3mm Dibond boards
About as thick as a pound coin, and far stiffer than that suggests. This is the board to specify when a panel has to stay flat and be screwed to something.
Thin, stiff and heavier than it looks.
Dibond is two skins of aluminium bonded either side of a plastic core. Flex a sheet of 3mm foam board and it gives. Flex the same size in Dibond and it pushes back. If you are still deciding between materials, our Dibond or Foamex comparison covers that. This page assumes you have chosen, and looks at what comes next.
Work out the weight before you plan the fixing
As a rough guide, 3mm Dibond weighs a little under 4kg per square metre. An A0 sheet is exactly one square metre, so the board alone is nearly 4kg. At 60in x 40in, which is about 1.55 square metres, you are close to 6kg before adding the print or any brackets.
That is a real load on a pair of adhesive pads. Panels this size normally go up with screws, stand-off fixings or a rail, chosen to suit the wall behind.
What goes on the front
The board does not decide how the surface looks. The print does. For an outdoor or wipe-clean sign, a printed self-adhesive vinyl is the usual face. For a photograph on an indoor wall, a paper print with a protective finish gives a softer result. Tell us where the panel is going and we will match the two.
Is it the right spend?
| The job | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Sign screwed to a wall, indoors or out | Yes, this is what it does best |
| Large photograph that must hang dead flat | Yes |
| Panel left up for the long term in a public place | Yes |
| Boards carried to a new venue every week | Think twice: the weight adds up, and corners dent |
| Signs for a single weekend | No, a foam board will do |
Three things that catch people out
- Dents stay. Foam boards crush and aluminium creases. Either way, a dropped corner is a visible mark, and it cannot be pressed back out.
- The edge shows its layers. Seen from the side, you can make out the skins and the core. On a sign that sits proud of the wall, that thin line is part of the look.
- Metal moves in the sun. Only slightly, but on an outdoor panel it helps if the fixing holes leave a little room, so that nothing is forced as the board warms up.
Mounting prices
These are for mounting on the board. The print itself is charged separately.
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| A2 | £18 |
| A1 | £24 |
| A0 | £35 |
| 30in x 20in | £20 |
| 40in x 30in | £30 |
| 60in x 40in | £55 |
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Flat panels on long-term walls.
Your questions.
Is Dibond the same as aluminium composite?
Dibond is a brand of aluminium composite panel. The name is often used loosely for similar sheets, so check what you are being offered if the brand matters to you.
Can you drill the board for me?
Ask us when you order, and mark up where you want the holes. It is far easier to agree positions before the panel is made than to drill through a finished print.
Does 3mm Dibond need a frame?
No. It is rigid enough to hang by itself. A frame is a choice about looks and edge protection, and we can talk through that on request.