Making a Sign for Outoor Advertising Impact

Last year my husband and I opened a small business and we have made many different signs for this promotion or that. One thing we have learned is that a good durable sign is not as simple as it looks, but it doesn't have to be hard, either. In fact, I would say it comes down to three basic homemade signs types: The lightweight, the medium-weight and the heavyweight. Here are a few lessons from the school of hard knocks - that will give you reliable signage ideas for a strong, eye-catching, cheap and easy to make sign.

The Lightweight

There is definitely a time and place for every sign. But one of the only reasons to go with a lightweight sign is because it is exactly that....easy to carry. If you are placing signs on the corner, use a heavier ply particle board or wood. But if you are holding the sign, cardboard is definitely the way to go.

A cardboard sign will likely get ruined being raised up and down, flipping around in the wind, or just being transported,. So, don't kill yourself of too detailed of a design when creating the words or background of a lightweight sign. In fact, the faster one of these can be created, the better. Save your hard work and creativity for signs that will endure.

A very quick way to paint a cardboard sign fast is to lay the cardboard in the grass. Get a quart of paint and tip it at close range to the center of the large piece of cardboard. Only spill a small, manageable pool of paint. If you use your hands, this goes extremely fast. We learned very quickly that using one hand is actually a good idea, leaving the other hand clean to grab a door handle or turn the faucet on to clean your paint covered hand.

Swirl the paint in circular directions until the cardboard is completely covered. It is fast and easy and spares the brush mess. Washing your hand is a heck of a lot easier than cleaning out a paint brush. To give this sign additional flair, use craft paints of complimenting colors (a small four or eight ounce bottle will do.) Hold the bottles higher than your head over the sign and give them a squeeze or a shake. The distance of the fall will take the drops of paint to the cardboard with a splash. Splatter it evenly, but artistically over the paint covered board. Before you know it, you will have a splashy backdrop for a great sign that can say whatever you want it to. It isn't exacting, thereby easy. And it is funky and fast!

The lightweight sign is also extremely cheap. A flat piece of cardboard can be obtained from free boxes used for packing, or discarded from a recent purchase. Cheap and easy are perfect for a throw-away, lightweight sign.

The Medium-weight

The medium-weight sign is a sign you hope to use more than once, but plan on moving a lot. So, this needs to be a sign that is versatile, yet inexpensive and fairly easy to make. For starters, medium weight signs can be made of just about any material that won't ruin in weather. A sign doesn't have to be cardboard or a piece of wood. I have used old shutters, doors, planks of old wood, etc. Get creative! The more unique your object, the more attention will be drawn to your sign.

Obviously, signage can be easily stolen, confiscated or ruined, so don't kill yourself on any one sign., This prevents that terrible feeling of losing something of value and effort.

When most people think of a sign they generally think of a 1x2 or pole, sticking it into the ground. Experience has proven that this does work, but this sign is easily blown over. If going with this sign type which is easy to assemble, always bring along thin rope, a spade, and maybe even a couple of bricks or a few larger rocks. The rope will allow you to secure your sign to another object, like a tree if you can't get it in the ground. The spade will help you dig a deeper hole, so your sign doesn't tip and render itself useless. And the bricks or rocks can help secure your sign at the base.

When creating your sign, consider your colors carefully. Bright colors are best. Most favorable for an eye-catching sign is a darker background with light colors for your message. White lettering may take a couple of coats of paint, but it will be worth it in the end because people can read it easily from a distance and your message will get out!. Also, avoid colors like green and brown that easily blend in with nature, where the sign may be.

Make sure to use an exterior paint and consider coating your paint job with a product like MinWax poly - a protective, clear glaze. This will prevent chipping or harsh fading of your paint job.

The Heavyweight

The fastest way to make a highly durable sign is to use a V formation (upside-down.) These can be very big and eye-catching, endure high-wind and stand up to elements like an oak. First, start with strong ply wood. your wood choice have to be beautiful, perfect or expensive. In fact, if you are going to paint over it - all you are really looking for is thick.

In most hardware stores, such as Home Depot or Lowes, you can find a scrap bin, or smaller sizes of ply that have been cut off of bigger pieces for projects or other customers. These are so much cheaper than buying a whole sheet of new plywood, which is often more than you need. In addition, since they are precut to sell in these smaller sizes, it is easy to buy two of the same size (which you will need), Another fun fact about hardware stores that carry lumber is that if you are without good tools, like a saw, most will cut a board for you for free, at the size you request. This is great, because you aren't driven by size, you are driven by price. So, select the cheapest find and get two of the exact same size.

The next thing you will need to make this sign come to life is two hinges. Hinges are very cheap and come with the screws you will need. What you are going to do is attach your two boards together with these hinges. You can do this with one hinge, but two will ensure the sign is strong and unaffected by weather. Basically you will lay your wood one on top of the other and screw both hinges into the top, one on the left and one on the right, attaching the two boards at a seam.

The V formation allows you to capture a message on 2 sides of the sign. Such as "Thank you for coming!" or "Come Again!" While the front advertises your mission. Perhaps you are using it to catch traffic, in which case everyone can see your important message from on-coming traffic in both directions.

On your paint choice, exterior oil based paint will likely endure better outdoors and a higher gloss paint will be easy to wipe down and clean should your signage get dirty. When using exterior, oil base paint bear in mind, without paint thinner - you will likely throw away your brush. It is very hard to clean oil base paint out of your brush. So, one suggestion is to skip expensive brushes when painting the base coat of your heavyweight sign with an oil base paint. If opting for a latex paint, be sure to go with semi-gloss or satin finish which will keep it easy to wash. Lastly, avoid high gloss, as it will reveal every flaw in your wood selection as well as reflect light at a high shine, possibly preventing people from easily reading your sign in the sun.

This heavy weight sign is easy to transport, because of the hinges and its ability to collapse flat. It is also easy to store for the same reason. But most importantly, it is super durable with a strong base and steady frame.

Though there is an appropriate time and place for every sign, it is usually always better to sign than "not to sign.". Whether it is the lightweight or the heavyweight, hopefully, your signage will bring revenue to your door, and ensure everyone has their eyes on your cause!