GRP Signs

Welcome to Shelley Signs. We are a leading supplier of external GRP signs and panels with a particular expertise in Interpretive Signs. For a chat about the options phone Robert Shelley on 01743 460996 or to request more details complete this Enquiry Form

Basic Overview

GRP Signs are the most robust and durable sign material and are ideal for outdoor environments where vandalism is a concern. They are most commonly used to assist and increase a visitor’s experience helping to educate the visitors through visual and text-based information. These signs are normally located in both Indoor and Outdoor points of interest and due to the harsh environment, these signs are constructed from a resilient and robust material, helping to prolong the sign’s life and reduce the effects of weathering and vandalism can have upon an Interpretive sign or GRP board.

Shelley Signs (also known as Shelly Signs Limited) are able to assist in all matters of GRP production, with a vast wealth of experience our team can help you to select the appropriate options for almost any application, helping to ensure your Interpretation signs last for many years.

GRP Signs Technical

An Interpretive Sign is open to many elements when located both indoors and outdoors. Indoors an Interpretive Sign is protected from the harsh weather elements, unfortunately, whilst being protected from one destructive element it is still open to another, Vandalism. As the nature of an Interpretive Sign is to be positioned where it is unlikely there will be a member of staff or guide, it leaves the sign open to those who find it amusing and enjoyable to destruct other people’s property and carry out acts of vandalism and graffiti. Outside a sign will not only be open to the possibility of vandalism and graffiti, but it will also have the ever-changing weather elements to cope with.  

It was found that using Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP or G.R.P) it helped to combat the forces of nature and humans. The beautifully illustrated graphics are printed and then encapsulated into the Glass Reinforced Plastic, this process has been found to extend the lifetime of an Interpretive Sign for more than 5 years, and with the sheer resilience of GRP, vandals will find it almost impossible to impregnate this vandal resistant sign. By using Glass Reinforced Plastic Interpretive signs any unsightly graffiti can be cleaned away just as easily as everyday dirt and grime, without wiping away any of the fantastic colours. All our GRP signs are produced to the highest standards and are supplied with a 5-year warranty against fading.

There are several other materials that can be used for internal and external interpretation although there are several drawbacks, many of which will cause you to either have to replace the whole sign of the protective cover, this can prove quite costly in the long run.

Polycarbonate interpretive signs are very strong, as they are made from the same material that is used to make police riot shields. Polycarbonate signs are usually located outdoors, although if the area the sign is located in is unmanned it leaves the sign very vulnerable to acts of graffiti. Graffiti causes a serious problem for this particular type of sign, although the material used is very tough it can incur surface damage easily, this makes it liable to scratch when the external surface is being cleaned to such an extent. A regular occurrence of such harsh cleaning will leave the surface of the interpretive sign opaque and obscure, making it impossible for any reader to view the information and illustrations that have been applied to the reverse of the polycarbonate.

Another material that is sometimes used for interpretive signs is Acrylic or High Impact Acrylic, this is a lot tougher than polycarbonate and in some situations is an ideal choice depending on the location of the sign. The main drawback with the use of Acrylic or High Impact Acrylic is that it can shatter when minimal force is used, this makes it easy to vandalise and unable to withstand certain weather conditions.

Dibond and Foamex are two other possible materials to be used for interpretation. Dibond is very effective but unfortunately, it is impossible to seal, this makes the graphics very vulnerable, which in turn their life expectancy is a lot shorter. Foamex (also known as Foam Signs) are ideally suited to internal use, it is a very effective indoor sign but as Foamex is a lightweight material it cannot be used externally.

Shelley Signs can produce interpretive signs in all the materials mentioned, however, we do advise those clients who have the slightest chance that one of their signs may be subjected to vandalism or graffiti to opt for Glass Reinforced Plastic Signs.