Sign Maker Central

Carved signs are great for businesses that are either in a location with strict signage">signage laws or that want to project a charming, rustic image. Whether you’re looking to convey professionalism or charm, or if you just want the extra dimension that comes with a 3d sign, a routed or sandblasted sign is the way to go. Both routing and sandblasting achieve a three dimensional look, but what’s the difference, and which method is better? Curious about sandblasted vs routed signs? Head over to our blog article and learn all about it!

sign company Philadelphia

Share This

Written by Adam Sokoloff · Filed Under Education 

View the original article here

 Outdoor Signs That Survive the Snow

Snow accumulation has already broken records in the Northeast this winter despite the fact that it’s barely February. With much of the rest of the country being hit hard as well, business owners are worried that they’ll be adversely affected. Stores are staying closed, employees can’t make it to work and business signs are entombed in piles of snow.

If you’re a small business owner currently battling these wicked winter conditions, you have a lot to deal with.

You probably feel like you have no control over anything. But there is one thing you can control: There’s no need to worry about your business sign – that all important first impression – getting ruined. If you order your custom outdoor business sign from TheSignChef, you’ll rest easy knowing your sign won’t show any signs of deterioration regardless of the snow, ice and high winds thrashing it daily.

Because at TheSignChef, we use a six-pronged attack when we battle blizzards:

We coat signs with a premium finish that protects against the elementsOur sign specialists work with you to determine the proper sign materials for your city’s particular weather conditionsAll our materials are of the highest quality, including our waterproof sign materialsExclusive comprehensive installation videos and instruction guides ensure that your sign is expertly installed, making it sturdy and strongWe specially train our workers to build only durable, expertly crafted signsWe inspect your sign multiple times throughout the process, including immediately before it’s shipped, to ensure that it’s been built to the highest standards in the industry

Take that, winter weather!

So while you’re struggling to shovel snow, keep warm and drive carefully, your business sign isn’t struggling at all.

And our signs can take on more than just snow

We ship to all 50 states (plus Canada), so we know there’s more than just snow to contend with. Our signs are armed and ready to do battle with salt water, bright sun, extreme heat, torrential rain, high winds and more.

So if you’re ready to protect your business with a custom sign that can handle it all, please get in touch with us. Email us anytime or contact us by phone or online chat between 9am and 9pm seven days a week.

View the original article here

Here at TheSignChef, our business is always developing. We service all 50 states and we’re still growing – we’re proud to announce that we now have the capabilities to offer custom business signs to our neighbors up north.

Welcome, Canada!

We’re excited to be able to say we now do business internationally. TheSignChef was created 25 years ago as a small business serving locals in Charleston, SC. And now we’re cooking up custom signs in our kitchen all the way down here and shipping them as far north as Cape Columbia – that’s the second northernmost point in the world! Wow!

But Canada isn’t as far away as it used to be

No, our countries aren’t suddenly shifting miles a day. We’re talking about globalization. With today’s technology it’s much easier for a non-franchised business to reach people all over the world. That means that we can give our clients in Canada all the same resources we give our clients here in the US, from online design consultations to customer service 12 hours a day, seven days a week!

So even though we’re far away, we may as well be your local sign shop

We’ve spent years customizing our business so that working with us is just as easy for our clients thousands of miles away as it is for our neighbors in Charleston. We keep everyone involved in the production and shipment of their sign with emails, phone calls and even a custom program that lets you follow your sign through every step of the process. You’ll always know what’s going on right here in our kitchen, no matter where yours is.

So thank you, Canada, for welcoming us into your country. We hope to do business with you for years to come!

View the original article here

You’ve taken the time and resources to invest in real estate signs that will attract customers to your listings. Bottom line: you want to sell homes and commercial properties! Now, there’s a new way to make your real estate signage even more appealing to prospective customers. Have you heard of QR Codes?

