Acrylic is a popular material for making corporate signs because it is lightweight and less expensive than glass. Your company logo or directional information can be printed on the front side or the back surface of this material. This article discusses the pros and the cons of printing on these two sides.

Front Side Printing

Front side printing is also called standard surface printing. Standard surface printing refers to placing the printing ink on the front side of the acrylic. You can feel the ink when you move your fingers over the surface of the material. This mode of printing is affordable because it does not consume a lot of production resources. However, front surface printing has disadvantages. First, the ink is exposed to the elements that can damage it easily. This susceptibility to damage, such as scratching, makes standard surface prints to be better suited for indoor use. Secondly, the material is robbed of its clear appearance once ink is placed on its front surface. This makes the print to have a matte finish.

Back Surface Printing

Back surface printing is also known as second surface printing. Here, the ink is placed on the back surface of the material. This allows you to see through the clear acrylic to the print at its back. Second surface printing gives acrylic prints a glossy appearance that makes the display visually appealing. This method also protects the images or texts from exposure to the elements. Consequently, second surface prints are more long lasting when compared to standard surface acrylic prints. This durability makes back surface acrylic corporate signs ideal for outdoor use. Furthermore, second surface prints can also be used as whiteboards. The printed material remains in the background as you write on the front surface of your acrylic signage.

Back surface acrylic printing has some shortcomings. First, it is more expensive because it requires a more elaborate process to prepare the images or texts for printing. Secondly, it may be hard to look at the printed material when there is direct sunlight hitting the surface of the acrylic. This is because there will be glare from the rays of the sun. Thirdly, its glossy finish makes fingerprints visible on the surface. Thus, the sign has to be cleaned frequently to get rid of any smudges and fingerprints.

As you can see, standard surface and second surface acrylic signs have strong points and drawbacks. Weigh those two sides carefully before you select which option is best suited to your needs. Contact corporate signage professionals for additional help if you are still undecided after reading the information above.