Choosing a sign post to support a sign involves an appreciation of both utility and aesthetics. Posts can be made out of a variety of materials, but you must consider several factors such as location and weather. Outdoor wooden posts, for example, will inevitably be degraded by rain, wind or snow. Steel or aluminum sign posts offer the most durability and stability over time.
One of the reasons organizations prefer perforated steel sign posts is that they command a strong appearance. It’s important for signs and posts to project a strong image, as weak looking signs attract vandals. Perforated steel, which includes a series of holes for mounting, also allows flexibility as to where holes can be knocked out for customized mounting.
Steel is simply a strong solution for almost anything. Perforated steel is even stronger in structure and in withstanding severe weather. Its high strength-to-weight ratio is a key reason for this durability, as pressure is more equalized. Perforated metal is favored by architects for multiple reasons including versatility and eco-friendly qualities. Due to perforations, less metal is used, which reduces weight.
Since steel is recyclable, it fits the growing demand among consumers and organizations for sustainability. In fact most metals can be used over and over again without any loss of quality. So no matter how old the sign post gets, it can still be put to good use in the future.
Hot-dip galvanized coating protection on perforated steel signs helps prevent corrosion. Without it, corrosion can spread and degrade the steel, greatly shortening its life span. Hot-dip galvanizing (HDG) provides an effective barrier between the metal and the environment.
One of the reasons why HDG effectively protects outdoor steel from environmental elements is that it contains zinc, which makes the metal hard to damage. Even if the coating gets scratched, surrounding zinc will still shield the metal from corrosion because as zinc is exposed to the environment, its by-products develop on the surface and provide further protection. Zinc is ideal coating material for steel because it ends up being perpendicular to steel, causing corners and edges to have similar thickness as flat surfaces.
HDG has been used for over a century as a proven method of protecting steel from outdoor elements. Due to its longevity, it’s categorized as a sustainable solution. The corrosion process of steel is slowed by 30 times when using HDG compared with bare steel in the same location. Zinc is also 100 percent recyclable without loss of quality.
Sign posts are supposed to last as long as the sign or longer. The best way to make that happen is with perforated steel and zinc coating. Contact Zumar at our Arizona, California or Washington location to learn more about appropriate signage and accessories for your organization.