Inventions have helped us to improve the way we live, consume, build and prosper. Technology has helped bring about a revolution in all areas of our lives. This is also true in the case of construction materials. Sometimes, construction is done using only soil or clay without any binder material. When we look around today, we see shiny glass offices and buildings made of marble.
PVC → Gator board → Foam board
The trilogy is sorted by taking the DURABILITY as a basis.
The 3 most important differentiating things that should be taken into consideration when choosing between these three materials are:
Durability
Price
Outdoor/indoor usage
White Co-extruded PVC Foam Board
The best choice from the standpoint of durability and density is PVC.
The most affordable option of the three is foam board. Thus, later came alligator board and then PVC.
For long outdoor use, PVC is the choice here. for shorter use and in good weather conditions, alligator board and foam board can also be used.
Now, let's see what each material stands for.
PVC - expanded polyvinyl chloride, the second most common plastic after polyethylene
Gatorboard - polystyrene sheet covered with polybutadiene coated paper and a styrene surface
Foam board - polystyrene foam core sandwiched between two sheets of clay-coated paper
PVC material is the most durable and densest of the three. it represents from itself foamed polyvinyl chloride. this material is often referred to as Sintra board, Foamex, Vinyl, PVC foam as well.
Due to its relatively rigid structure, PVC foam board can be used for long-term indoor or outdoor applications in the medium term.
PVC sheet signs are made by combining PVC cutting and printing. As a rigid material, PVC is available with CNC milling and digital cutting options. The cutting options depend on the customer's wishes, and the result is the same either way. PVC is a widely available material, which is why you see its "variations" everywhere. They are perfect for yard signs, exit signs, office signs, traffic, site, security, storefront signs, and especially house address and name signs.
To get a PVC sign, please contact us or get a quote.
PVC Celuka Foam Sheet
Gator board is a step lower than PVC.
This is a polystyrene board covered with poly-coated paper and styrene surfaces. One of its advantages is that it's lightweight and can easily be mounted to many surfaces without any hardware.
Though gator board can be very well applicable for outdoor usages, ultraviolet radiation coming from sun rays may harm it, so special care should be taken for protecting it from direct sunlight. Especially prevent black gator board outdoor usage.
A gator board sign can make wonders for a storefront, wall sign both in the form of letters and boards, wall photo background, and whatnot. Funny and other decorative CUT-OUTS can also be made from this material.
Foam board is the lightest material of the three. It's a perfect choice if you need a single-use and inexpensive sign. Although foam board is moderately priced, it does not look any worse than alligator board or PVC. It can provide excellent results for printed signs or photos.
Considering that foam is not as hard as aluminum, we do not recommend putting eyelets or drilling holes in foam board prints.
