How to Find High Quality Printed Banners

We all want the highest quality signage and banner products and all printed banner companies wants to be your one stop shop for all your signage needs. With the newly developed corporate world where marketing and selling products has become such a focus point, how do you see through all the marketing jargon and seek the best product and the most suitable price. The answer is research.

Shop Around: Research
Type in any key words such as printed banners, mesh banners, banner mesh, printed shade cloth etc. into google and you’ll get a thousand different links and options. At a minimum it is essential to visit at least 3 different companies websites, each will have photographic examples of their products, product descriptions and quotes. Compare, contrast, analyse, be thorough in your research and seek out of the best signage and banner based on these descriptions. Go on social media, visit Facebook and Instagram pages, observe the public image and the ratings they receive on their social media pages.

Be Careful: Pricing
Don’t be naive, we want the best and lowest price available for our signage and banner options but at the same time we don’t want this to fly in the face of quality. Remember quality is everything, don’t be fooled by the word ‘cheap’ which is thrown around foolishly be many suppliers. Get more than one quote from a number of suppliers to best decipher price for quality.

Don’t be afraid to ask: Product Samples
The great thing about the competition in the market is the creation of an intense relationship between you as customer and the supplier. This meaning that suppliers are more than willing to work very closely with you and send out samples of a wide range of banners and signage products that you are interested in. This will allow you to further compare, contrast and analyse the product to allow you to gain the highest printed banner substrate quality and the best print resolution that you desire.

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• Shade Cloth
• Vinyl

Did Your Printed Banners Survive the Storm?

At Mesh Direct, we pride ourselves on the quality of our mesh banners but even our banners may not be able to withstand a once in a lifetime storm! If your banner suffered some damage this weekend gone, then we may be able to resurrect it with our banner repair service*. If the cable ties holding your printed banner to the fence have been destroyed, we recommend replacing them immediately before more damage is caused**.

Get in touch with us today on 1300 368 978

Watch this!
This quick video explains what printed banner substrate and finishing feature is best if your next project is in a high wind area.

*We will have our courier pick up your printed banner and return it to our workshop where we will add new eyelets. In sever cases, we may need to cut the banner down and weld a new edge on your banner before re-eyeleting. Please note that costs are involved but repairing your banner costs considerably less than the replacement of your banner. Repairs may take up to 14 days.

** Not using all the eyelets creates excessive strain on the eyelets that are being used which can lead to eyelet failure. Once an eyelet fails there can be a chain reaction as escalating strain is placed on each eyelet. This can cause banners to flap around which can lead to ink cracking and mesh fraying – let alone the sight of your wonderful advertising in disarray.

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• Shade Cloth
• Vinyl

How to Extend the Life of Your Printed Banners and Signs

Extending the life of your printed banners and signs starts with placement and maintenance. Being an out-of-home advertising medium, banners are more susceptible to damaging weather and vandalism throughout the year, so it is critical to take extra care to extend the life of your printed banner.

Hear are a few points to ensure your printed banners and signs are looked after and look the best they can:

Sunlight and Heat
Different substrates withstand harsh environmental elements better than others. For example, vinyl banners are better protected against moisture. Direct sunlight and heat have huge permanent effects of your printed banners and signs by breaking down the chemical bonds in the ink, hence major fading. In order to keep your vibrant colours, either place the sign in a shady area or undercover. However, at Mesh Direct we only use the finest UV stabilised ink for printing on our banner. This ensures minimal fade to your high impact printed banners and signs.

Wind
Wind is the biggest killer for signs, tearing the materials and pulling it away from its structure. Two thing that will help preserve your printed banner is perfect installation and the perfect tension. The installation of the printed banner is a huge part of extending its life. Whatever type of banner mesh you have, it is likely to have supertuff edging and a nylon welded backing, giving it that supreme strength. When installing, the most important step is tensioning; make sure you use cable ties in each eyelet so there is no chance for your banner to sag, fold, or come loose during high winds. The tensioning overall, should be significant and is the best way to prevent any tears.

