Banners are one of the most useful things a small business, club or event organizer can print. They announce a grand opening, mark a fundraiser, brand a booth or simply tell people from across a parking lot that you are there. They are also easy to get wrong. Wrong size, thin text, a poor mounting plan: all of these show up once the banner is already printed. Here is how to make good choices before you order.
Indoor or outdoor: decide first
Where the banner will live changes almost everything else.
Outdoor banners face sun, rain, wind and temperature swings. They need a tough material, strong edges and a mounting plan that does not rely on tape. Indoor banners hang in a gym, a lobby or behind a stage. They can be lighter in feel, and they are far more forgiving, but they still need a clean finish and a way to hang them flat.
A banner made for the outdoors will work fine indoors, so if you are unsure, choose the tougher option. If you only need something for a one-evening event inside, say so when you ask for a quote, because other formats such as roll-up banners may suit that better.
The material: 13oz vinyl
The common choice for a general-purpose banner is 13oz glossy vinyl. It is a flexible, durable, waterproof material that holds colour well and is made to be used outside. It is printed on one side, and the finished piece is hemmed and fitted with grommets so you can hang it. Our vinyl banners page lists what we offer, and you can ask us about other materials if your project is unusual.
Hems and grommets
Two details do most of the work in keeping a banner alive.
- Hems fold the edge of the vinyl back on itself and seal it. This reinforces the edge so it does not fray, tear or curl, and it gives the grommets something solid to sit in.
- Grommets are the metal rings along the edge. Ropes, bungee cords or zip ties pass through them.
Corner grommets are the minimum. For a longer banner, ask for grommets along the top and bottom edges as well so the load is shared. If the banner will hang from a fence, a rail or a wall, space them to match the posts or hooks you plan to use.
Wind and mounting
Wind is the enemy of every outdoor banner. A large flat sheet of vinyl catches air like a sail, and that force goes straight into the grommets and whatever they are tied to.
- Tie or fasten through every grommet, not just the corners.
- Keep the banner tight and flat so it does not flap.
- Attach to something solid, such as a fence frame, a wall or a proper rail.
- Check the fixings during the first windy day and again after bad weather.
- Take it down in severe weather if you can.
Make sure the banner is secure enough that it cannot work loose and fall onto people or onto a road. Before hanging anything on public property or near a street, check the rules that apply where you are.
Sizes and viewing distance
Pick the size by asking how far away the reader will be. A common rule of thumb is about one inch of letter height for every ten feet of viewing distance, and that is the minimum, not a target. A banner on a fence along a busy road needs very large lettering. A banner inside a hall can be much smaller.
Common formats include long horizontal banners for fences and storefronts, and taller banners for walls and booths. We can print many sizes. Give us the space you have to fill, and we will suggest proportions that suit it. Our guide to trade show printing is also useful if the banner will be part of a larger display.
Artwork tips
- Use few words. A name, one message and one action is plenty.
- Choose strong contrast, such as dark text on a light background or the reverse.
- Keep important content away from the edges, because hems and grommets take up space.
- Use large, simple fonts. Thin or decorative lettering disappears from a distance.
- Supply a vector or high-resolution file. Logos pulled from a website often look soft when enlarged.
- Proof it at a small size. If you can still read it on your phone screen held at arm's length, the message is probably strong enough.
A banner that does its job
PrintEh is a local, family-owned shop, and we print banners for Oakville businesses, schools, clubs and event teams, plus customers across Mississauga, Burlington and the GTA. Send us your size and where the banner will go, and we will check your artwork, suggest the hem and grommet layout and give you a written quote. Start from our quote page whenever you are ready.