Promotional graphics make a “professional” impression outdoors like they do indoors. We have assembled a set of outdoor displays that span the range of sizes and utilization needs. Some are self-supporting on pavement, others rely on ground stakes, some can use either. You may want to review our “Things to know about Outdoor” at left while you are on our site to help you make better decisions while you are shopping. Keep in mind, Benchmark is a printing organization first. We sell displays to hold up our printing. With Benchmark you're working with an organization that will make your message look its best. We also print stand alone custom banners, (signs and banners) lawn signs, and a variety of other media for your events and sales presentations. We use EcoSol inks to make the vinyl banners for these displays. We chose EcoSol inks for two reasons: they are a better choice for the environment than regular solvent inks; they yield the most saturate colors available in direct to vinyl printing. You can really see a difference and so will your audience. See what we can do for your image!

Features to pay attention to.

Flag Material – Flag material is a thin, light weight, polyester material we print with Dye Sublimation Inks. The invasive nature of these phase change inks means that the image printed on one side is quite visible on the other. The good news is that you buy one print and you get 2 usable images, one from each side. The bad news is that the reverse side image is just that, “reversed” or “flopped”. The American flag is a good example of art that is fine in such circumstances. This paragraph of copy is an example of images that will not be fine. The way to overcome the problem is by printing a 2nd image the way you want it and sewing it and a light blocking liner to the back side of your flag. This more than doubles the price, but it does allow you to continue to use the lightweight fabric. as An alternative and you may want to consider is double sided vinyl. More on that below.

Vinyl – Our basic outdoor banner material is a 13oz scrim vinyl with a gloss finish. The term scrim means there is a polyester thread running through the material to add wind strength and tear resistance. The front and back sides are different enough that good printing is only achieved on one side. For double sided uses we have two solutions: The banner can be printed twice and folded back on itself to have two printed sides showing; Or, we have a special double sided vinyl which lacks the scrim thread. This material can be printed on both sides for a good looking single sheet banner. The advantage to a single sheet is weight. The advantage to the fold over is greater strength. As mentioned elsewhere, vinyl banners are printed with our EcoSol inkjet. These inks use a glycol base rather the harmful and toxic VOCs used in normal solvent inks. But there is no compromise in color. As a matter of fact they are better than solvent inks. EcoSol inks have one of the largest color gamuts available in direct vinyl printing. That isn�t a boast, it�s a fact, and one that a spectrophotometer can prove. Tech jargon aside, EcoSol will give you the brightest colors you can get on vinyl banners. A difference you and your audience will see.

Wind – You may hear a lot about outdoor durability. But when you are discussing outdoor banner displays for events, the real issue is Wind. The most important thing you can do for your graphic planning is not to underestimate the impact wind can have on your banner display. All of our outdoor displays have some method of combating the instability wind adds to the outdoor equation. Weighted bases that can be filled with water or sand, ground stakes, spring loads, etc. all are intended to reduce the ability of the wind to knock down your display. But none of these tricks are guarantees and all of them can fail if the wind speed surges past a certain point. So keep this in mind when you are planning an outdoor event and place the displays in places that will minimize any damage if the wind tips them over.

Lawn Stakes, Posts, and Chain Link banner attachments, etc. – Sometimes the simplest solutions are best. If budget is your primary concern and ease of setup isn�t, maybe you don�t need a “display”. One alternative is to print on “Coroplast” (a plastic material much like corrugated cardboard, our standard is 4mm) with Jeti bFlat UV printing. As flat sheets your graphics can be attached to a post or a fence or put on the wire stands that realtors and political campaigns use. The variations on pricing and configuration here are endless so best to just call and discuss your needs with one of our sales reps. Here is a catalog you can browse to give you some ideas and alternatives. Sign Hardware Catalog