QR (Quick Response) Codes are graphic images that have website addresses (URLs) embedded in them. The QR Code image is then placed on a sign or window or vehicle — really, on almost anything.

All a prospective customer has to do is snap a photo of the QR Code with their web capable smart phone. They will be taken immediately to the website embedded in the QR Code. Imagine the possibilities for your Real Estate business! They’re almost unlimited!

Have your sign designer place your QR Code in an easy-to-see location on your Real Estate yard sign, in front of one of your listings. You can have the QR Code send the prospect to any website you choose!

Let’s say you want to make sure that you’re not rushing out to show a home, only to the find that the prospective customers hate the interior. Frustrating! A waste of time for both you and the clients!

With a QR Code, you save time! Have a label on your real estate sign that reads: “For a virtual tour, use the QR Code.” When the clients take the photo of the code, they’re immediately taken to a virtual tour of the home’s interior. They decide if they like the interior enough to ask for a “live” tour. You screen out those who won’t like the home. And you save time and money!

And that’s just one example. You can put QR Codes on …

And much, much more …

Even when your office is closed, QR Codes on your window will continue to sell after hours!

Even when you’re at home, or helping other clients, your QR Codes are giving virtual tours and providing information to help generate sales.

Even when your vehicle is parked, the QR Code on your automobile’s signage is ready to help you sell your listings!

Estimates are that by 2013 at least 1 Billion people will use smart phones to access the Internet! How many of those will become your customers through your QR Code?

Don’t be left behind! Don’t let other realtors outpace you! We produce outstanding custom Real Estate signage in a multitude of materials, sizes, colors, and much more. We’ll help you stand out from the crowd.

And while some companies charge you to generate your QR Codes, we offer this technology to you, absolutely free!! You can easily generate a custom QR code right here on our site, or we’ll generate your QR Codes for you!

View the original article here

Here in Charleston, outdoor signs have been in the news a lot lately.

It seems we have some problems.

Last week, a man walking his dog on the beach was fined over $3000 for letting his dog off the leash. He said he found the leash law sign “confusing.” And at the end of last year, the Charleston Economic Development Committee was prompted to begin a study of our highway and directional signs. A survey in accordance with the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau found that our outdoor signs are extremely confusing, especially for tourists (and we get a lot). What’s the deal!?

Here at TheSignChef, we’re bummed to hear this news for a few reasons.

We’re in the sign business, so we obviously know how important it is to have effective outdoor signage. It sort of bugs us when we see ineffective or confusing signage – much like it bugs a chef when he eats a bad meal.

One of the biggest problems with the outdoor signs here is that they direct people to streets, like “Meeting Street” as opposed to “Downtown.” Out-of-towners don’t know that Meeting Street is Downtown! Other highway signs are just as confusing. And we seem to have a problem with beach signage as well. Anything that can get you $3000 in tickets should be spelled out on a giant sign for everyone to see!

Plus, bad outdoor signs – especially on the highway – can be dangerous. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone swerve across three lanes because they just figured out their exit was only 10 feet away.

We’re also bummed because we want tourists to enjoy our city. Charleston is a top vacation spot – shouldn’t we be paying extra attention to the needs of out-of-towners?

And this problem isn’t just in Charleston; lots of other cities and towns have outdoor signage problems that really need to be fixed.

What can be done?

We’d love to be in charge of fixing all the poor outdoor signage around here! Your message is the probably the most important part of your sign. If people don’t understand the message, what’s the point? But once that’s all figured out, there’s more to consider.

Outdoor signs – especially on highways – really need to take letter size into consideration. We have an online sizing calculator that takes into account how far away you want your sign to be visible and how fast people are driving by. With those two bits of information it can tell you the optimum size for your letters! Hopefully most highway signs have proper sized letters so we can avoid accidents.

One good thing about highway signs is their contrasting colors. Because green and white contrast a great deal, they are readily visible.

