Working with Vinyl banners

[LowePro]

Hello,
I'm thinking of re-using a vinyl banner, like this one:

banner.jpg

And using my computer and inkjet to print some Logos and Text on Iron-on transfers, to Iron onto the back of the vinyl banner for our camp sign. (the back of the banner is blank white).

Ironon.jpeg

Does anyone have any insight working with vinyl banners to know if this would work? Or some other way to get art onto a Vinyl banner? Would like to check before dropping $$ on vinyl, transfers, and printer ink. It adds up! Thanks.

[BoyScoutGirl]

My first thought was spray paint + stencils, but I suppose paint would probably flake off and become a MOOP disaster.

[Ugly Dougly]

What would be the effect of using a hot iron on vinyl?

[chuckularone]

What would be the effect of using a hot iron on vinyl?

It would most likely be a melty disaster. I would test an iron on on a small patch in the corner, with a spare iron (not the good one). If it holds up, you're golden, but I going to bet against it.

[GreyCoyote]

The best thing for a vinyl banner is vinyl. In other words, find a sign shop that will cut your ideas into a vinyl transfer or "sticker" material and put this on the vinyl sign. Because they are the same material, no issues exist.

Alternatively, Krylon makes a vinyl-compatible paint that remains flexible and wont easily flake. I havent used it, but it mit be worth a try.

[Elliot]

If memory serves, that Krylon paint for plastic may be called Krylon Fusion. It worked OK on some plastic I had, but a banner flexing and flapping in the wind might be different.

Patsh may be able to give us information about adhesive vinyl lettering and logos, since her son makes them. The shapes are made on a computer, so apparently anything is possible.

[trilobyte]

I'm going to take a wild guess, that putting some kind of new sign onto the back of a vinyl banner so that an old one may successfully be reused as a sign, is either cost prohibitive or outright folly. That's why so many sign companies are willing to give up used/no longer needed vinyl banners for free (or damned close to it).

It'd probably either be cheaper to get a new vinyl banner made, or to get an untreated canvas tarp that you guys can then paint and deck out as you see fit.

[Ugly Dougly]

I'd make a stencil and find some kinda spray paint that works well with that surface.

[The Rod]

http://www.1shot.com/

From the FAQ:

"To letter on a banner (or any vinyl-based, flexible surface such as awnings, tonnau covers, leather garments), the banner must have an "Enamel Receptive Coating" on it. If you don't have a "ERC" banner, you can coat the banner first with our Ti-Cote product to make it enamel receptive."


Sign paint is some pretty bad-ass shit, we used it on our vinyl banner last year.

[FIGJAM]

That's the problem!!!

Nothing sticks to vinyl.

[The Rod]

That's the problem!!!

Nothing sticks to vinyl.

Ummm.. One Shot Enamel sticks to vinyl!

What a bunch of naysayers.

[FIGJAM]

Where's the link to this mythical "One Shot"?

[The Rod]

Really?

http://www.1shot.com/

From the FAQ:

"To letter on a banner (or any vinyl-based, flexible surface such as awnings, tonnau covers, leather garments), the banner must have an "Enamel Receptive Coating" on it. If you don't have a "ERC" banner, you can coat the banner first with our Ti-Cote product to make it enamel receptive."


Sign paint is some pretty bad-ass shit, we used it on our vinyl banner last year.

Theres a link buried in that post somewhere...

And really, I'd like to use this post as another opportunity to espouse the magical properties of sign paint. It's one of the most durable enamesl I've ever used. For a lot of my painting I use spray paint because I like spray effects, but it will fade, chip and peel way before anything painted with sign paint. A lot of car guys use it for hot rods, especially pin striping.

[Mojojita]

Seriously? Last month for our regional, I bought a new 6 foot long vinyl banner, complete with my uploaded graphics and lettering on sale for $10. (From a major office supply store online site). Way cheaper and less moopy than trying to paint something yourself.

[LowePro]

Thanks all,
Mojojita, can you PM me the site where you got your banner for $10? I'm finding nothing under $40-50 for a 3' sign. Cheers!