An important part of ordering a banner is choosing the right material to have your design printed on. Each material is designed for a specific purpose and using the wrong material in the wrong location can reduce to the impact your banner has and its lifespan.

Firstly, let’s start with the difference between front lit and back lit banners. The most used PVC banner material for traditional banner advertising (attaching banners to walls, fences, banner frames etc) is front lit. Front lit banner material is designed to be displayed with light (generally natural sunlight but streetlights, spotlights etc have the same effect) pointing at the front of the banner.

Now you will have probably already guessed that back lit banners are designed to be lit from behind! They are specifically designed to have high light transmittance. Back lit banners are great for areas where natural lighting is poor, or you just want that extra vibrance to turn more heads. Back lit banners are often used in exhibition halls, shopping centres and supermarkets. 

When searching for banners you will find that they are usually advertised using Grams per square meter (GSM). This denotes the weight and quality of the banner material. Generally, the higher the GSM the stronger the weave is in the banner and the more it weighs. That’s not to say a higher number is always better as it depends on where the banner is going to be used.

Front lit 440gsm PVC banner – This is generally a sign makers budget/ entry level banner material. It’s suitable for long term indoor use and short-term outdoor use. This makes it ideal to advertise upcoming events or short promotions.

Front lit 510gsm PVC banner – This is probably one of the best all-rounder banner materials. It can be used indoor or outdoor for extended periods and won’t rip thanks to it extra strong weave. It’s our most popular banner material for a huge range of locations.

There are various, slight variations in weight or construction of the above banner materials such as 450gsm,500gsm or 550gsm depending on the manufacturer or if it’s designed to be used for very particular applications. For the end user these very slight differences are negligible.

720gsm PVC Banner – A Heavy duty, premium block-out material with a dense weave, that will stop any show through. It can be used for long term indoor or outdoor displays and is popular for double-sided banner printing and for use in areas where you wish to totally block-out any light.

Mesh 370gsm Banner – Ideal for extra large banners in exposed areas or areas prone to high winds. Mesh banner material features many tiny holes which provide a wind/air flow release of up to 40%, reducing the load on any structures and fittings. Mesh/scrim banner 370gsm banner material is suitable for long term indoor and outdoor use.

Not sure what banner material to choose for your next event or promotion? Get in touch with our expert team who have over 20 years’ experience in creating high impact PVC banners, in a range of sizes!

 Give us a call on 01905 745 475 , send us an email at: sales@universalbanners.co.uk , Visit our Worcester factory or use our live chat to speak to our team right away!