As we are a manufacturer of all types of signage, customers often ask very general questions about shop signs or fascias, as they are also known, at the early stages of enquiry. These questions are almost impossible to answer as a whole, due to the multi-faceted nature of signs. With that in mind, we thought it best to go into more depth with some of them to try to provide a clearer understanding.
If you are interested in having a shop sign made up, please look at our guide to Specifying your Fascia, along with the other specification documents that will help you know exactly what to request based on what you want. Alternatively, please feel free to call or email us to begin the process of creating a shop sign.
What are shop signs made of?
One of the most common questions customers ask us, either because they are not sure what can be used, or because they have seen too many different versions to really know what they are looking at. There are three main elements to a shop sign: the backing panel, the main focus and supporting information.
Shop signs are usually placed outside (unless your shop is inside a larger shopping facility), so unless your sign is going to be a light box, or a flat panel inside a panatrim frame, your backing is not likely to be made out of acrylic. With that in mind, the more popular materials for shop/ fascia signs are: wood, aluminium composite, aluminium and steel (either mild steel or brushed / polished finished stainless steel).
The main focus of a sign is the part you want to stand out to everyone, to draw them in. The vast majority of the time, it will be the name of your shop or company, sometimes a company logo. Because of this, you want to make sure that it stands out. There are many different mediums available for tis, from vinyl graphics, to metal built up letters to neon lighting. Illumination is always a great way to draw attention to a sign.
Supporting information encompasses all the other details you might put onto your sign, including phone number, website, shop number etc. These can be important details to have displayed, but you would not want them to be the part of your sign people notice first. Vinyl is always a popular choice for this information as it comes in many colours and allows large areas to be covered for a relatively low cost. You can of course use any of the materials mentioned above and more, but the key to remember is that you do not want to overshadow the main focus.
If you have any further questions related to this topic or any other around shop and retail signage, please take the time to get in touch and we can talk to you about any type of project you have in mind.