Cutting holes into the sides of your banners is another idea. Without cutting into the graphic design, this will simply allow wind to flow through and not just push the solid banner. Although, one type of banner mesh that is perfect for windy conditions is shade cloth, as it is a permeable substrate which creates a light load on the structure, and allows wind to move through the banner easily.

Vandalism
Limiting your risk of costly vandalism is a contributing factor. This is a smart move as it will save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in damages and aid in keeping the appeal of your banner. The anti-graffiti coating comes in a matte and gloss finish, perfect for any look. They both have the ability to simply wipe off graffiti on your printed banner quick and easily without damaging the colour. Adcoat is a highly praised anti-graffiti coating which ads a layer above the original ink, so in the act of being vandalised, your signage can be easily restored to its original appearance. It is particularly recommended when your hoarding or large scale project is easily accessed in an urban area where vandalism is highly likely to occur. For more detail information on anti-graffiti coating, check out our blog post ‘Anti-Graffiti Coating: How to Protect Your Signage’.

Regular Maintenance
Regular cleaning expands the life of your printed banners and signs and keep them looking sharp, as being outside will attract a lot of dirt and grime. A solution of warm soapy water and a damp cloth is an ideal way to wash off all dirt and dust. Then with another clean cloth, wipe off all excess suds and thoroughly dry.

Perfect Installation
Your beautifully printed banner and signs have cost you a bit of money but is now all set to repay you in conveying your message – all you need to do now is to install it. Installing banners on fencing us usually a fairly simple task if you know some basic tips and the cornerstone of those tips is tension. A banner that is crooked, sagging or flapping in the breeze can be more damaging than helpful, displaying a lack of care and sloppiness.

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• Shade Cloth
• Vinyl

4 Tips to Achieve Great Event Signage

Events are the ideal opportunity to put your brand out there in front of your audience. Use your next event to promote your brand and ‘wow’ your attendees every where they look with great event signage.

Here are out tips to having high impact event signage:

1. Print it big. Print it bright.
Event signage should be big, bright and ideally be high impact. Mesh banners are a great way of presenting your brand or message. Big banners are always better if you want to have high impact signage.

2. Consistency is key
Creating and following a theme give your event or festival a coherent message, an inclusive vibe that ties the event together. Your wayfinding signs, stage covers, directional signage, toilet signs, fence signage and entry/exit point signage should all be within the theme. Focus on keeping your event theme consistent across all signage.

3. Wayfinding signage is integral
Event patrons will more than likely be unfamiliar with the event facility or grounds. Wayfinding signage needs to be specific, prominently placed and concise. Make sure your attendees can safely navigate your event with wayfinding signage at your next event.

4. Safety First
Safety is at the forefront of effective event planning for any large gathering. Large crowds can be unpredictable, but proper safety signage assists attendees, officials and emergency teams react promptly and appropriately. Safety signs should be bold and strategically placed. You should also consult industry body safety regulations to ensure your signs and festivals are compliant.

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• Event signage
• festival and event signage
• safety signage
• Shade Cloth
• Vinyl

Everything You Need to Know About Printed Shade Cloth

Printed shade cloth or also commonly known as scrim is a budget friendly marketing solution which can provide high impact results for a project or advertising your brand. Shade cloth or scrim is a permeable substrate which allows wind to pass through easily, creating a light load on the structure to which it is attached.

Printed scrim can incorporate your business logo, colour schemes and fonts. However, it is not recommended for overly elaborate designs or photos but for logos or solid text, printed shade cloth (or scrim) is ideal.

Both full and partial printing options are available depending on the budget and needs of our clients. Scrim is a very popular method of construction site advertising, or scaffold branding, although it is also often seen at music festivals and sporting events as a budget friendly printed banner option. Because of its cost we recommend scrim where clients have longer runs and where the quality of print is not a priority.

