Bayan Signage makes polycarbonate signs for schools, sports halls, car parks, industrial sites and lightbox faces across the UAE. We cut, reverse-print and assemble every panel in our Ajman factory, choose hard-coated and UV-protected grades where they are needed, and fit them with fixings that allow the sheet to move in summer heat.
A polycarbonate sign uses a clear, tough engineering plastic sheet, known by trade names such as Lexan and Makrolon, where an acrylic sign would crack. Polycarbonate is commonly quoted as around 200 times stronger than glass in impact tests, so a football, a kick or a trolley usually leaves a mark rather than a hole. It suits schools, gyms, car parks, warehouses, transport sites and public corridors, and it forms the face of most large backlit fascia signs because big faces must flex without breaking.
Polycarbonate is not a better acrylic in every way, and treating it as one causes most of the failures we see. Standard sheet scratches easily, so it hazes after months of cleaning unless a hard-coated grade is used. Unprotected sheet yellows in sunlight. It expands with heat and pops out of tight frames. Ammonia glass cleaners attack it. Our Ajman factory specifies hard-coat and UV grades by location, prints graphics on the reverse so scratches never touch them and drills oversized holes for movement.
Bayan Signage has fabricated signs at Alam Square, Industrial Area 2, Ajman, since 2016 as the production arm of Bayan Advertising, with 15 years in the UAE. We cut polycarbonate on our CNC routers, print on our large-format UV printers and build lightboxes with in-house LED assembly, so a tough sign or a large illuminated face comes from one team.
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These are the polycarbonate signs we produce most often, with links to the sibling materials and products they are compared with.
Opal or clear faces for fascia lightboxes, menu boards and pylons, chosen because a 3 m face has to survive transport, ladders and wind without cracking.
View details →Reverse-printed panels with aluminium backing and rounded corners for school corridors, sports halls and public buildings where signs get knocked.
View details →Hard-coated panels for warehouses, loading bays and car parks, where forklifts, trolleys and cleaning machines pass close to the wall every day.
View details →Rules and safety panels around pools and courts, with radiused corners and fixings that tolerate humidity and constant wet cleaning.
View details →The better-looking choice for receptions and offices where nobody will hit the sign: clearer, harder on the surface and polished at the edges.
View details →The low-cost option for short-term printed signs indoors, where impact resistance and long life matter less than price and speed.
View details →We ask what the sign will face: balls, trolleys, cleaning machines, sun through glazing or outdoor exposure. That decides the grade, thickness, backing and fixings. The survey is free in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.
Designers lay out the graphics in reverse for second-surface printing; draftsmen detail sheet size, corner radii, hole positions and expansion gaps for each panel.
Sheets are CNC-routed to size with radiused corners and oversized fixing holes. Protective film stays on the face until installation to keep the hard coat clean.
Graphics are printed on the back of the sheet on our UV printers, or reverse-applied vinyl is used, followed by a white or colour flood so the panel reads opaque.
Panels are bonded to aluminium or ACP backing or fitted into frames. Lightbox faces are checked for even light with our LED test, and every sign is matched to the approved artwork.
Our crew fixes panels with security screws or concealed fixings, leaves room for expansion and briefs your facility team on safe cleaning products.
Our standard vandal-resistant build is below. Lightbox faces follow a separate specification set by the box size and LED layout.
| Component | Our standard | Upgrade options | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet | 4 to 5 mm polycarbonate | 6 mm or more for heavy-abuse areas | Thickness sets stiffness and how much punishment the panel absorbs. |
| Surface | Hard-coated face | Matt hard coat, anti-graffiti grade | Standard sheet hazes with cleaning; hard coat keeps it clear. |
| UV protection | UV-protected sheet where daylight reaches it | UV-stable inks and laminate | Unprotected polycarbonate yellows and turns brittle in strong sun. |
| Graphics | Reverse printed with flood backing | Reverse-applied vinyl, multi-layer print | Second-surface graphics cannot be scratched or tagged. |
| Backing | 2 to 3 mm aluminium or ACP | Aluminium frame, rounded edge trim | Backing adds rigidity against kicks and punches. |
| Fixings | Security screws, oversized holes | Concealed fixings, framed mounting | Room for expansion stops bowing and cracking at the holes. |
Polycarbonate solves real problems when it is specified properly. These are the points that decide whether it does.
UV-protected polycarbonate is protected on one face only, marked on the protective film. Fit it backwards and the sheet yellows within a few summers of UAE light. Our installers check the film before peeling it, and on sheets that will be cut into many pieces we mark the UV face on each one so it cannot be lost in the workshop.
Polycarbonate expands about 0.065 mm per metre per degree. A 2 m panel warming by 40°C grows around 5 mm. Tight holes and fully torqued screws make it bow or crack at the fixings. We drill oversized holes, use washers that allow movement and leave expansion gaps in frames and lightbox channels.
