Tips and Information on Applying Vinyl To Acrylic or Polycarbonate Signs With LED

A luminous signage can be the difference between earning or losing a customer. To achieve that crisp and vivid look your customers will love, you must effectively apply and mount translucent cast vinyl. Although different techniques can be used, and each signmaker might already have their preferred one, this blog will outline four ways to apply translucent vinyl to acrylic or polycarbonate signage with LED Lighting.

Here are some techniques and information on achieving a pristine look when mounting to Acrylic and Polycarbonate substrates.

1.     First Surface Mounting

The first surface is usually the most popular form of adhesion of translucent vinyl to signage. The substrate can be anything from clear Polycarbonate for a backlit sign to a glass window in a storefront. In this case, you apply the vinyl directly to the front of the acrylic/polycarbonate sheet, changing the colour. Depending on the sign box's depth and the LED's position, the vinyl itself should diffuse the light.

2.     Second Surface Mounting

The second surface mounting refers to the back of the acrylic or polycarbonate sheet. Meaning the vinyl is applied to the back of the acrylic or polycarbonate sheet, facing outward. It also means that the printer will produce your graphic “mirror image” so that it is displayed correctly.

Translucent vinyl adheres to the back of clear acrylic. You then adhere the diffuser film to the back of the translucent. This protects the translucent film from weather elements, especially UV rays, while evenly diffusing light behind it.

3. Second Surface Mounting With Diffuser Only

The back of the acrylic should be lined with a diffuser film if your customer is fabricating white channel letters or a cabinet with an LED with a narrower viewing angle or shallow depth. A diffuser allows the light to be evenly distributed and not concentrated where the LED sits. In the same way as technique 2, you apply the diffuser behind the acrylic.

4.     First & Second Surface Mounting With Translucent & Diffuser Films

This technique applies the translucent film to the first surface (the front of the acrylic/polycarbonate sheet) and the diffuser layer behind the sheet. Light diffuses from the back of the acrylic, then passes through the front for a vibrant, evenly lit channel letter or cabinet.

See our range of translucent vinyls from Avery Dennison:

MPI 2150 Translucent Permanent

MPI 3151 Translucent Removable

Sources

Indyimaging

Grimco