Before buying a vinyl banner there are a lot of things to consider. We created this banner buying guide to help you make the right decisions so you can save time and money getting exactly what you need. We will cover topics such as:

If this post doesn’t answer all your questions or you would like more information about what Wilde Signs can do for you, give us a call 1.877.945.3744 or email us at info@wilde-signs.com. We take pride in our customer service and our top quality sign/advertisement products. We have a limited range of stock banner options that can be found at our online store but contact us if you are interested in a custom design!

Banner size is important. Too small and your message won’t be read. Too large and you could struggle with hanging and maintaining a wrinkle free, tightly pulled banner. Optimal Banner size is just large enough to be read from the required distance and no larger. Any extra blank space is just added weight.

Banner material can be sown or seamed together which means there really isn’t a limit to the size you can have! There are also all sorts of banner frames that can be used to help your banner last longer and look better. Those can come in any size as well.

Typically for outdoor banners the recommended height is at least 4 feet with a width anywhere from 4 feet to 12 feet for a banner that will be hung using grommets and ropes. This is the optimal size to be read from a distance, but not so large that it will be saggy or hard to hang. A banner that is not pulled tight will sag in the middle making the graphics hard to see or read. If you are attaching the banner to something solid like a wall or fence you can realistically make it as wide as you need to as long as you use lots of support!

For indoor banners that will be hung with ropes we suggest you use the 3/4’s rule. Make sure your banner width and height is under 3 quarters of the total space available so that you have room to pull tight and tie. Most of the time indoor banners do not need to be as large. When space isn’t an issue we suggest an indoor banner height of 30″ or 36″ by the width that you need.

Before deciding on a final vinyl banner size you need to have a good idea of what your banner will look like. You can have a large banner with small text and it probably will not be readable from a distance! Usually banners are not viewed up close and so it is important to have artwork that is well thought out and precise. Know that any small text or elements will not be noticed by everyone.

Banners work best when used to share a short message. If you want your banner to be readable from a distance you want to focus on having 2 to 3 lines of text max. Other non-essential verbiage can be filled in around this main message. Always think simple especially if the banner will be read by passing vehicles.

Whenever possible use high contrasting colors for overlapping elements. Solid background colors or color gradients make reading verbiage easier for viewers. If you are in need of awesome custom artwork I would encourage you to take advantage of Wilde Sign’s in-house team of professional graphic designers.

Generally smaller banners are going to be viewed closer which means as you decrease the banner size you need to increase the artwork resolution and use higher resolution images to insure the banner does not look grainy or blurry from close up. If all this went over your head consider giving us a call to help!

Deciding on the right production specifications can go a long way in helping your banner live up to it’s full potential. When deciding these details it is best to have a well thought out plan to where your banner will be placed, how it will be supported, and what kind of weather conditions will it be subjected to.

Banner material come in multiple thickness measured in weight. 13oz banner material is great for indoor application as it has the lightest weight and therefore the easiest to hang. We recommend 15oz or 18oz for outdoor banners. As the banner material gets heavier it becomes more rigid and less susceptible to tearing under strong wind conditions. It also weighs more which means it need stronger supports to be held tight.

Banners can be printed as either single or double sided. Consider your banner placement. If both sides will be visible to viewers you may want to have your banner double sided. This will double the amount of viewable traffic.

Most of the time it is good to have hems on your banners. This is a folded edge along all sides that adds strength and support. Banner hems are done either with 2 way tape (our standard hem) or a sewn hem.

Hems increase the edge strength of a banner to help it hold up better under wind and harsh weather conditions and it also adds a little extra stiffness to keep the banner from sagging.

Grommets are metal rings we press into the hem for suspension/hanging points. We usually add these ever 2 feet on all sides, but if your banner is going to be in a high wind area we can increase the number to ever foot.

Grommets carry a second function of adding strength to the hem in case of wind gusts.

If your banner may be hit with high wind gusts you may want to consider adding wind slits. These crescent shaped slits in the banner allow wind to pass through, creating less pressure on the banner and allowing it to hold up better in harsh conditions. No part of the banner is actually removed cut out, which means you will still see all the design elements. At Wilde Signs we add our slits in blank space whenever possible to minimize cutting into your banners main elements.

You can have a rope through the vertical hems of a banner which then can be used to tie the banner tightly in place. Putting ropes in the banner hem gives you the ability to use less points of support because the rope is already running the full length of the banner on top and bottom.

Let’s face the facts. Outdoor banners can take a lot of abuse from wind gusts and other harsh weather elements. We do our best to make our banners as strong as possible but banner are at their core design made to be temporary signs. If you are looking for a long term sign solution we would love to talk to you about all the options available and we work hard to get our customers the best product for their needs at a competitive cost.

But that being said, banners are a great, cost effective, large format sign option for temporary needs. Take a look around next time you are out and about… I bet you will start noticing banners everywhere!

Banners are very easy to store when not in use because they roll up. This also means we can ship them to where you are at a very affordable cost!

If this post was helpful and you are in the market for a banner or any other sign type please contact us and see what we have to offer. Check out the rest of our website to see what we are all about!