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Sign Quality Comparison  
When shopping for a sign you will find many large & small manufactures displaying pictures and listing features about there signs. From the photos they all look very similar, at least from a distance, many point out the same features, it is what they fail to point out that you need to be aware of. So how do you really know what to look for when comparing quality and durability verses cost.  Our quality comparison sheet will help you better understand the differences.

 

These comparison feature apply to our electric signs some feature such as vandal covers do dot apply to all types of electric signs

See Photos At Bottom Of Page.

Avaira Signs Standard Sign Construction

Other's Common Construction
1. Stainless steel retainer and exterior cover screws, stainless will not rust. 1. Steel retainer screws, heads rust and snap off when removing to service sign they will also leave rust streaks below screw head.
2. Heavy duty aluminum extrusion  that utilizes corner angles and corner keys on the cabinet, retainers and vandal cover frame. This is similar to dovetails used in quality built furniture.  2. Light gauge cabinet extrusion some may use corner angles, but few others can offer corner keys on cabinets, retainers and vandal cover frames because there extrusion is not made for there use. Many use a simple piece of angle for there retainer with nothing interlocking the corner joints.
3. We offer both a small framed and large framed vandal cover frame, both utilize corner keys. For those wanting gas shocks to hold the cover open we use the large frame, this is one of the few frames strong enough to allow the use of gas shocks.  3. Light duty vandal cover frame that does not utilize corner keys. Most of these can only be used with sliders or props as they are not strong enough for the use of gas shocks. The pressure that is placed on the frame at the point were the shock connects to the frame would bend the frame.
4. Full length aluminum hinge that connects the vandal cover frame direct to the cabinet held in place by stainless screws. This is used with both our small frame and large frame. When closed the frame is recessed into the cabinet to prevent water from entering between the inner face and the cover.. 4. Short pieces of hinge that are simply pop riveted to the plastic face, connecting the vandal frame to the face. This is not only cheap and flimsy but water runs down the face between the inner and outer face leaving dirt streaks and  can cause the changeable letters to freeze into the letter track.
5. Our extrusion was designed so that the lower raceway cover is mounted in a way that drains any moisture that enters the cabinet to the outer face channels and away from the electrical components. 5. Many use an extrusion were the raceway cover is recessed down between flanges. This traps moisture with the only way for it to drain is down into the interior of the bottom of the sign were most the electrical components are located.
6. Smooth 3/16 sign grade polycarbonate sign face, we do offer for some types of our smaller signs 1/8 polycarbonate faces. 6. Use caution when comparing this feature some will specify SG for sign grade but are using acrylic. Most will advertise polycarbonate but then may be using corrugated or ribs in there faces this allows them to substituted thinner face materials and do not have the clean look of smooth faces.
7. Polycarbonate Letter Track 7. Acrylic Letter track, just because they specify a polycarbonate face do not assume that the letter track is polycarbonate. Acrylic will crack much easier.  
8. Chemical weld to attach letter track 8. Pop rivets to attach letter track. Many do this if they are using acrylic letter track so they can replace pieces as they crack.
9. Smooth 3/16 Clear Polycarbonate on our vandal cover face. 9. 1/8 Polycarbonate or acrylic.
10. Our extrusion allows for the use of hanging bars on larger faces. The easiest way to explain the use of a hanging bar is, if you hold a piece of paper at the top it will hang straight, if you hold it upward at the bottom it wants to sag and wrinkle. 10. Extrusion is not made for the use of hanging bars.
11. Parts are sanded or scuffed prior to paint, this assists the primer and paint in bonding to the surface. 11. No sanding prior to paint, simply painting the mill finish of the raw material. 
12. Primer and Paint with Automotive Grade Paints, depending on color required we commonly use PPG, and  Akzo Nobel 12. Paint with no primer or low grade paints.
13. Aluminum pole covers depending on size we use .080, .125 (1/8) and .187 (3/16) material.  13. Galvanized steel or .040 to .060 aluminum pole covers. Steel will rust and .040 is about the thickness if a license plate so it will dent easily.
14. Gas Shocks for vandal covers that attach directly to the cabinet and the vandal frame. 14. Sliders that attach to the plastic face and the vandal cover. If they try to tell you that there sliders are better ask them to substitute gas shocks in place of them, most can not, because there frame is not strong enough. We could use sliders if you requested but we would not recommend them.
15. We offer painted, vinyl and digital graphics applied to the inner or outer surface of the face. Each of these have there own benefits depending on application. For vinyl applications we use a high performance 9 year vinyl 15. Vinyl graphics on outside of face only. Use caution as some will use a low grade 4 or 6 year vinyl.
16. Electric cut off switch. 16. Not cut off switch.
17. Pre test each sign and record amp draw to ensure ballast is proper operation. We try to size ballast so they are not operating at there maximum capacity. 17. No pre testing, and often sizing ballast at near there maximum rating, shortening the life of the ballast.
18. Changeable Letter Sets  .080 thick available in different fonts, colors, sizes and quantities. 18. Check thickness .020 to .060 may be limited in choice of font, color and quantities. 
19. Cabinet width, we offer various widths, and will recommend the best width for your application. Width is important for obtaining the proper space between the bulb and the face, the closer the space the more you will see dark and bright stripes when illuminated. Pan or flat face will affect this as well. 19. Narrow cabinet width using pan faces to gain bulb clearance. This is ok for some applications that do not use vandal covers. Those that use pan faces with vandal covers they can only use a hinge to face attachment. To put it simple this is a cheap low quality sign.
   
   
   
   
   
   

   
 
   

This is a photo of both our small frame & large frame extrusion for our vandal covers. As you can see in the photo our hinge connects the outer frame, that opens directly to the cabinet retainer for the inner face. 

  
   

This is a cut-away photo of our extrusion used for our double faced signs, the same body is used for our signs that utilize vandal cover. Notice all the notches were the corner key insert to interlock the parts together. As you can see there is no comparison between the two extrusions.

  

Notice in this photo there are no notches for corner keys and how thin the face retainer is. You can also see the two tabs that are sticking up, the electric raceway covers set down between these, the only way for moisture to drain is down into the bottom with the electric components.

   

Notice how our face retainers have the small return flange, and how the mitered corner interlocks with a corner key.

  
   

Electric cut off switch, even though it is a required by code many just ignore installing it.

  
   
 

Our faces are smooth and clean in appearance. With out hundreds, of pop rivet heads showing, in the letter track. We do not use pop rivets or corrugated faces.