Shade cloth fabric complies with all OH&S requirements under the relevant building codes. As standard, shade cloth printing used fully UV stabilised inks and substrates, ensuring that your sign will last and not fade for at least 12 months. Printed shade cloth can be used for construction and development sites, retail sites, community and school locations and large-scale events of all types.

Installation

Shade cloth is usually fixed to temporary fencing via cable ties which makes the installation process quick and easy. The substrate can be installed on scaffolds, temporary fences, chain wire fences and, as well as, building facades to ensure your brand has excellent exposure and is customised to your site.

Shade Cloth is Used For:

• Construction site advertising
• Scaffold branding
• Music festivals
• Sporting events
• Temporary fence signage
• Development sites
• Retail sites
• Community and school locations
• Large-scale events

Product Video

For technical specifications, please visit our product page for more detailed information – http://meshdirect.com.au/products/printed-shade-cloth-scrim/

Related blog posts:
Facts you need to know when choosing the ideal temporary fencing cover

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• printed shade cloth
• scrim
• Shade Cloth

Quick Guide to Construction Safety Signs

Specific health and safety laws that concern construction sites in Australia require that people on or near construction sites are warned of all hazardous activities taking place before any construction work begins. Builders and site managers must ensure that an adequate number of general construction safety signs, depending on the size and complexity of the job site, are erected at the workplace. Adhering to the rules and regulations in regards to safety signs will ensure you avoid fines and non-compliance.

To make it easy to identify construction safety signs, there are 4 broad categories:

Mandatory signs
Mandatory construction safety signs indicate that an instruction must be carried out. All mandatory signs can be identified by a blue circle with a white picture within. They are used to designate required safety equipment within a certain area, or to communicate an action that must be carried out. Examples include: ear or eye protection required, hard hat zone, dust mask or respirator required, switch off after use, wash hands, use protective clothing, keep locked etc.

Warning signs
Warning signs are used to warn of a hazard or a hazardous condition that is not likely to be life-threatening. Warning signs can be identified by a yellow background.
Examples include: flammable material, slippery when wet, heavy equipment zone, work overhead, low voltage electricity, asbestos present, falling hazard, toxic vapour present etc.

Danger signs
Danger signs are used to warn of a particular hazard or hazardous condition that is likely to be life-threatening. Signs in this category incorporate the word ‘danger’ in white letters on a red oval shape against a black background.
Examples include: high voltage, radiation present, crane working overhead, deep excavation, asbestos removal process, danger of explosion, confined space etc.

Emergency
Emergency signs are used to indicate the location of, or directions to, emergency-related facilities such as exits, safety equipment or first aid facilities. General emergency information signs can be identified by a green square with white writing or pictures.

Don’t get an unnecessary fine for not displaying adequate safety signage on your job site. Give Mesh Direct a call on 1300 368 978 to see how we can help you with your branded construction safety signs. We print our branded safety signs on corflute which is a hardwearing and waterproof substrate which is ideal for construction safety signs.

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• construction site safety
• construction site signage
• safety
• Shade Cloth
• Vinyl

Advertise Your Construction Business Effectively

Advertising serves a critical purpose in the construction industry as an integral communication tool which enables your business to productively and effectively compete with others for the attention of your target market. The construction industry is largely dominated by word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing but the need for an external reinforcement is critical in gaining more customers for your business.

Advertising of any sorts should be your primary objective to reach a larger sales audience, and in doing so, adheres to the recognition or product recall of your company. It is important that the message you are conveying in your advertising campaign is clear and informative across all platforms.

Advertising not only invites consumers to evaluate your product or service, but creates an environment in the marketplace for companies to learn of their competitors and plan accordingly to meet sales targets. Competition allows small and new businesses to successfully enter and expand in the marketplace through varying strategies. These strategies are all based on differentiation; showing customers what makes your product or service distinctively better than those offered by your competitors, giving your company a competitive advantage. Having an advantage is the key to greater profitability; when a customer is relying on your services or products they create a higher expectation for your company, convinced that this purchase is the best one for them. With quality products or services and this perception by consumers you are able to enjoy greater repeat sales, expanding your business and cementing a reputable image.

