Forex, Dibond or acrylic — which board for which sign?
Forex® (PVC foam board) for indoors and sheltered outdoor spots — light, economical, in 3, 5 and 10 mm. Dibond (aluminium composite) for anything that gets sun and rain — stays flat in heat and frost. Acrylic when the sign should have depth and gloss — clear, frosted or block-out white. All three are printed directly (UV, up to 1440 dpi), cut to size and supplied with drill holes, a shaped cut or milled letters on request.
The comparison
| Forex® | Dibond Budget | Acrylic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | PVC foam board, white or black throughout | Aluminium composite 3 mm, two aluminium skins on a PE core | Cast PMMA — clear, frosted or block-out white |
| Outdoors | Sheltered only: under a roof, in a passage — in full sun and rain the board can bow | Yes, weatherproof — does not rot, swell or bow | Sheltered outdoors; the first choice indoors |
| Thicknesses | 3 / 5 / 10 mm | 3 mm | 3 / 5 / 10 mm clear; 3 mm frosted and white |
| Largest board | 300 × 200 cm | 146 × 300 cm | 200 × 300 cm |
| Weight | Light | Medium | Heavy |
| Edges | White (black on Black Forex®) | Silver-black, aluminium visible | Sawn; polished on request |
| Special | Economical, easy to drill and glue | Flame-retardant; can be grooved and folded; anti-graffiti coating available | Second-surface print for glass-like depth; white ink under colour |
| Mounting | Adhesive strips, screws, stand-offs | Screws, stand-offs, rail system, strong tape | Stand-offs (holes 15 mm from the edge), screws |
Which thickness?
- Forex® 3 mm: signs and panels fixed flat to a wall or door. 5 mm: free-hanging, carried around or larger than a metre. 10 mm: displays, milled letters, anything that must not flex.
- Dibond 3 mm: one thickness that covers outdoor signs, company signs, wayfinding and advertising panels — the stiffness comes from the aluminium.
- Acrylic 3 mm: signs up to about 60 cm and prints behind a glass-like surface. 5 mm: larger signs on stand-offs. 10 mm: solid panels, thick letters, counter displays.
Two special cases
Black Forex® is black all the way through — the cut edge stays black, without the white line a white board printed black shows at every edge. For dark signs, letters and backing panels.
Neon print puts fluorescent colours on Forex®, acrylic or recycled board — for indoors; in direct sun neon inks fade within months.
Products in this guide
- Forex® · Price table
- Black Forex® · Price table
- Dibond Budget · Price table
- Acrylic sheet · Price table
Questions
Why is there a minimum per job ticket?
Every job ticket means a board on the machine, a set-up and a cut. That is why at least one square metre is charged per ticket — several small signs in one ticket share it.
Can a sign be printed on both sides?
Forex® and Dibond yes, one pass per side. Clear acrylic is printed from the back so the picture sits under the glass-like surface.
Which board for a practice sign beside the front door?
Outdoors without a roof: Dibond. In the hallway: Forex® 3 mm or — with stand-offs and depth — acrylic 5 mm.
How is a panel fixed to a wall?
With drilled holes and screws (stand-offs for a floating look), with tape or mounting adhesive on a smooth surface; Dibond and acrylic can also slide into rails.
Which panel is the lightest?
Forex — a 3 mm sheet weighs about a third of Dibond of the same size. Acrylic is on a par with Dibond and gets heavy quickly with thickness.
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