee toward the right hand side of the decal. Note: Before you squeegee make sure there are no wrinkles in the decal or application tape.
It is a good Idea to wait just a couple of minutes before you remove the application tape. This allows the application fluid to begin drying and will prevent the decal from trying to come up. Once it is adhered to the surface, squeegee the entire decal a second time. Then carefully peel the tape off the entire decal.
It is common for there to be some small bubbles throughout the decal. These bubbles will leave by themselves within a few weeks. If you have any major, bubbles you can eliminate them by carefully heating the area with a hair dryer or heat gun, then puncturing them with a needle and applying pressure with your thumb. Note: You can do more damage than good by chasing the smaller bubbles. They will leave themselves as the vinyl breathes and the application fluid evaporates.
In most instances, it is possible to remove vinyl lettering with no residual damage to the applied surface. While this is typically the case, different substrate materials can react in different ways, so if you’re unsure of the resulting reaction, it’s important to test an inconspicuous area of your surface before applying the following techniques to the entire area. The upside is that most surfaces, including vehicles, respond well to the vinyl removal technique outlined below, with no resulting damage to the surface.
When working with decals that have been in place for a significant length of time, there is the slight possibility that the paint around the decal will appear discolored or faded upon removal. Usually this only occurs in cases where the decal has been exposed to the sun for extreme periods of time. This significant sun exposure will result in a tan line effect on the surface, whereby the unexposed area under the decals will appear nice and shiny next to the faded, exposed surface.)
In the case of an old wooden sign, where the paint is already chipped and peeling, it is important to keep in mind that the paint will most likely peel off with the vinyl letters when you remove them.
The following step-by-step instructions provide a good basic plan for removing old vinyl decals, stripes and letters.
- Heat the surface of the decal with a heat gun. Then take a plastic removal squeegee and scrape vinyl from the surface. (Note: if the vinyl is old and brittle, it will most likely come off in small pieces. If the vinyl is not that old you may be able to pull it off in bigger chunks.)
- Once you have peeled all of the vinyl off, you will have to clean the adhesive off the surface with a product designed to remove adhesive without damaging the paint. We sell a Adhesive remover fluid that works well for this purpose.
- Clean the surface with soap and water then check to make sure there are no remaining pieces of vinyl or adhesive stuck to it.
At this point, you are done. If you intend to apply new vinyl to the surface, be sure to clean it thoroughly, then wipe it down with alcohol to insure that none of the adhesive remover is left on the surface.
How often should I wash my vehicle wrap?
Wash your wrap once a week or more often if your vehicle is exposed to a lot of dirt or pollutants. You should hand wash it using 3M® Car Wash Soap 39000, or Meguiar’s NXT Generation® Car Wash or Deep Crystal® Car Wash. At Signarama Clinton Township, we also recommend 3M Quick Detailer Spray Wax or Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Wax. You can use another gentle automotive detergent if necessary – any good brand will work. Always use a nice automotive sponge or clean, soft cloth to wash your wrap. Rinse vehicle with clear water after washing. Minimize water spotting by using a silicone squeegee or chamois to remove water. Dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
Can I take my wrapped vehicle into a drive-through car wash?
You can bring your wrapped vehicle to an automated brushless car wash, though hand washing is safer and more thorough. Brush car washes may be too rough on the film, degrading it and causing peeling and lifted edges. If a car wash uses water spray and no brushes, it should be safe for most wraps.
What should I use for spot cleaning?
Use Simple Green or isopropyl rubbing alcohol to spot clean isolated stains. Rinse area with cool water after cleaning. Don’t use tire dressing to spot clean as it may splash on the wrap and cause stains. Avoid wiping the wrap when it’s hot; this can distort the material and cause wrinkling.
Can I pressure wash my vehicle wrap?
If you want to pressure wash your vehicle wrap, keep it below 2,000 psi. Use a spray nozzle with a 40 degree wide angle spray pattern and keep water temperature below 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the spray nozzle at least 12 inches away from the car edges.
How do I clean bird droppings insects, tree sap, or other difficult stains?
Clean bird droppings and difficult stains immediately. Letting them sit for too long will make them harder to remove and may permanently damage the wrap. Soak the affected area for a few minutes with warm, soapy water to loosen the contaminants. Rinse completely and dry with a microfiber cloth. For stubborn contaminants, use denatured alcohol, 3M® Citrus Base Cleaner, Meguiar’s Gold Class™ Bug and Stain Remover or two parts isopropyl alcohol to one part water. Always test these solutions on a small area that’s not easily noticeable to ensure the cleaner will not harm the wrap. Do not use solvents or oil based cleaning products!
What should I do about gas or fuel spills?
Wipe off fuel spills immediately, then hand wash the affected area. Letting the spill stay the wrap too long will degrade the vinyl. A quick wipe with a wet paper towel at a gas station will clean the fuel affected area decently enough until you can get home to do a more thorough job.