When building outdoor bulletin boards for your school, church, community, or homeowners association, these ten simple features will make your message center more useful, project a professional image, and most importantly, provide easy maintenance. and durable.
Larry Kontny, secretary treasurer of the Magnolia Terrace Homeowners Association in Mont Verde, Florida, made the mistake of buying shoddy bulletin boards last year.
“The back of the first bulletin board we bought rotted away,” Kontny said, “and water got in and, of course, the water and moisture ruined all the lettering.”
Water and humidity are a big concern for people who live in this 130-home community about 20 miles west of Orlando.
“Anyone who has lived in Florida knows about the severe thunderstorms during the rainy season. This new one I just installed is much better built and the frame is much stronger than the old one we bought.”
1.Use an anodized aluminum frame that has a moisture barrier backing and silicone sealant.
“The first board we bought had a particle board back that soaked up water like a strainer,” Kotney said. “The letter board warped and became spongy.”
2. Shatter resistant door windows prevent injury and liability. Vandalism or rocks kicked up by a passing truck can cause a cheap window to break.
Do not use glass, safety glass or acrylic for the door window. Use a brand of polycarbonate such as Lexan or Makrolon SL.
3. Make sure your door windows and posting surface have a UV inhibitor that reduces the destructive effects of the sun’s rays. Some auto parts stores sell a clear UV glass tint film that can be applied to the window.
“The sun’s rays made the closed cabinet hot like an oven. The south-facing board had faded in months and some of the lettering had melted and become brittle,” Kotney said. “We’re going to have to replace that one, too.”
4. Louvered vent covers should be installed on the sides of the cabinet to dissipate any ambient heat or moisture buildup. Vent covers must be protected to prevent insects such as spiders or wasps from entering the bulletin board enclosure and nesting.
A vent also prevents condensation from fogging the door window by preventing a temperature differential.
5. Lockable doors ensure access to the posting surface for official postings.
“I went outside one morning and found that some children had rearranged the letters to spell out a profane message.” said Thomas Keane, former president of the Limestone Acres homeowners association in Wilmington, Delaware. “The neighborhood association was not amused.”
6. The door frame must have full-length piano hinges to support the weight of the door when it is opened. Using just a couple of small hinges will quickly wear and fatigue the aluminum box frame.
7. The door frame should have a rubber gasket seal to prevent vertical rain from seeing through the gap.
An airtight door frame is especially important for residents in coastal areas that experience strong vertical winds.
8. The cabinet should be at least 3-1/4″ deep. This allows room for adding additional letter boards, chalk boards, dry-erase boards, or bulletin boards.
These additional types of panels make your community message center very versatile and allow for creativity for the holidays or other occasions.
9. A header with the name may be included on the display case or on the front of the sign. A name header provides identity and recognition for outdoor bulletin boards.
10. Make sure the cabinet comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. Any problems due to improper materials or assembly will occur within the first year of exposure to the elements.
Kontny says that he appreciates his new bulletin board that was provided by a reputable manufacturer for free. “I like, they didn’t have to,” Kontny says of his new bulletin board. “In fact, we will soon replace another one, which has been destroyed by the sun’s rays, and I will buy another one like this one because it is easy to maintain.”
