When it comes to making a statement for your Alberta business, the visual impact of your signage and printed materials is crucial. You’ve likely spent time perfecting your design and messaging, but have you considered the unsung hero of your final product? The substrate.
The substrate is the foundational material onto which your designs are brought to life, and it plays a crucial role in the final aesthetic, durability, and overall effectiveness of your marketing efforts. With seemingly endless options available, selecting the right one can feel overwhelming. At Burke Group, we understand this challenge. That’s why we’re here to guide you through our top signage substrates, explaining the unique characteristics and why they might be the perfect fit for your specific needs in the Edmonton and Calgary markets. It’s important to consider factors like location, budget, environmental responsibility, longevity, and the desired visual impact to help you make an informed decision.
Navigating Substrates: What You Need to Consider
Before diving into specific materials, let’s outline the key considerations when choosing a substrate for your Edmonton and Calgary signage and printing projects.
- Location: Will your signage be indoors or outdoors? Alberta weather can be demanding, requiring durable, weather-resistant materials for outdoor applications.
- Cost: Substrates vary significantly in price. Understanding your budget is crucial in narrowing down your options.
- Environmental Standards: If sustainability is a priority in your business, consider eco-friendly and recyclable substrates.
- Durability & Longevity: How long do you need your signage or materials to last? High-traffic areas or harsh environments will require more robust substrates.
- Final Look and Feel: Do you want a sleek and modern aesthetic, a rugged industrial vibe, or something else entirely? The substrate significantly influences the final visual appeal.
Burke Group’s Top 4 Signage Substrates
Serving diverse businesses across Edmonton and Calgary areas, we offer a range of high-quality substrates to meet diverse needs. Here are four of our most popular options:
1. Acrylic: High-End & Premium
Acrylic Signs, crafted from a clear and resilient plastic known as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), often referred to as acrylic glass or Plexiglas, create a high-end, professional image that’s perfect for businesses in Edmonton + Calgary looking to convey sophistication. It has a sleek and polished surface that instantly elevates any design.
The versatility of acrylic allows for various thicknesses, enabling the creation of eye-catching three-dimensional letters and elements that significantly enhance visibility, crucial in busy areas. Acrylic has impressive durability, longevity, and versatility. It’s shatter-resistant and relatively low-maintenance, requiring only mild soap and water for cleaning!
For the most premium and long-lasting results, we recommend direct printing onto the acrylic rather than applying printed vinyl. While acrylic is the most expensive option on this list, it offers a more cost-effective alternative to materials like wood, metal, or aluminum while delivering a superior aesthetic. If you’re seeking an elegant, premium-looking sign that communicates quality and professionalism, acrylic is an excellent choice for storefronts, office spaces, and high-impact displays in both Edmonton and Calgary.
2. Lamacoid: Durable and Functional
On the more functional end of the spectrum, we offer lamacoid. This substrate consists of multi-ply, multi-colour plastic sheets bonded together. The top layer reveals the contrasting core colour when engraved, creating depth and clear legibility. At Burke, our precision laser engraving ensures a crisp and clean finish for all your Edmonton and Calgary lamacoid needs.
Commonly used for name tags, room identifiers, and industrial labels, lamacoid offers both customization (over 100 colour combinations) and practicality. While not ideal for complex direct printing designs, its nonconductive phenolic resin material makes it a safe choice for businesses in Edmonton and Calgary where electrical safety is a concern. Its resistance to moisture and harsh conditions also make it perfect for demanding industrial applications.
If you require durable, functional, and safe identification solutions for your Edmonton or Calgary business, particularly in industrial or electrically sensitive environments, lamacoid is a reliable and cost-effective option.
3. Polystyrene: Economical and Versatile
Polystyrene is a lightweight and flexible plastic derived from petroleum, offering a highly economical and customizable solution for a wide range of applications in Edmonton and Calgary. From indoor and outdoor displays to frame inserts, hang tags and safety signage, polystyrenes versatility shines.
Its bright white finish ensures that directly printed colors truly “pop,” creating eye-catching visuals for your Edmonton printing and Calgary printing projects. Polystyrene can be rolled, flexed, and even permanently heat-bent to achieve unique shapes and designs.
For environmentally conscious businesses in Edmonton and Calgary, polystyrene is a recyclable material. Despite its lightweight nature, it is surprisingly durable and weather-resistant. Furthermore, its light weight translates to lower shipping costs and simplified installation, a significant advantage for businesses.
If you need a cost-effective, versatile, and visually impactful substrate for promotional materials, indoor signage, or temporary outdoor displays in Edmonton or Calgary, polystyrene offers an excellent balance of affordability and performance.
4. Dibond: Robust and Stylish
Dibond signs are constructed with an aluminum composite exterior and a polyethylene core. This innovative structure provides the premium look and feel of aluminum without the associated high cost. For businesses in Edmonton and Calgary seeking a sophisticated yet durable solution, Dibond is an ideal choice.
Aligning with sustainable practices, Dibond boasts an energy-efficient production process and recyclable components. It is remarkably versatile, offering a lightweight and easy-to-handle material with the durability and rugged aesthetic of aluminum. Its low-maintenance nature and visually appealing finish make it a smart investment for your Edmonton and Calgary signage needs.
The aluminum exterior of Dibond also makes it magnetic, opening up exciting possibilities for changeable magnetic additions to your signage. Available in various unique finishes like brushed gold, mirror, and standard aluminum, Dibond can be tailored to match your brand perfectly. Its exceptional ability to withstand harsh conditions and be bent without breaking further solidifies its reputation as a durable and reliable substrate for the Edmonton and Calgary climates.
If you require a cost-effective, environmentally conscious, and highly durable substrate with a premium aluminum look for your Edmonton or Calgary business signage, Dibond delivers exceptional value and performance.
Lamacoid
Dibond
Acyrlic
Poly
Making Your Mark: Customization Options Edmonton & Calgary
While selecting the right substrate is crucial, Burke Group goes beyond simply printing. We understand that your Edmonton and Calgary businesses are unique, and your signage and printed materials should reflect that. Our team offers a wide range of customization options to make your chosen substrate truly work for your brand. From unique shapes and sizes to specialized finishes and installation solutions, we’re here to bring your vision to life.