Banners are the most forgiving large-format product to order, as long as the size fits where it hangs and the file is built at scale. Here is how we set them up in our Banners lane.
Pick the size by reading distance
A rule of thumb from the sign trade: every inch of letter height reads comfortably from about 10 feet. Text 3 inches tall is readable at roughly 30 feet, which covers a parking lot; 6 inch letters carry across a street. Work backward from where people will be when they read it, then choose the banner that fits those letters with room to spare.
- 2 x 4 ft: tables, booths, doorways, indoor events.
- 3 x 6 ft: storefront windows, fences facing a lot.
- 4 x 8 ft: fence lines and building faces seen from the road.
Vinyl or mesh
Solid vinyl gives the sharpest print and full color coverage. Mesh is woven with small holes so wind passes through it, which is what you want on a chain-link fence, a scaffold or anywhere it will catch wind on both sides. Mesh prints a little lighter because of the holes, so favor bold, high-contrast artwork on it.
Hems and grommets
Every banner we make is hemmed (the edge folded and sealed so it does not fray or tear) and grommeted (brass rings for zip ties, rope or bungees). Grommets go in the corners and along the edges. If you are hanging on a fence, plan a tie at every grommet; a banner tied only at the corners flaps, and flapping is what shortens its life.
Pole banners and stands
Light-pole banners take a pole pocket at the top and bottom instead of grommets and mount on a bracket kit. For trade shows and lobbies, a retractable stand keeps the banner on a spring roller in a base; the same lane carries an economy stand and a heavier lifetime stand. X-frame banners use a lightweight frame and are the quickest indoor setup.
Building the file
- Build at the real size, or at exactly half or quarter scale, and say so in the order notes. A 4 x 8 ft banner at full size is 48 x 96 inches.
- 100 dpi at final size is enough. Photos need to be large; logos and text should be vector.
- Add 1/8 inch bleed, and keep text and logos at least 1 inch inside the edge so the hem and grommets do not land on them.
- Export a PDF. If the file is over 20 MB, flatten it or export at half scale.
The general rules on bleed, resolution and color are in the print-ready file checklist.
Ready to print? Browse the catalog, sign in for a live quote by size and quantity, and upload your file when you add the item to the cart. Not sure the file is right? The file check runs before checkout, and our designers can fix it or build it from your notes.