Styrene Printing VS Sintra Board?
Even those who have used printing for their business or personal use for some time, have questions and confusion about
Sintra Board and
Styrene Printing. The similarities in the products can seem interchangeable upon the first review, but industry experts have distinct differences between Sintra and Styrene.
Sintra PVC Board
Let’s start with Sintra. A brand name,
Sintra is actually PVC foam core-covered plastic and is known for its lightweight yet stable durability. It is available in custom colors and cuts, dent, chemical, temperature, and scratch-resistant. Though not recommended for embossing, Sintra can be mounted with cold mounting, receive digital or screen printing, be painted, and saw or knife cut. When framed, prints can be archived, or left unprinted and used in Trade Shows, Exhibits, POP Displays, Kiosks, and more.
Sintra Thickness Options
Styrene Prints
Styrene is a thinner material than Sintra, which means that durability can be an issue, Though custom colors and cuts are available for both Styrene and Sintra, Styrene absolutely must be mounted to another far more durable material to maintain the integrity of its signage or display, sometimes even to plywood. Styrene is not UV stable, whereas Sintra is. Though not everyone needs UV resistance if using outdoors or portable signs, Sintra is preferable. Yellowing or cracking is far more likely for Styrene than Sintra Board Printing. Further reading on
"how long will Sintra printing will last" click here.
Another thing to consider is that even if used indoors if your Styrene sign faces a window where it is exposed to the sun, it will begin to peel and/ or crack. Styrene board (see also
foam boards) comes in many sizes from .015, .030 thickness all the way up to 20 mil styrene.
If you are looking for a smooth finish with a shorter lifespan, which will largely remain indoors and be added to a reliable backing, Styrene could be right for you. If you are wanting a more multi-use, indoor and out (though longevity will be more guaranteed if used inside) signage display, brand name PVC Foam ‘Sintra’ will keep its quality longer and not yellow or brittle as easily. It also has a thicker, slightly more textured surface.
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