Signage

Signs and Vinyl Graphics – What’s Your Budget?

Every quote for signs and graphics is bespoke depending on your requirements and budget. Different processes, materials and techniques are available to build your signs and the final look and build is directly proportionate to your budget. However, in listing all the various types of signs and graphics I offer, I have started from the cheapest options to the more expensive custom-made and CNC-routed/illuminated options. A combination of the following techniques can be used to fulfill your project. Rock on!

Vinyl Lettering and Graphics

The ‘bare-bones’ option. This is just the graphics designed, cut, weeded, backing-tape applied and delivered to you. It’s usually for basic flat designs but anything is possible. Printed vinyl is also available to buy with your design. Lamination is available to protect the vinyl and inks.

Vinyl Boards and Banners

If you’re on a budget and appearance matters, then vinyl-on-board is the solution for you. It’s the standard type of signs I build but rest assured, they look great when designed and positioned properly. Plastic acrylic board is available in a range of colours and is usually 3mm or 5mm thick. The vinyl that is applied on top can be in two forms, flat cut graphics or lettering, or printed vinyl.

Printed Vinyl

For more intricate graphic design, such as use of photos, blends and intricate detailing, eco-friendly UV inks are used to print your design onto large format blank vinyl. This is then transferred onto plastic, acrylic board, foamex or aluminium sign trays. It can also be printed direct onto the substrate using UV-cured inks, with glorious clarity and detailing at 1200dpi resolution. Lamination is available to protect the vinyl from colour fading, bumps and scrapes etc.

Aluminium Sign Trays

These are the next step up from the standard sign and look awesome because the sign protrudes away from the wall and no fixing screws or brackets are visible.

The ‘tray’ itself is manufactured from grade A aluminium into a white box shape, usually about 80mm to 120mm depth. The width and height can be anything you want. Flat cut vinyl, printed vinyl or 3D lettering is applied on top to create your design.

Lightboxes and Menu Boxes

You’ve seen ’em everywhere. A favourite with restaurants, takeaways and retail stores, the box is built from aluminium and powder-coated any colour you want.

Flourescent tubes are installed inside the box and the electrics are wired up so it lights up at the flick of a switch, usually located inside your premises. The design is applied onto the acrylic facia board and slotted into the box, which also supports it. Transluscent vinyl and the acrylic fascia board can be designed so that light can be filtered to create various illuminated effects. This allows for a great show at night! Check out one of my recent projects, Victor’s Liquors for this effect in action.

Menu boxes are also fabricated in the same way but the main difference is that these are designed to be installed inside your premises rather than outside. Most restaurants, takeaways and other food outlets have a menu box usually positioned above the counter so that customers can clearly choose their orders.

3D Lettering

Acrylic, aluminium and steel fabricated 3D lettering and graphics are available for any typeface and graphic / logo. This really will make your signs look ‘the mutts nuts’ (forgive the slang!). These can be combined with either acrylic board or mounted onto aluminium sign trays. Different materials are available such as flat cut acrylic, foam PVC, moulded acrylic and brushed aluminium. Sizes available are 4″ to 40″ height for the capital letters. Many colours are also available, with or without borders.

Illumination

There’s many ways you can add illumination to your signs, be it ‘halo’ effects behind 3D lettering or full neon systems. The possibilities are endless. Adding light to your signs increases their effectivness ten-fold because of their visibility at night. The simplest form of illuminated signs are described above, light-boxes. However, that’s just the beginning.

With the advent of the latest technology such as LED lighting, illuminated sign systems with varying colours, light intensity, positioning and design can be achieved. Get in touch today to get your project started!

Fabrication and CNC Routing

Finally, when appearance and quality matters over budget, you have the totally bespoke service of totally bespoke signs. From 3D illuminated lettering and graphics to 3D fabricated shapes and graphics, anything is possible. These are the more costlier option, but the results are amazing. Various materials and techniques can be combined to create a sign solution for you that will prove to be a great investment, in the least.

Free Standing and Monolith Signs

Free-standing signs are often installed on aluminium or steel poles so that they support themselves. They usually adorn site entrances and roadside areas to welcome and direct visitors. ‘Bespoke architectural aluminium solutions’ are available which can vary in size, colour and design, heck even the description sounds awesome, doesn’t it? They can also be illuminated, of course.

Monoliths, on the other hand, can be described as the ‘bigger brothers’ of the above free-standing signs. Also free-standing, they’re a lot bigger, secured with braces, more elaborate and can be double-sided. More often than not, they’re used for site entrances in exterior positions, smaller variations can be used indoor too. You can probably remember seeing them infront of car dealerships right? There’s usually some 3D element to the design and there’s some really great-looking ones out there!

Totally Bespoke Solutions

Have you got your own ideas? Seen a sign somewhere and thought ‘That is the ‘dog’s nether regions’, I want one like it!’? Don’t worry, your wish is my command, boys and girls. As I’ve said before on this site somewehere, the only limit to what is possible is mine and yours imaginations, and trust me, my imagination is deeper than the Challenger Deep (google it!). Signs are your business’s identity and anything is possible!

Turnaround and Procedure

It all depends on the size and complexity of your project. Professionally, I and my team hope to complete your project as quick and safely as possible, whilst offering the most creative and bespoke service we can. For smaller jobs, it can be a matter of days and weeks. However, for bigger jobs, it can go into months. Good thing I’m a lovely guy to get to know!

Prices and Payment

A quote is supplied after a site survey and initial design concept. From then on, on reciept of 50% deposit, the final design is proofed and confirmed. Only after this stage has completed is the build started. Finally, installation by qualified professionals is carried out to complete your project.