People who would like to make business signage from rigid plastic have to choose from three common options (ACP, foam PVC and corrugated polypropylene sheets). This article discusses foam PVC sheets and aluminium composite panels. Use this information to decide which of these materials is better for your signage needs.
Aluminium Composite Panels (ACPs)
Aluminium composite panels (ACP) refer to signage sheets that have a polyethylene core which has been placed between two sheets of thin aluminium. These sheets or panels are rigid and one can shape them using a variety of tools, such as CNC cutters. The aluminium sheets make these panels to be durable and resistant to weather damage. One can, therefore, use them either indoors or outdoors.
It is also possible to place rails on the sheets so that one can attach the signage onto posts in the same way that road signs are displayed. Aluminium composite panels are the best to use in an environment where the signage will have to deal with strong winds. However, these sheets are the most expensive of all the rigid plastic materials from which signage can be made from.
PVC Foam Sheets
The name PVC foam sheets can be misleading because no foam exists in these plastic signage materials. The sheets are rigid plastics that have a smooth finish. PVC foam sheets come in varying degrees of thickness, such as those of 3 mm and the heaviest ones are 10 mm thick. The thickness of the PVC foam sheets makes it possible for them to be cut and shaped in the same way that ACP sheets can be.
PVC foam sheets can also be used indoors or outdoors due to their resistance to water damage. However, the thinner sheets are best used indoors because they aren't capable of withstanding the different stresses, such as strong winds, which are common outdoors. You can make display signage which you can reuse for several years before the PVC sheets show any signs of wear. The only limitation of these sheets is that the thickest versions can only be used for smaller signs because the weight of the large signs would be so much that the sheets can collapse when exposed to repeated stresses.
Discuss your needs with a signage professional. They can suggest which of the materials in the discussion above (or any other material) would be the best to address your needs cost-effectively.