Why Choose Inlaid Signs? | permanent-signs.com

The Difference

Traditionally-made signs typically use lettering and graphics that are applied to the surface of a substrate such as plastic, metal or wood. With permanent-signs.com, our graphics are actually inlayed into a DuPont Corian surface.

Paint-meets-substrate combinations are naturally vulnerable to damage from external conditions like moisture, sunlight, climate, animals, and more.

permanent-signs.com’s computer-driven, hand-finished process uniquely integrates the graphics and lettering into the Corian surface.


	Performance Signage	Stone	Wood	Metal or Plastic
Natural Conditions	Natural Conditions	Natural Conditions	Natural Conditions	Natural Conditions
Water	No adverse effect	Mold and mildew grow in the surface.	Swells and rots. Substrate warps and cracks. Applied graphics may delaminate.	Rust and corrosion on surface and/or at fasteners.
Sunlight	No adverse effect	No adverse effect	Overdries wood and causes splitting. Applied graphics may fade.	Applied paint and/or vinyl fade and/or wear away.
Airborne Contaminants / Road Salt	No adverse effect	Dirt collects in recessed graphic areas, then streaks the sign face.	Dirt collects in recessed graphic areas, then streaks the sign face.	Applied paint and/or vinyl fade and/or wear away.
Freeze / Thaw	No adverse effect	Potential for erosion (spalling) of the face from expansion/contraction.	Expansion of absorbed moisture results in warping and/or splitting. Applied graphics may delaminate.	Applied paint and/or vinyl may delaminate.
Insects	No adverse effect	No adverse effect	Termites, worms, powder post beetles and ants eat the wood.	No adverse effect
Bird Droppings	No adverse effect	Staining occurs and is uncleanable. Porous stone is permanently damaged.	Very difficult to clean recessed graphics or textured areas. Somewhat cleanable, but with potential to damage applied graphics with tools and/or chemicals.	Cleanable, but with potential to damage applied graphics with tools and/or chemicals.
Man-Made Conditions and Vandalism	Man-Made Conditions and Vandalism	Man-Made Conditions and Vandalism	Man-Made Conditions and Vandalism	Man-Made Conditions and Vandalism
Paint, Stains, Markers	No adverse effect	Contaminants can be permanently absorbed into pores in the substrate. “Cleaning” requires physical removal of the sign surface.	Contaminants can be permanently absorbed into pores in the substrate. “Cleaning” requires physical removal of the sign surface.	Possibly cleanable, but with potential to damage applied graphics with tools and/or chemicals.
Scratches	Very scratch resistant. Scratches can be buffed out without affecting the graphics.	Difficult to scratch, but very difficult to repair.	Very easily scratched, and difficult to repair. Scratches expose vulnerable core materials to weathering.	Easy to scratch base materials and/or applied graphics.
Soda, Food, Beer / Alcohol	No adverse effect	Difficult to clean from recessed areas. Porous stone may be permanently stained.	Difficult to clean from recessed graphics and/or textured areas. May cause permanent stains in porous substrates.	No adverse effect
Chewing Gum	No adverse effect	Difficult to remove from recessed areas and/or porous surfaces.	Almost impossible to remove from recessad graphics or textured surfaces.	Cleanable, but with potential to damage applied graphics with tools and/or chemicals.