Product Description
ORACAL® 8870 Blockout Film — 4 Mil Light Control for Illuminated Sign Faces
Every illuminated cabinet has areas that are supposed to stay dark. ORACAL 8870 is the film that makes them stay dark. It is a 4 mil satin blockout built to stop light transmission cold — so your copy reads with hard, clean edges at night instead of glowing at the borders, and so lamp hot spots and LED striping stay out of the negative space.
8870 ships in a two-tone construction: white on one side, black on the other. That means one film solves both problems most fabricators run into. Face it white to hold the daytime appearance of the cabinet, or face it black when the design calls for opaque dark copy — the opposite side does the light blocking either way.
What it is for
- Killing light bleed around copy. Backs translucent letters and logos so the edges stay crisp when the cabinet is lit.
- Blocking hot spots. Masks off areas where a lamp or LED module sits too close behind the face.
- Opaque backgrounds on backlit faces. Turns any translucent substrate into a controlled light/no-light layout.
- Second-surface work. The double-sided liner supports both first- and second-surface application methods.
- Flex-face cabinets. ORAFOL lists translucent flex-face among the approved substrates alongside rigid sheet.
Two-tone construction
| Part | Face color | Reverse | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORACAL 8870-010 | White | Black backing | Keeps the cabinet reading white by day while the black reverse blocks transmission |
| ORACAL 8870-070 | Black | White backing | Opaque black copy or background, with the white reverse facing the lamps |
Outdoor durability by climate zone
ORAFOL rates 8870 by climate zone. Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and the desert Southwest are Climate Zone 3.
- Zone 1 (temperate) — 10 years
- Zone 2 (humid / warm) — 8 years
- Zone 3 (arid / hot) — 6 years
Six years in Phoenix sun matches the Zone 3 rating on ORACAL 8800 black and white, so a face built from both films ages as one system rather than one layer failing ahead of the other. Interior cabinets are not exposed to that UV load and will run considerably longer.
Technical specifications
| Film | 4 mil (without liner and adhesive) |
|---|---|
| Finish | Satin |
| Adhesive | Clear solvent polyacrylate, permanent |
| Release liner | 84# silicone-coated paper, both sides |
| Compatible substrates | Acrylic, polycarbonate, translucent flex-face, glass |
| Temperature resistance | -40°F to +176°F adhered to acrylic, no variation |
| Minimum application temperature | 46°F |
| Adhesive power (FINAT TM-1, 24 hrs, avg.) | 4.11 lb/in on acrylic 3.65 lb/in on glass |
| Tensile strength (DIN EN ISO 527) | Min. 17 MPa along and across |
| Elongation at break (DIN EN ISO 527) | Min. 120% along and across |
| Dimensional stability (FINAT TM-14) | Adhered to steel, 0.004″ maximum shrinkage |
| Resistance to cleaning agents | Adhered to acrylic glass, 8 hrs in 0.5% household cleaner at room temperature and 149°F — no variation |
| Shelf life | 2 years at 68°F / 50% relative humidity |
| Minimum life expectancy | 10 years, standard Central European climate (see climate zones above) |
| Width and lengths | 48″ only, in 30′ (10 yd) and 150′ (50 yd) rolls |
| Recommended application tapes | ORATAPE® HT55, MT72, MT80P, MT95 |
Application notes
- Surfaces must be clean and free of dust, grease and any contamination that could affect adhesion. Freshly lacquered or painted surfaces must be fully cured, and lacquer or paint compatibility should be tested before production.
- Apply at 46°F or above.
- Note the adhesion figures run higher on acrylic than on glass — the opposite of most films in the ORACAL line. On acrylic faces this is a genuinely aggressive permanent bond, so position it right the first time.
- At 4 mil this is a heavier film than the translucents it pairs with. Expect it to weed and handle differently from a 2 mil cast; give small counters and tight interior corners a little more care.
- Batch traceability is available through the roll number under ISO 9001.
Building the complete illuminated face
8870 is the light-blocking layer. The rest of the ORAFOL illuminated system:
- ORACAL 8800 Translucent Premium Cast — 2 mil cast translucent, thermoformable, Class “A” fire rated.
- ORACAL 8500 Translucent Cal — the calendered translucent for flat faces and tighter budgets.
- ORACAL 8830 and 8860 Diffuser Premium Cast — evens out lamp hot spots across the lit areas while 8870 blocks the unlit ones.
- Printable translucent media — ORAJET 3850, 3951 and 3551 for printed backlit graphics.
Not every item above is listed online yet. Call and we will quote the full build.
Ordering
Supplied in 48″ width only, in 10-yard and 50-yard rolls, in white-face and black-face options. Need a narrower width? Our roll slitting service can cut to size rather than selling you a full 48″ roll for a 20″ job.
Technical data sheet and safety data sheet available on request — email Sales@kgsupplies.com and we will send the current revision.
WARNING: This product may expose you to chemicals which are known in the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to P65Warnings.ca.gov.
Building illuminated faces in volume?
Email Sales@kgsupplies.com or call (602) 272-8655. We will help you match translucent, diffuser and blockout to the cabinet before you order. Kirin Global Supplies delivers overnight across Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, and ships nationwide via UPS.
