Dibond and ACM Aluminium Signs in Leeds
When a sign has to live outside for years, stay flat and still look smart, aluminium composite is usually the answer. We make aluminium composite (ACM) signs, the type most people know as Dibond, at our workshop at Cardigan Mills in Leeds LS4. They go on shop fronts, offices, schools, car parks and building sites across Leeds and West Yorkshire.
What is Dibond, and what is ACM?
ACM stands for aluminium composite material: two thin aluminium skins bonded to a plastic core. The result is a flat, rigid panel that’s far lighter than a solid aluminium sheet of the same thickness. Dibond is the best-known brand of ACM, so “Dibond sign” has become the everyday name for this kind of sign, whichever brand of panel is used.
Our standard panel is 3mm Alupanel Lite, an ACM board with 0.20mm aluminium skins. If your specification asks for Dibond by name, just tell us and we’ll quote for it. For more background, read what are Dibond signs?
- ACM / Dibond at a glance
- Known as Aluminium Composite, ACM or Dibond
- Suitable for indoor or outdoor use
- Can be Matt or Gloss, can be laminated
- Available in custom shapes and sizes
Why choose ACM for your sign?
- Built for the weather. The aluminium skins won’t rot, swell or rust, so ACM is our first choice for signs that stay outside.
- Flat and rigid. Panels stay straight on a wall or post and don’t bow like thinner plastic boards.
- A clean, professional finish. Crisp print, sharp edges and a smart look up close.
- Easy to shape and fix. ACM can be cut to shape and drilled, and suits most fixing methods.
- Protected graphics. Our standard finish uses laminated polymeric vinyl, which is tougher than the vinyl used on short-term signs.
Directions
Flat panels are ideal for giving directions and other useful information to your customers or anybody else on your premises. For example, you can use flat panels to direct people to the right department or maybe let them know where the nearest bathroom is.
Note that our flat panels are suitable for use indoors or outdoors and can withstand exposure to the British weather. We use only the best quality materials to help ensure the best results every time.
How we make our ACM signs
The panel
We use 3mm Alupanel Lite as standard, usually in white, and we also offer coloured panels and brushed aluminium finishes for a more premium look. Every panel is cut to the size and shape you need.
The graphics
Your design is printed onto polymeric vinyl, laminated, and applied to the panel. Polymeric vinyl is made for longer outdoor life than the monomeric vinyl we use on foamex, and the laminate helps protect the print from scratches and fading. You can choose a matt or gloss laminate, and we can add an anti-graffiti laminate for signs in exposed spots.
Sizes and shapes
ACM signs are made to measure, from small door and gate signs to large fascia and site panels. We can round the corners, cut shaped outlines and cut-out letters, and drill fixing holes.
Fixings
Depending on where the sign is going, we can fix it with screws, stand-off locators for a floating look, rivets or brackets onto posts, or rails and frames.
Where ACM signs work well
- Shop fronts and fascias. A flat ACM fascia panel is a smart, long-lasting shop sign. For more depth, see our aluminium sign trays or our shop signs in Leeds.
- Office and building signs. Entrance signs, company name boards and reception signs.
- Posts, car parks and directions. Car park rules, directional signs and entrance boards on post and panel signs, plus site-wide wayfinding signs.
- Schools and healthcare. Hard-wearing external signs for schools, surgeries and clinics (healthcare signage).
- Developments and building sites. Site boards and marketing signs that need to survive a Yorkshire winter.
For example, for a property developer’s housing scheme at Brierley we made ACM signs on tall posts, with brushed aluminium and acrylic letters. Read the full case study.
ACM panel, sign tray or foamex?
- Flat ACM panel: the simplest option. A flat sign fixed straight to a wall, fence or post.
- ACM sign tray: the same material with the edges folded back, so it stands off the wall with a crisp box edge and hides its fixings. Ideal above a shop front. See sign trays.
- Foamex: lighter and quicker to produce, best for indoor signs and shorter-term outdoor use. See foamex signs.
You can also compare all our sign boards, or tell us where the sign is going and we’ll recommend one.
From quote to fitting
1. Tell us about the sign
Send us the size, the wording and a photo of where it’s going. For fitted signs we can visit to measure up if needed (sometimes subject to survey fee).
2. Design and proof
Our sign design team prepares a proof. Nothing is made until you approve it.
3. Made in LS4
Your panel is printed, laminated and cut in our Leeds workshop. Panels are usually ready in 2 to 3 working days from proof approval. Larger jobs, such as several signs on posts or a big installation, usually take 7 to 10 working days.
4. Fitted or ready to collect
Our installers fit ACM signs across Leeds, including work at height, and hold CSCS, IPAF and PASMA cards. Or pop in and collect from Cardigan Mills, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm. More on sign installation in Leeds.
Looking after an ACM sign
ACM signs need very little care. A wipe with a soft cloth and warm, soapy water every few months keeps them looking fresh, especially on busy roads where traffic grime builds up. Avoid solvents and abrasive pads, which can dull the laminate. If a panel ever gets damaged, we keep your artwork on file, so a replacement can be made to match.
Tell us the size, the wording and where it’s going, and we’ll send a free quote, usually the same day.
Dibond and ACM sign questions
Is Dibond the same as ACM?
Dibond is a brand of ACM (aluminium composite material). Most people use “Dibond” to mean any aluminium composite panel. We use 3mm Alupanel Lite ACM as standard.
Do you make aluminium signs in Leeds?
Yes. We make aluminium composite signs at our workshop at Unit 7, Cardigan Mills, Lennox Road, Leeds LS4 2BL, and fit them across Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Are ACM signs OK outdoors?
Yes. ACM is our first choice for permanent outdoor signs, and our laminated polymeric vinyl is made for outdoor use
Can ACM panels be used indoors?
Yes. They make smart reception, office and room signs, especially where you want a sign that’s rigid and easy to clean.
How are aluminium panels fixed to a wall?
Usually with screws, or with stand-off locators if you want the sign to sit slightly off the wall. We choose the fixing to suit the wall and the size of the panel.
Do you install ACM panels?
Yes, our own team fits them, or you can collect and fit them yourself.