Outdoor signs should also be made of a visible and durable material such as aluminum signs or ARMOUR-Wood signs. Especially signs at the beach – they need to be able to withstand salt water and wind.

So outdoor signs, especially highway signs, are much more important than you probably thought.

Next time you’re driving down the highway, pay attention to the signage. If it’s confusing or hard to see, contact your city officials. We think that a lot of accidents could be stopped with more effective outdoor signage.

And if you need an outdoor sign, don’t let your message get lost. Give us a holler and we’ll be happy to help!

View the original article here

This blog post will help you discover:

Why aluminum and acrylic signs are so popular and what they have in commonWhat you should consider when choosing between aluminum and acrylicDifferent ways to use each type of sign and what type of environment they’re best suited for

People often ask what our most popular sign materials are. Aluminum and Acrylic signs combined account for about 40% of the signs we make. While the two have a lot of similarities, they also have some big differences that can help you determine which (if either) will fit your needs best.

What do aluminum and acrylic signs have in common?

Most importantly, both aluminum and acrylic are extremely versatile. They can both be used indoors or outdoors, though aluminum is more common outdoors while acrylic is often found indoors.

Both are very lightweight and durable, which accounts in large part for their popularity. In fact, aluminum is among the most durable sign materials available.

Because aluminum and acrylic are both light and thin, they are easy to install.

Both materials are also waterproof – a big reason they endure well outdoors.

But the similarities pretty much end there.  So while aluminum and acrylic share some vital factors, their differences are extremely important to note.

What are the differences between aluminum and acrylic?

Let’s start with Aluminum:

Aluminum is a metal sign materialVery popular for real estate signsExtremely strongPerfectly smooth finishRustproofCost effective (but more expensive than acrylic)Won’t deteriorateRigid yet flexibleGreat for double sided signage lasts decades indoors and up to eight years outdoors

Now let’s look at Acrylic:

Acrylic is a plastic sign materialClear acrylic signs are available and extremely popular in office buildings, etc.High gloss surface gives a professional lookPolished gold and silver standoffs used to mount acrylic signs appear very high-endPigments on acrylic hold color wellInexpensiveIdeal for lighted sign displaysFor one-sided signs onlyAcrylic plastic signs last indefinitely indoors

You can see that although similar, they’re best used for different reasons.

When should I use aluminum and when should I use acrylic?

Aluminum is the most popular outdoor sign material we offer. It is most often used for signs that provide directions or instructions, such as traffic signs and yard signs. Real estate signs are one of the most popular uses for aluminum.  (You can learn how to design an effective real estate sign here.)

Acrylic is used very often in corporate interiors and hotel lobbies. It’s glossy, modern appearance makes acrylic great for professional uses and branding. You’ll often see acrylic name plate signs on office doors, for example.

If you have any questions about choosing the ideal sign material for your needs, contact our sign experts at TheSignChef.com anytime between 9am and 9pm seven days a week.

View the original article here

While elements like typography and graphic design are very important to the look and feel of a sign, materials play an equally important role in making sure that your sign is achieving the effect you’re looking for. For example, an upscale, urban law firm might not want to go with a sign made of rustic looking wood. If your business needs a modern, elegant look, you’ll definitely want to consider brushed aluminum. Brushed aluminum signs are growing in popularity and there’s no question why - from patina to painted they look amazing in any style! At our blog, we go into detail about the various styles and kinds of brushed aluminum signs.

Share This

View the original article here

What if you could combine the publicity of being a sponsor at an event, with the unique visibility of a kinky wrap? Talk about advertising impact! A few weeks ago, Sunrise Signs helped the Blind Cat Brewery sponsor the MS City to Shore 50 miler race by wrapping their bike helmets! An unusual vinyl wrap , combined with the number of people supporting MS research sure got the Blind Cat Brewery some great attention! Check out our blog post if you’re interested in how we can get attention at your next sponsorship event!

Share This

View the original article here