Vinyl or mesh banner
Choose solid 13 oz vinyl for almost every banner: it prints sharper, the colors are richer and it costs less. Choose mesh only for a fence or scaffold that faces open wind all day, where the small holes let part of the air through and cut the load on the ties. Mesh prints lighter and the background shows through it. Bannerology stocks 13 oz vinyl in six sizes from $21.99; mesh is quoted by email.
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| 13 oz solid vinyl | Mesh | |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp, full color, solid white background | Lighter colors; the background shows through the holes | |
| Wind | Full sail; tie every grommet | Part of the wind passes through; suppliers rate the airflow at roughly a third |
| Reading distance | Longest; the solid background carries the letters | Shorter; thin letters break up over the holes |
| Typical use | Storefronts, events, walls, most fences | Construction fences, scaffolding, stadium railings, rooftops |
| Life outdoors | 3 to 5 years | 3 to 5 years |
| At Bannerology | Six stock sizes, hems and grommets included | Quoted by email |
Wind decides this choice, nothing else
Banners fail at the ties when the wind has nowhere to go. A 4 x 8 solid banner is a 32 square foot sail, and on a fence that stands in open ground, on a hilltop, near the coast or on scaffolding above the first floor, that sail works its ties loose day after day. Mesh gives the air a way through, so the same banner pulls far less on the fence.
Everywhere else, solid vinyl wins. A storefront wall, a fence with buildings around it, a gym, a stage, a table front and most job sites see gusts, not steady wind, and a solid banner tied through every grommet handles gusts for years.
What you give up with mesh
The holes take ink with them. Mesh prints lighter than solid vinyl, white is not a clean white, and anything behind the banner shows through as a pattern. Fine text and thin fonts break up, so a mesh banner needs fewer, bigger words, a dark background and strong contrast to read from the same distance a solid banner manages easily. Mesh also costs more per square foot.
Making solid vinyl survive a windy fence
Tie every grommet, not only the corners, and use bungee balls so gusts stretch the bungee instead of the hem. Keep the tension even and only firm enough to remove folds. Mount the banner lower on the fence, where wind is slower, and away from the open end of a run. Pole pockets top and bottom with a stiff pole stop the flapping, but only if the poles themselves are anchored to something solid.
Wind slits are not included and we do not recommend them. Cutting weakens the face, interrupts the message and does not change the total load much. If a banner cannot be made safe on an exposed fence, take it down ahead of storms or choose mesh for that location.
Indoor, wall and event banners
Indoors or on a wall there is nothing to gain from mesh and everything to lose in print quality. The same is true for a one day event: a solid banner hung for a Saturday and taken down that evening never sees the sustained wind mesh is made for.
Price and lead time
A 3 x 6 solid vinyl banner is $41.99 and a 4 x 8 is $67.99, with hems on four sides and grommets every 2 feet included. Banners ship in 1 to 2 business days. Shipping is $9.95 when the items subtotal is below $99.00, and free at $99.00 and above. Alaska and Hawaii freight is quoted individually. For a mesh quote, email orders@bannerology.com with the size, the quantity and a photo of the fence if you have one.
Questions
Do you sell mesh banners?
Not as a stock item. Email orders@bannerology.com with the size and quantity for a mesh quote. The six stock sizes are 13 oz solid vinyl.
Does mesh last longer?
No. Both last 3 to 5 years outdoors. Mesh lasts longer only in the sense that it survives a windy fence where a solid banner would have torn its ties.
Should I cut wind slits in a vinyl banner?
We do not recommend it. Slits weaken the face and interrupt the message, and they barely change the wind load. Tie every grommet and lower the tension instead.
Can mesh be read from the road?
Yes, with large letters and strong contrast. Fine text and thin fonts break up over the holes, so design mesh with fewer, bigger words.
Which is cheaper?
Solid 13 oz vinyl. Mesh is a specialty material and costs more per square foot.