Banner Buyers Guide | Discount Displays

What are custom printed banners?

Custom printed banners are a tried-and-tested promotional tool and offer a great balance of visual impact and affordability. Businesses and organisations of all kinds use banners to promote special events and advertise products to their target audience. In this buyers guide, we explore some of the key points to consider when purchasing a banner for your business or organisation.

Common uses for banners

In retail, some common uses for banners include promoting sales, store openings, product launches, and special offers. Banners can be placed on the outside of a store, on railings, and along roadsides.
Banners are often used for branding and advertising at events such as festivals, concerts, sports events, expos, and trade shows.
Schools, colleges, and universities often use banners to promote events such as open days, Ofsted achievements and exam results, sports events, and cultural events.
When placed in prominent locations, banners are a great way to get the attention of local customers to promote events such as exhibitions, concerts, festivals, country fairs, and markets.
Pubs, restaurants, cafes, and take-aways often use banners to advertise special menus or deals. Banners can be used to promote temporary businesses such as roadside cafes and farmer’s markets.

What are the advantages of banners?

A well-designed banner offers an efficient and impactful way to communicate with a large local audience.
Flexible hanging and attachment options means banners can be easily placed in a wide variety of locations. This lets you choose a location where your banner will get the maximum attention.
The temporary nature of banners makes them ideal for promoting events and seasonal offers, without the added hassle of a permanent sign.
Modern banners can have amazing quality graphics, with hi-res photos, graphics, text, and other elements.
Modern banners can have amazing quality graphics, with hi-res photos, graphics, text, and other elements.

How to choose the right banner for you

Banner types and hanging options

Banners are a versatile type of promotional display and can be attached to railings, walls, temporary frames, and more.

Standard Banners

Our standard banners come with sewn edges and reinforced metal eyelets. These banners can be attached to railings and fences using cable ties or elastic bungees. Banners can also be attached to walls and other surfaces by placing screws through the eyelets.

Banner Frames

Banner frames are freestanding or wall-mounted structures that let you display one or more banners. A-frame banners frames can be used in open spaces, such as alongside sports pitches and race routes. Banners are attached to the frame using bungees or ties.

Lamp Post Brackets

Lamp post brackets can be used to attach one or more banners to a lamp post. The banners have pockets for attaching to the arms of the lamp post brackets. This is a highly visible and effective way to advertise events such as exhibitions and concerts.

Double-sided Banners

Double-sided banners can be hung across a street or from a ceiling in a shopping centre or other large building. These banners use a blackout material to stop images showing through from the reverse. Depending on the location, these banners can be hung using cables, poles, or clamps.

Heras Fence Banners

Heras fence banners are specially made to fit the industry standard Heras fencing. These banners are a popular choice for covering fencing around construction sites and festivals.

Banner materials

There is a range of banner materials to choose from, with the best choice depending on the location, duration, and desired look. At Discount Displays, we offer a full range of materials:

PVC banners - The classic banner material, PVC offers an economical and tough option. We use a 450 gsm nylon reinforced vinyl banner PVC that is durable and weatherproof.
PVC mesh banners - This material has small perforations that let air pass through, helping to reduce the wind resistance of the banner for use in windy and exposed locations. A lighter 300 gsm material also makes this material more manageable for windy locations.
Eco-friendly banners - This lightweight 330 gsm eco-friendly and PVC-free material uses 56% polyester scrim with a 44% PA water-based coating. This material has the same look and strength as PVC, but with a reduced environmental impact.
Fabric banner printing - Fabric banners offer a softer finish and stylish alternative to PVC. Printed on a 300 gsm fire-retardant polyester fabric these banners can be used indoors or outdoors. This material is perfect for giving your banner a premium look.
Mesh Aero banners - This material features perforations like PVC mesh but is extra lightweight. This makes it ideal for use with temporary freestanding structures such as heras fencing and crowd barriers. The 115gsm polyester material is also ideal for creating very large banners, such as for stadiums and outdoor concerts.

Banner sizing

When deciding on the size of your banner, it is important to consider the distance at which it will be viewed. For outdoor use, banners of at least 4 ft offer good visibility. Very large banners can be more difficult to handle and install. It is important to avoid the banner sagging in the middle, as this will affect the readability.

Banner materials come in long rolls, which means their length is almost unlimited. However, different banner materials have different maximum widths - for example, our standard PVC banners have a maximum width of 3.2 m, while our mesh vinyl PVC has a max width of 5 m. Please contact us on 020 8664 5660 to discuss the best option for your application.

Designing your banner

The design of a banner should be focused on getting across your message as clearly as possible. Often banners are only seen for a second or two, such as from a car, and there is only time to communicate simple information. Generally, two to three lines of text work best, and the font should be clear and easy to read from a distance. Similarly, it is often best to have a single background colour that contrasts well with the text, while photos are best displayed separately from written messages

We make uploading banner artwork easy. Digital templates are provided and you can upload your finished design once you have placed an order. If you need help or want us to design a banner for you, we offer an amazing value banner design service. With prices from just £10.99, this is a fantastic way to get a professional banner design for a great low price.

Printing and graphics

It is vitally important to get the very best print quality for your banner. This is so the banner is easily readable and has a professional appearance that reflects well on your business. For outdoor use, graphics should be water- and UV-proof, so that images stay sharp and bright when exposed to the sun and rain.

We have invested in the latest state-of-the-art HP digital printers and inks, resulting in outstanding quality banners with sharp details and bright vibrant colours. Special outdoor latex inks make our banners durable for use outside in all weather conditions.

Why choose Discount Displays for you banner?

At Discount Displays, we have extensive banner expertise spanning more than 30 years. We have provided 1000s of businesses and organisations with professional banners and other high-quality display tools. Reasons for choosing us for your banner include:

Unbeatable graphic quality

We print using state-of-the-art digital printers and inks. Resolutions of up to 1400 dpi and 6-colour printing ensure unsurpassed graphic quality that will get your business noticed.

Personalised service

As a UK company with a highly experienced team of advisors, we can help you find the perfect banner for your use and location. Please call us on 020 8664 5660 to speak to a member of our expert team.

Comprehensive choice

We stock a wide range of banner materials, as well as many different types of banner frames and mounting tools.

Fast deliveries

We print all our banners in-house at our combined warehouse, design studio, and print workshop facility. This allows us to maintain the highest quality standards, while also offering rapid turnarounds. We can print and deliver your custom banner in just 2–5 working days.

Best prices guaranteed

Doing everything in-house lets us optimise our processes and pass on the savings to you the customer. Our price match promise means we will beat a quote on an equivalent banner from any other supplier.

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