Let's Talk Substrates I- Standard Stonehouse Materials

Product Information

Fri, 2011-09-02

The first article of this series, Baked Enamel: What’s the Deal, explains why Stonehouse Signs uses a polyester baked enamel finish for the majority of our customers. We also helped you determine which properties are most important for your particular application in What Is ‘Outdoor Durable’?.

Now that you have an understanding of how we help our customers, we’d like to showcase some of our standard substrate materials. Each one has properties that are suitable for several applications.

Click on the links below to jump to the material you’re interested
in, or follow this link view our non-standard & custom substrates:
Let's Talk Substrates II: Non-Standard and Custom Substrates

LxSign^®
Aluminum
PolySign
Pressure Sensitive Vinyl Signs and Decals
Glow Vinyl
Reflective MUTCD Compliant Traffic Signs

LxSign^® A Stonehouse LxSign^® stays glare-free and color bright. The message is printed on the back and protected by the front, so it’s never exposed to the elements!
(Click Image to Read More)	Rustproof and impervious to salt spray. Meets all U.L. requirements for electrical conductivity. Weighs 1/2 lb. per square ft., withstands more than 200 ft. lbs. of impact, and has a tensile strength of 9,000 PSI. The surface of each LxSign^®is treated to provide protection against ultra-violet radiation yellowing for at least 5 years. Remains stable even after bullet damage-bullets may penetrate, but there is nothing exposed which will deteriorate from the elements.
Expected Outdoor Life: 15 years or more*
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Aluminum Available in a variety of thicknesses from .025" to 0.125", Stonehouse chooses an aluminum alloy that exceeds the industry standard specification for aluminum sheet. This substrate is specifically optimized for sign fabrication.
	A Polyester baked enamel finish provides excellent weatherability for a long-lasting, durable outdoor sign. Chromate conversion coated for superior paint adhesion and increased corrosion resistance. Aluminum’s excellent strength to weight ratio allows this substrate to be resistant to bending and/or physical damage while remaining lightweight and easy to install. Required thickness usually relates to sign size and mounting application- talk to our expert staff for more information!
*Expected* *Outdoor Life:* 5-10 years*
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PolySign High Density Polyethylene (HDPe) signs are offered in .125" & .075” thicknesses, a Stonehouse PolySign is durable, lightweight, and economical. Our .075 Polysign is thicker than most other economy polyethylene signs
	Eliminate the worry of rust & corrosion! PolySigns are UV protected, so they won’t yellow or degrade in the sun within their expected outdoor life. Since a Polysign remains flexible at low temperatures, it’s an economical fit for areas that have seasonal issues with snow, ice and freezing temperatures.
*Expected* *Outdoor Life:* 4-8 years*

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Pressure Sensitive Vinyl Signs and Decals Stonehouse adhesive vinyl is a high gloss flexible vinyl with a permanent acrylic adhesive. It’s easy to install, and has a great service life!
	A pre-slit release liner for a quick installation makes Stonehouse vinyl signs and decals easy to apply. Create cost-effective special shapes in small or large quantities using our digital die cutting process. Combine full color digital graphics with special shapes for high impact. Expect an extended service life, especially when the sign or lettering isn't exposed to the elements. Indoors, you can expect the graphic to remain vibrant and durable for even longer.
*Expected* *Outdoor Life:* 5-7 years*
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Glow Vinyl Stonehouse Glow Vinyl absorbs and stores ambient light so that it glows brightly during emergency situations.
	DIN 67510 and IMO-Resolution A. 752 (18) compliant, photoluminescent. Ideal for emergency evacuation and fire safety signage. Works as well in normal light conditions as it does in the dark!
	Not Recommended for Outdoor Use. UV light will deteriorate the photoluminescence.
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Reflective MUTCD Compliant Traffic Signs For increased visibility at night, we apply reflective sheeting to aluminum or other rigid substrates. The result is a distinctive looking sign that performs as well at night as it does during the day. All of our reflective materials retain their brilliance even when wet or when viewed at wide observation angles. Stonehouse Signs offers 3 different grades of reflective sheeting, ranging from ‘bright’ to ‘brilliant’.
	Engineering grade reflective sheeting The most economical reflective material we offer. This sheeting is a "Flat-top" wide angle material that is recommended for commercial applications. High intensity reflective sheeting High intensity grade reflects approximately three times more light than our standard reflective sheeting. Diamond grade reflective sheeting Diamond grade delivers the best possible performance at any sight distance. Its optical elements return almost 60 percent of available light to drivers, which is significantly higher than any other reflective material offered.
*Expected* outdoor life: 7-10 years*
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* Expected outdoor life of a product will depend on user definition of failure, climatic conditions, chemical exposure, mounting techniques, material color and print colors used. Contact Stonehouse for specific recommendations.