All About Yard Signs

If you're interested in using yard signs to advertise, you may want to check with your city's local sign ordinances. It's likely that you are required to get a permit for most any sign.

That said, let's discuss some of the other points about yard signs.

What's Better, Full Color or Single Color Signs?

Full color printing is common in the sign industry these days, and has become so efficient that a print provider may even use a full color machine for a one or two-color layout.

However, full color doesn't automatically make a better sign. One or two colors can be very effective, while a full color sign, if designed improperly, might contain too much visual information to convey a simple message. A yard sign is not a magazine that a person will leisurely peruse. A person may only catch a glimpse as they walk or drive past. You want to get your point across quickly.

Whether utilizing single color or full color, a proper layout is essential. If you're not going to invest a lot of time in design and marketing, you might have better results by keeping with one or two coordinating colors.

Sign Material and Mounting

Yard signs are typically made from 4mm corrugated plastic. Two common sizes are 12"x18" and 18"x24".

Small signs can be mounted on inexpensive wire stands, (provided the corrugation is oriented properly). The larger signs are the same kind that real estate agents use with sturdy metal frames, and may not hold up well on flimsy wire stands—at least not for long.

Yard signs can be single sided or double sided, depending on how you want to display them.

Sometimes, on double sided signs, the graphics on one side can make a shadow appear on other side in certain light. A more expensive "opaque" corrugated plastic can be used if this is an issue. Probably, this distinction will not make much difference to you, and a print provider may simply assume you want to use the less expensive material.

The Sign Production Process

In some cases, contour-cut solid color vinyl may be used if the layout is simple, (but not all print shops have this option). For producing just a few signs, this can be very cost effective. The quality is good too.

A print provider might also fulfill a small order of signs by printing the layouts on solid vinyl sheets, which are then applied to the entire face of each sign.

For large orders, a print shop may use a screen printing process for single or multicolor signs, as this is more cost effective. For even larger sign orders, a print shop may use precision screen printing to create photo-realistic images.

Another option for both small and large orders is to print directly onto the sign with a special machine. This is similar in concept to the way a desktop printer works. Single or full-color signs may be created using this process.

An important consideration which may affect both the design and production process is whether or not your sign will have a "full-bleed". Full-bleeds are used when the layout extends all the way to the edges of the sign, (rather than the sign having a margin around the edges). If a full-bleed is required, you may have to design your layout a little larger than the actual sign to allows for shifting during the printing process. Because of the extra work involved, a full-bleed may be more expensive to produce. You will need to talk with your print provider to see what options are available.

Print Quality

Print providers vary from one another in the kind of machines they have in their shop, and there are other factors which will determine the quality, vibrancy, and longevity of the print on your sign.

It may be important to ask whether your sign will have a glossy or matte look, and how many years you can expected the color to look sharp.

This last questions brings up another interesting point regarding single color and full color production. All signs will fade noticeably at some point in time... some sooner, some later. A sign that uses a few bold colors may look none the worse as it starts to fade, while premature fading could ruin the look of a full color sign.

If fading is an issue, special inks or coatings may be used in the production process to prolong the vibrancy of the print.



If you need to order signs, check out the Business and Realty Signs section, then call or email to request a price quote.