With advances in print technology, alluring graphics and attractive designs to capture the consumer’s eye, industries who choose to advertise on banners, signage or billboards, have an advantage using a budget advertising medium. This yields a high impact result and branding opportunities on a grand scale without the necessity of a monthly maintenance cost. The ultimate advantage of out-of-home advertising is that your signage and brand is exhibited on a large advertising space that appears 24 hours a day to a wide audience.

At Mesh Direct, we are Australia’s leading large format printers supplying the construction and events industry. Specifically, grand format printing has a high visual impact and is an easy way to capture your target audiences attention. Call us today on 1300 368 978 to speak to one of our friendly sales consultants about your next project.

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• Shade Cloth
• Vinyl

Building Wraps: The Grandest of Grand Format Printing

There is nothing more impressive than wrapping branded artwork around a building as a form of outdoor advertising. Whether applied for temporary installation, promoting a product or service, or launching an event, building wraps are capable of displaying a bold advertising message for all to see.

Building wraps or building skins are a relatively new form of advertising in Australia although they have been around for decades in Europe and the US. Buildings are enormous blank canvases that can be used to your advantage and are a great marketing tool.

Whatever the appearance of the facade, building wraps truly create a memorable if not a magnificent impression. Given the costs of other forms of out-of-home advertising which are far less permanent or memorable, building wraps are relatively inexpensive although incredibly impressive.

Depending on the intended usage, building wraps are usually made from banner mesh. After printing, the individual panels are joined together and produce the finished building wrap. Wraps are generally made from banner mesh due to the print quality needed, wind load and structure to which it is fixed to.

Building wraps are highly versatile and when used the construction media they deliver a purpose of minimising attention to the surrounding environment, concealing and disguising construction works.

Recently, Mesh Direct has the pleasure of wrapping the entire rear facade of the British Ambassador’s Residence in Canberra this month with a rendition of the building underneath creating outstanding result. For this particular project, the building wrap was required to minimise the visual impact of the scaffold during the renovation. Mesh Direct photographed, designed, printed and installed the full rear building wrap solution with exceptional results as you can see in the photos.

At Mesh Direct, we have the experience and in-house skills to make your concept come to life in the grandest of grand formats. Talk to us about your vision and we will work together with your creative team, or with ours, to create your building wrap masterpiece. We can handle everything from design of the building skin to installation and lighting. Call 1300 368 978 to speak to our sales team about your next project.

Visit our Building Wraps page for more information and technical specifications.

• banner design
• Banner Mesh
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• Large scale projects

Banner Finishing Options Explained

If you are looking to order a banner it’s important to consider how you would like it to be finished after printing. There are several different finishing options available and deciding which one you need can be confusing if you don’t understand the purpose of each one. Use this guide to help you make a more informed decision.

Grommets
Grommets are rust-proof metal eyelets, which are applied around the edges of the banner after printing to reinforce the banner and allow it to be tied. If you’re going to be hanging the banner on the side of a building, on fencing or between poles, adding grommets will make the process much easier. Use strong rope, twine or even cable ties to ensure that your banner will be secure after hanging. Grommets are punched into a banner 500mm apart at the top of the banner and every 1000mm apart at the bottom of the banner. This distributes the banner’s weight and helps to keep the banner from sagging. Grommets are commonly used as a finishing for banners used on temporary fencing. The required tension can be gained for the banner to be wrinkle free which is best achieved using heavy duty plastic cable ties. Remember to match the colour of the cable ties to your banner or use clear ones, and trim the ends once tightened.

Finishing your banners with grommets is our standard practice so please let us know if you want to attach your banner in another way.

