Why use foam material to make letters, logos or dimensional signs
The foam is all around us. There are countless products made out of foam, specifically polystyrene (also known as EPS or expanded polystyrene), from the crown molding in your home to the exhibit you just saw at the museum or the cool sign at the store you just shopped at. .
But why would a manufacturer choose to use foam when they clearly have other material options, such as metals, aluminum, plastics, PVC, acrylics, or wood?
Dimensional letters can be used as directional and architectural signage, attached to a building, office entrances, or on walls to mark a message. Fabrication and sign shops have been using various materials to create dimensional letters, logos and signs for retail stores, businesses, stages, weddings, trade shows, conventions and for any event. But imagine making metal letters to go on stage.
Metals and wood are considerably heavy and are inconvenient to transport and handle when moving from one place to another. Wood can produce a great finished look, but it is also heavy and time consuming to work with. And plastics and PVCs are not an easy material to mold and machine. Therefore, more and more manufacturers are using foam, which is a lightweight substance, as a source to create large letters.
There are many ways to create the dimensional letters. They can be left as white raw material if required. They can be coated in a matt, semi-gloss or gloss finish. The letters can be painted with special paints to resemble wood, or with faux bronze paint to add a metal appearance. They can be laminated, vinyl-coated, fabric-coated or even back-lit for a light effect.
Acrylic can be laminated to the face of letters to match a specific logo color or to make a sign look colorful. It seems that acrylic cut letters have become one of the most popular choices for indoor sign letters.
The acrylic is cut with a laser cutter and produces a fairly precise cut. Still, foam is the most cost-effective solution for creating signs, logos, lettering, and accessories.
Since the raw foam material itself is brittle and can be damaged by water, humidity and sun exposure, coating can protect it. Different types of coating can be used depending on the application and the use that is needed.
They can be topcoated with a light coat like epoxy, a medium coat that can be sprayed, buffed or brushed like Styrospray1000 or a hard coat of reactor sprayed polyurea. The coating not only protects the letters, logo or sign, but also gives them much longer durability – they can last up to a lifetime once coated.
An EPS foam block is typically 4 by 4 by 8 feet. Therefore, the most convenient size to create the project is up to 4 feet. However, there is no size limit when creating and manufacturing letters. If they need to be larger, they can be sectioned and glued, and by sanding down the glued pieces, the seam is almost completely eliminated.
The letters are cut with a CNC hot wire foam cutter. The foam is used to add dimension to the letters.
Foam letters are a great option, for example, if you want depth in a lobby wall sign.
They are actually 2D which can look like a 3D project.
By giving it enough thickness, they can be “independent” letters on a stage. For example, a 4 foot letter must be made a minimum of 8 inches thick in order to stand on its own.
The foam can be cut quite quickly. A few passes of the hot wire melting into the material can create a letter in no time. Another advantage of the foam substrate is that it is easy to cut, shape, shape, carve, and sand to a smoother finish.
Round letters can be made flat on the bottom so they stand on their own.
The manufacturer can create a base for the letters, either from the same foam material or from acrylic, which is transparent, so it serves as a great invisible support.
Weights can also be placed inside the foam itself to support the weight of the card and prevent it from tipping over.
If it is necessary to hang the letters, double-sided tape can be attached to hang them on a wall, for example. In case they are large and heavy, metal rods and suspensions can be placed on them or hooks can be attached or hung from the ceiling.
Dimensional letters will help a business attract customers and be more attractive.
Yes, there are certainly many options and sometimes it can be confusing trying to figure them out. I would say if you are budget conscious but still want a quality sign then foam lettering and logos are one of your best options.
Dimensional foam letters, logos and signs are a great way to enhance the character and depth of your message or logo and build recognition for your brand.