Signage Education | Acrylic Sign Care

The use of acrylic (also known by the trademarked name “Plexiglas”) in making signs is popular as the material is attractive and versatile, but does require some care to maintain its appearance. In this week’s article, Spectrum Signs offers bits of wisdom to maximize the value of your acrylic sign purchase.

Acrylic is a transparent thermoplastic that’s often used as a lightweight, or shatter proof alternative to glass. Acrylic sheets are easily cut to custom shapes with a router or laser. Letters or logos cut from acrylic are commonly laminated to a foam base to make attractive and economical dimensional letters. Available in a variety of colors, acrylic has the luxurious appearance of glass.

Though versatile, acrylic is easily scratched or damaged by the use of improper cleaners. Cleaning products containing ammonia such as Windex or Formula 409 will damage your acrylic sign. A well intentioned cleaning using typical brown Kraft paper towels will scratch the surface of acrylic and dull the finish.

To remove light dust, compressed air or a soft cloth can be used. Never use a dry cloth or your hand to clean your acrylic. This will rub the dirt and dust into the acrylic. A soft cotton material or lint-free microfiber cloth can be used, but should be tested first on in inconspicuous area. Only cleaners specifically formulated for cleaning acrylic should be used. At Spectrum Signs, we use Brillianize or Novus #1.

If your acrylic sign should become scratched, Novus makes additional products to remove scratches and to polish acrylic. These products are available from Amazon, some True Value Hardware stores, or from Novus directly.

Scratch Removal
Fine scratches can be removed with a mild abrasive polish such as Novus #2, or Novus #3. Heavier scratches, such as those that you can feel with your fingernail will require sanding and buffing. A series of increasingly fine sanding grits (150, 400, 600) followed by a buffing wheel and available buffing compound will restore the luster of your acrylic.

About Spectrum Signs

Spectrum Signs is an independent, locally owned, full service sign manufacturing company located in south Orange County – Mission Viejo, California. We are affiliated with over 240 independent sign companies with access to resources nationwide. This affiliation provides significant discounts from sign suppliers, and allows us to offer competitive pricing without compromising in quality and service.

For more information, contact:

Spectrum Signs
23382 Madero Suite L
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
(949) 297-3800