Nylon Seat Belt Supertuff® Webbing
Nylon webbing reinforcement is welded to the edge of the banner to provide extra durability in outdoor conditions. The edges of the banner are finished with Supertuff® seat belt style webbing providing an extremely durable, large format sign. Welding PVC coated webbing to the back edges of a banner provides numerous advantages; increased tensile strength; more structural stiffness to prevent curling; stronger grommet mounting; and the ‘trim-to-edge’ method removes the need for fold-over hems. Supertuff® seat belt style webbing provides a superior quality finishing which in incomparable to many of our competitors. This comes with all our premium mesh products as standard.

Kedar Edging
Kedar edging with sail track is commonly used for vinyl banners and is ideal for affixing banners to walls or hoarding. ‘Kedar’ rope is welded to the banner edge and the rope is inserted into sail track made specifically for this type of edging. This method of stretching banners to create a smooth, fully taught low-glare surface works wonderfully on most flat and slightly curved surfaces. Sail track is often used for banner mounting to walls and is the accepted norm for mounting to large billboards and wooden hoardings.

Pole Pockets
If you are looking to display your banner using poles, you’ll most likely need pole pockets. Pole pockets can be added to any side of the banner. The banner material is folded over the back side of the banner, similar to hems, but enough room left for a pole to go through the pocket. Pole pockets allow for rigid poles to be inserted along the edges of the banner. This allows for a more even distribution of the banner’s weight to prevent sagging. Opposing pole pockets can also be used to make the banner more rigid.

Wind Slits
Banners that are mounted outdoors in very windy areas benefit from the addition of wind slits. These are horseshoe shaped flaps cut into blank areas of the banner, which allow wind to pass through, reducing tension and possible deterioration of the banner. Wind ‘holes’ in large banners are required when the banner is exposed to wind on both sides. A banner is like a large sail in the wind and can generate huge pressure and tension on banner fixtures and fittings. Best to cut ‘V’ or ‘U’ shapes in the banner so when there is no wind, the ‘flap’ is left down to expose the image on the banner. The ‘V’ or ‘U’ cut is preferred to a small cut-out hole as they sit flat when the wind is not strong.

Hemmed Edges
Hemmed edges are typically used to reinforce the sides of banners, helping to maintain the banner’s shape and prevent stretching.

Button Hole Eyelets
Reinforced knitted, ‘button-hole’ eyelets are built in to the top and bottom edges of shade cloth. Button hole eyelets provide premium strength and a neat looking installation for shade cloth banners. We recommend using cable ties to attach your printed shade cloth to your temporary fence.

Banner Tape
Banner tape is a single sided tape which is welded onto the edges of banners. It is used to provide reinforcement for the edges and grommets. We use banner tape on our standard banner mesh and many of our competition use to finish their premium banners. When making a decision about your banner mesh, consider how long it is going to be on the fence. On banners finished with banner tape, the grommets can pull through in strong winds which can cause the banner to sag, or in some cases rip. Banner tape is inexpensive and is not labour intensive. The tape is used on banners to add strength along the edge without the need to sew the hems.

Folded Edge
In cases where budget is a consideration, banner mesh can be finished with a folded edge. Approximately 4cm of the edge is doubled over and welded to itself. It is the least effective edge finishing. We strongly urge not to use this edging method in high wind areas or when the mesh needs to be in place for long periods. There is a strong likelihood of grommets coming away from the edging.

Mesh Direct offers a full range of finishes and we are market leaders in providing the most durable mesh on the market with our premium banner mesh. With us you will get super strong banners which can withstand harsh Australian environmental conditions. The banner finishing techniques available at Mesh Direct give banners a clean, sharp look and provide a superior quality in comparison to many of our competitors.

Call 1300 368 978 for any further enquiries about our quality finishing or to get a quote for your next banner.

• banner care
• banner finishing options
• Banner Mesh
• banner strength
• branded banners
• building signs
• building site signage
• Building Wraps
• construction advertising
• Construction signage
• Shade Cloth