Ammonia glass cleaners, strong solvents, abrasive pads and dry wiping all damage polycarbonate, and some cause fine cracking around holes. Lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth are all it needs. We give your facility team a one-page care note at handover, because one wrong spray bottle can undo the hard coat in a term.
In a reception or boardroom where nobody will hit the sign, acrylic is clearer, harder on the surface, polishes to a glass-like edge and usually costs less. Polycarbonate earns its price in gyms, car parks, schools and lightbox faces. We would rather sell you the right material than the dearer one.
Polycarbonate can be curved around a column without heating, to a minimum radius of roughly 100 to 150 times its thickness, so 3 mm sheet bends to about 300 to 450 mm. Hard-coated grades need a larger radius. We check the curve on the drawing before cutting, because over-bending cracks the coating.
We quote from the size, quantity and where the signs will live. Send the artwork, dimensions and a photo of the location, and you receive an itemised quote, usually within 24 hours.
Standard polycarbonate costs more than acrylic of the same thickness. Hard-coated, UV-protected and flame-rated grades add more but solve real problems.
Thicker sheets and large faces use more material and need careful handling. Faces larger than a standard sheet need joints or special sizes.
Flat panels are economical. Cold-bent curves add labour, and thermoformed pan faces with raised logos need moulds and longer lead times.
Reverse printing with a flood backing is standard. Multiple layers and close colour matching add production steps.
Aluminium backing, frames, rounded edges and security fixings add hardware and fabrication compared with a simple panel.
Sets of matching signs for a school or site share set-up cost, which lowers the price per sign compared with one-off pieces.
Some buildings, and some Civil Defence requirements, specify flame-retardant materials for certain signs, covers and lightbox faces, particularly in escape routes, car parks and public assembly areas. Polycarbonate grades with improved fire performance are available. Requirements depend on the building and the sign's location, so we confirm the current requirement for your site before ordering sheet.
Outdoor lightboxes with polycarbonate faces usually need the same municipality, free-zone or landlord approval as any illuminated sign, and our draftsmen prepare the drawings for those submissions. Schools and sports facilities may also have their own safety rules on corner radii and fixing heights, which we design to.
CNC cutting, UV printing, LED assembly and finishing all happen under one roof, and you can visit during production.
We specify hard-coated, UV-protected or standard sheet by where each sign will sit, rather than one grade for everything.
Reverse printing puts the artwork behind the sheet, so keys, cleaning pads and graffiti only meet the protective face.
Oversized holes and expansion gaps are drawn on every panel, so signs stay flat through the summer.
We tell you when acrylic or Forex will serve better and cost less, and save polycarbonate for places that need it.
Sheet, printing, backing, fixings and installation are listed separately, so you can compare quotes like for like.
It depends on the sheet grade, thickness and size, any forming, the graphics, backing and fixings, and the quantity. A set of matching reverse-printed school panels costs less per sign than a single large curved panel with a frame. Send your artwork and a site photo, and we will send an itemised quote, usually within 24 hours.
No. Both are clear plastic sheets, but polycarbonate is far more impact resistant and flexible, while acrylic is clearer, harder on the surface and easier to polish. Polycarbonate suits signs that might be hit or must bend; acrylic suits premium indoor signs where looks matter most.
Not truly, but it is very hard to break in normal use. Balls, kicks and knocks usually leave marks rather than cracks. Very thin sheet can be cut or punctured with tools, and strong UV without protection makes it brittle over time, which is why we specify UV grades where light reaches the sign.
Standard polycarbonate is softer than acrylic and scratches more easily, especially with rough cloths or dry wiping. Hard-coated grades are much more scratch resistant and are our standard for public areas. Reverse printing also keeps graphics safe from scratches on the face.
Because large faces have to flex without cracking. A 3 to 4 m face must survive transport, installation, wind and ladders, and polycarbonate handles all of these far better than acrylic. It can also be thermoformed into pan faces with raised logos.
Yes, with UV-protected sheet fitted with the protected face towards the sun, UV-stable inks and fixings that allow for expansion. Without UV protection, sheet yellows and turns brittle within a few summers here. It is widely used for outdoor lightbox faces and protective covers.
Use lukewarm water with mild soap and a soft cloth or sponge, then rinse and dry gently. Avoid ammonia glass cleaners, strong solvents, abrasive pads and dry wiping. For graffiti on hard-coated sheet, use a remover approved for polycarbonate and test it on a corner first.
Yes. Our crews install across all seven emirates from our Ajman factory, including school campuses, sports facilities, car parks and lightbox face replacements. School and occupied sites can be done outside teaching or opening hours.
Send your logo, the fascia size and a site photo. Our estimating team replies with options and an itemised price, usually within 24 hours.