What does the use of Styrofoam look like in practice? Using a specialised device—a professional thermal plotter—letters (as well as other types of patterns, in accordance with the design submitted by the client) are cut out of Styrofoam. The equipment used for this purpose ensures remarkable precision, making it possible to reproduce even the most complicated graphic designs.
In this way, entire inscriptions and compositions of shapes are created. Thanks to the exceptional durability of the material used, its resistance to adverse weather conditions, its lightness and relatively low production costs, they are widely used in both indoor and outdoor advertising. It is therefore no surprise that an increasing number of businesses seeking advertising that is relatively inexpensive yet visually appealing are choosing this advertising medium.
The first stage in preparing Styrofoam letters is developing a graphic design containing the shape to be cut out. For this purpose, it is best to use a vector graphics editing program, such as Corel Draw or Adobe Illustrator. Free alternatives can of course also be used. The output file in vector format, or in PDF, JPG or TIFF format with a resolution of at least 300 dpi, should be delivered to the company that will make the Styrofoam letters for us. Its employees will open the submitted design and check whether it meets the requirements specified above. The next step is to determine the format (width and height) of the advertising material we want. Styrofoam is normally offered in a size of 65 × 125 cm; however, the necessary cutting margin must always be maintained, so the maximum working formats will be approximately 55 × 120 cm. To obtain a larger element, several Styrofoam boards must be joined together with adhesive. It should be borne in mind that this material is also available in several thicknesses, making it easy to create a 3D effect by combining Styrofoam letters of different thicknesses. Once the Styrofoam material has been cut, it is necessary to consider painting it. Styrofoam is normally green, while obtaining a different colour is possible by using specially designed paints and varnishes. Naturally, their type should be chosen primarily according to whether the advertising will be used outdoors or indoors. Finished Styrofoam letters can be attached directly to a surface using adhesive, or previously prepared frames made of metal or plastic can be used for this purpose.