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Eco Friendly Signs. Make The “Green” Choice.

What’s the Big Deal About Eco Friendly Signs?

“It’s not easy being green,” a famous frog once said. That was before Sign Foam, an excellent wood alternative material. It’s a “green” creative medium that’s eco friendly in many ways.

What is Sign Foam?

Sign Foam is a non-toxic, optimal wood replacement, so it saves trees. This durable material doesn’t support mold growth, or attract rodents and insects. It’s VOC(volatile organic compound) and CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) free which makes this material used for Eco Friendly Signs better for your work, your health and for the earth. Also,  using Sign Foam in your Eco Friendly Signs may make them eligible for LEED certification points towards building credits. To receive  certification in the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design program,  building projects earn points by meeting set standards to achieve different levels of certification.

Sign Foam is Made of Recycled Material

recycled water bottles into eco friendly signs
What Eco Friendly Signs are made of

What an inventive way to utilize the bazillion water bottles that get thrown out each day! This environmentally sustainable product is made of recycled plastic water bottles. Each sheet is made of 240 of those bottles. That makes the content Eco Friendly Signs signs made with  Sign Foam a minimum of 16% “green”. Something to think about the next time you throw an empty water bottle in your recycling bin.

Benefits of Eco Friendly Signs to the Environment

Sign Foam doesn’t emit toxic fumes. It doesn’t leach chemicals into the surrounding soil. It’s completely waterproof, it is unaffected by temperature change, and will not crack, rot or decompose. The advanced microcell technology of Sign Foam produces a fine, grain-free surface.  Eco Friendly Signs made with Sign Foam require fewer coats of paint and less maintenance. Less sanding, priming, painting means less finishing time results and less free floating debris and fumes in our air. And there are eco friendly safety benefits.  Sign Foam is flame-retardant and self-extinguishing.

Read last months article on Sign Foam. A long lasting alternative to wood signs.

Sign Foam is Always Improving

In the 25 years that Sign Foam has been available to the industry, it’s been continually enhanced for improved environmental performance.  Technically and environmentally, this material is better for both the designer and the client. It allows the focus to stay on what counts – the quality of the finished product and it’s benefit to the environment. Sign Foam makes it easy to be “green”. For more information, visit our website at www.crivellosigns.com or call us at (781) 769-4478

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sign foam. A long lasting alternative to wood signs.

Foam Signs. A long lasting alternative to Wood Signs.

Featuring our Customer – NewField Woods

The existing sign for NewField Woods is made of wood that has rotted and become infested with insects. Over the 15 years of its life it has been repainted, it has had pieces rebuilt and pieces replaced.

Crivello Signs, Inc. is using a urethane composite material that will fare better than any wood sign material that must endure the New England weather.

The Before and After image below shows the wood sign on the left and the brand new, foam sign on the right. Not only material change but a small rounded shape at the top of the sign was incorporated for a higher impact, more interesting appearance.

New Field Woods Condominium Before and After using Urethane foam signs

Urethane Foam Signs have become A long lasting alternative to Wood Signs.

Typically a wood sign with any dimension will have joints. It’s usually not just one big solid piece. New England weather extreme cold to extreme heat causes expansion and contraction. This allows water to seep into the joints, eventually rotting the wood away. Not the case with  high density urethane foam.

This proven, high-density urethane (HDU) foam board delivers exceptional versatility and outstanding value, whether carved, routed, sandblasted or machined.

It’s a little more money but its the best product available to the trade. It’s lifespan will prove the savings.

People often ask us “what can you do to restore or fix a sign? Repainting a wood sign is just a bandaid. Paint fails to fill in the gaps and seams weather has revealed. The benefits of the high density urethane foam signs have far lasting qualities. All you will have to do to restore a foam sign would be to wash it down and repaint it.

Urethane does not decompose. The only thing that gets compromised is the finish. To get the best life of the finish, Crivello Signs uses a Benjamin Moore  latex aura, a premium exterior paint that provides a seal to the material. This paint of choice for architects.

Advantages at a Glance of High-Density Urethane Sign Foam

  • It is completely waterproof
    • SIGN·FOAM is not an organic material. Nothing can soak through the surface to the interior of the material. It is 100% waterproof before you put a drop of paint on the surface.
  • It will withstand extreme heat or cold
  • It won’t warp or bow
  • SIGN·FOAM is a “Green” Creative medium in any color created from 240 recycled plastic water bottles in every sheet.
    • SIGN·FOAM is environmentally friendly. Not only does it save trees as an optimal wood replacement, it is sustainably produced, with a minimum of  16 percent green content. In fact, every sheet contains 240 recycled plastic water bottles. So, this material is better for your work, better for the earth, and better for your health. What’s more, this eco-friendly solution can contribute LEED certification points for building credits. SIGN·FOAM is nontoxic and made in the U.S.A.
  • SIGN·FOAM will not rot, decay or decompose.
  • It will withstand extreme heat or cold because it is unaffected by temperature, humidity or barometric pressure
  • SIGN·FOAM is highly chemically resistant. Urethane foam signs
  • For 3D graphics it is the Artists choice for creating stunning dimensional signs

Types of Finishes Available for Urethane Foam Signs

  • Satin
  • Semi Gloss
  • High Gloss Mirror finish
  • Matte finish

Satin, semi-gloss, and high gloss are easy to maintain as they only need light washing to maintain the composite sign. These are the top choices for Cape Cod. Matte finish is not recommended. It shows all the imperfections. It’s not sun resistant or pollen resistant. And the rain soaks in and permeates the finish causing marking and staining.

Custom Options Available to you with our Urethane Foam Signs

We can carve into the composite material. Therefore, the possibilities open up.

  • We can create raised or carved dimensional letters and images
    • Aluminum doesn’t rust or corrode. We clear coat it for extra protection.
  • Gold leaf lettering adds a high end quality and class to your sign
  • Add a Smaltz finish. A smaltz finish contains crushed fine black glass mixed in and glued to the finish. This adds an amazing appearance.
    • It reduces glare in sun
    • It adds a textured finish
    • It’s durable
    • It looks great in gold leaf sign because of its glare reducing capabilities
  • You can select sheets in multiple densities. Choose a standard or custom thickness, depending on your project.

Crivello Signs, Inc. has solutions for any application and budget. We are your creative sign design specialists.

For a Free, no obligation Sign Design Consultation and quote, call us today at 781-769-4478 OR visit us at www.crivellosigns.com.

wood signs versus foam signs

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