The foam surrounds us. There are countless products made from foam, specifically Styrofoam (also known as EPS or Expanded Polystyrene) from the crown molding in your home to the display you just saw in the museum or the cool sign in the store you just found. to buy.
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, affixed 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, companies, stages, weddings, trade shows, conventions and for any event. But imagine making metal letters to get on stage.
Metals and wood are considerably heavy and are inconvenient for transportation and handling when moved from one location to another. Wood can give a great finished look, but it is also heavy and time consuming to work with. And plastics and PVC are not an easy material to mold and machine. Therefore, more and more manufacturers are using foam, which is a lightweight substance, as a font to create large letters.
There are many ways in which dimensional letters can be created. They can be left as white raw material if requested. They can be covered with a matte, semi-gloss or gloss finish. Letters can be painted with special paints to look like wood, or with faux bronze paint to add a metallic look. They can be laminated, vinyl coated, fabric coated, or even backlit for a light effect.
Acrylic can be laminated to the front of the letters to match a specific logo color or to make a sign look colorful. It seems that acrylic letters have become one of the most popular choices for indoor sign lettering.
Acrylic is cut with a laser cutter and produces a fairly accurate cut. Still, foam is the most cost-effective solution for creating signs, logos, letters, and accessories.
Since the raw foam material itself is brittle and can be damaged by water, moisture, and sun exposure, the coating can protect it. Different types of coating can be used depending on the application and the use required.
They can be covered with a light coat like epoxy, up to a medium coat that can be sprayed, buffed or brushed like Styrospray1000, or a hard coat of jet sprayed polyurea. The coating not only protects the lettering, logo or sign, but also gives them much longer durability – they can last 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 made in sections and glued together, and by sanding the glued pieces, the seam is almost completely removed.
The letters are cut with a CNC hot wire foam cutter. Foam is used to add dimension to letters.
Foam letters are a great option, for example, if you want depth in a lobby wall sign.
They are actually 2D that 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 should be made a minimum of 8 inches thick to stand on its own.
The foam can be cut quite quickly. A few strokes 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, mold, shape, carve, and sand for a smoother finish.
Round letters can be made flat at the bottom so they can stand on their own.
The manufacturer can create a base for the letters, either from the foam material itself 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 letter from falling off.
If the letters need to be suspended, a 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 attached to 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’d say if you’re budget conscious but still want a quality sign, then foam lettering and logos are one of your best options.
Dimensional foam lettering, logos and signs are a great way to enhance the character and depth of your message or logo and build recognition for your brand.