Chello is a new Persian buffet that just opened in Chatsworth, California. One of the signs they needed us to make for their new location was a set of new panels for the monument sign face. The existing multi-tenant monument sign is double-sided so they needed two of the same panels for either side. We made them a set of new Tuf Glas faces with pre-colored vinyl.
For large sign faces like this, we use Tuf Glas. Tuf Glas is more expensive than regular sign acrylic because it is much more durable. It also comes in large rolls so we can create large panels without having any seams. Lexan is another UL listed substrate that is used for monument sign faces because it is even more durable than Tuf Glas and also comes in large sizes. However, Lexan yellows over time from UV exposure so we prefer to use Tuf Glas, especially for exterior jobs.
For the vinyl we used Oracal 751 for the black part of the logo and the letters and Oracal 8500 for the yellow and red. Black can’t be illuminated so we use Oracal 751 which is an opaque vinyl. Oracal 8500 is translucent which is why we used it for the red and yellow areas so the colors could be seen at nighttime when the sign is on. We have many colors to choose from so we typically send the selection to the client so they can pick out the colors they want to use. Even within gold and red, there are many different shades we can offer to make sure that we are getting as close as possible to your logo and company colors.
The reason we used cut vinyl as opposed to digitally printing the artwork is that pre-colored vinyl lasts much longer than prints, especially if the sign is outdoors. We wanted the colors on this sign to be as vibrant as possible for as long as possible to keep gaining new customers for Chello.