Outdoor banners are an excellent way to get brand exposure and decorate your store or event space well. They are an all in one tool, perfect for maximizing your marketing efforts and enhancing the reach of your target audience irrespective of location. With such a helpful means to inform or advertise, you would want your banners to last as long as they can. That’s why it’s crucial to maintain the upkeep of your banner material to halt the deterioration of one of your most needed allies.
Choose the Right Material
If you wish to get more life out of your banners, choosing the right material is the most crucial aspect. To withstand the outdoor environment well, two of the most popular materials for banners and other pop-up displays are cast vinyl and mesh, as they both offer the flexibility to protect your banner against various kinds of outdoor damages.
Vinyl mesh is one of the best materials to use on outdoor banners. Apart from being wind-resistant, vinyl mesh is also an attractive material for your graphics, as it easily holds up against various weather elements such as snow, rain, and ice. Cast vinyl is another excellent choice for outdoor banners. Made of flexible material, these banners can be reinforced with grommets to ensure sturdiness.
Clean Your Vinyl Banners Properly
Properly cleaning a banner is a key detail you need to take care of to extend the use of your banners. When cleaning your banner, make sure you’re wearing gloves and avoid cleaning with any harsh chemicals or abrasive materials. Remember that you only need a mild soap/water mixture to clean banners, table covers, or any fabric properly.
Before using soap and water, try wiping down your banner with a soft brush, paying close attention to any lettering or raised custom design. Once done, use a soft, damp cloth to wipe away any dirt and dust, and then dry. Another thing to keep in mind is not to store your banner before it’s fully dry, as that will likely damage it.
Protect Your Banner Against the Elements
Two of the main challenges when trying to enhance the longevity of outdoor banners are the wind and sun. Unlike flags, your banner will not be at it’s best in the wind. In fact, based on your location, it could be the biggest adversary to deal with. Strong winds accompanied by severe storms can put undue pressure on outdoor banners. If your banner isn’t durable enough or fastened correctly, it could tear or detach from the base.
To avoid these problems, it’s important to make sure you securely fasten your banner using reinforced corners and grommets. You can also consider creating small wind slit pockets throughout your banner to allow the pressure to pass through it rather than fight against it.
Store Your Banners the Right Way to Make Them Last Longer
Storing your banners correctly when not in use will help you ensure that they last longer. Keep them in a cool, dry place. Storing them when wet is a bad idea, as added moisture can lead to mildew and cause extensive damage to your vinyl banners.
In case you’re storing banners with vinyl lettering, remember to roll them with the lettering or design on the outside, as this ensures that the raised imprint on the banner does not stick together. Likewise, when storing a vinyl sign with a digitally printed design, roll up the banner with the letters/design facing inward. Once rolled up properly, use a large poster or shipping tube to keep your banner scratch-free and protected.
Fold or Roll Banners Correctly in Transportation
Always roll up your banners for transportation. Folding a banner incorrectly will lead to wrinkles and creases, which will become harder to remove later. It’s important to ensure that you roll your vinyl banners loosely around a tube/unbending core.
This makes your high-quality vinyl signage ready for easy transport without being damaged in the process. Similarly, when it comes to storing your custom banners, it’s recommended to fold them properly for easy shipping.
Go With High-Quality Printing Equipment
Another important factor that affects the longevity of your outdoor banner is how you print it. There are multiple options in the printing industry to choose from, making it important to do thorough research and find a vendor with all the necessary printers for outdoor banners.
Keep in mind here that it’s also the ink used in the banners that make them more durable. High-quality inks such as UV curable or fade-resistant eco-solvent ink help extend the life of your banners. Likewise, when it comes to printers, it’s best to go with wide format printers, as they render better quality prints with excellent color matching.
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