Rigid signs are simple to order and easy to get wrong, mostly by choosing a material rated for a shorter life than the job needs.
Coroplast
Corrugated plastic, the fluted material almost every yard sign is made from. Lightweight, cheap, waterproof and rigid enough to stand on stakes. Typically 4mm.
Realistically expect a season or two outdoors before UV fades the print and the flutes soften. That is usually fine, because most yard signs are for a listing, an election or a promotion that ends anyway.
One practical note: the flutes run in one direction. For H-stake ground mounting the flutes must run vertically so the stake slides in. Tell us the orientation when ordering.
Aluminum
Rust-proof metal, usually 0.040 or 0.063 inches thick, often with a reflective or high-durability face. This is what you order for permanent installation: parking signs, property rules, traffic and directional signage, building identification.
Rated in years rather than seasons. Costs several times a coroplast sign and lasts many times longer.
PVC and Sintra
Rigid expanded plastic sheet, smooth on both faces with a clean matte finish. Better looking than coroplast, lighter than aluminum, suitable for semi-exposed and covered outdoor positions. Common for lobby signs, directories and storefront panels under an awning.
Foam board and gator board
Indoor only. Paper or plastic faces over a foam core. Cheap, extremely light, and destroyed by the first rain. Use for events, presentations, trade shows and window displays, never outside.
Mounting
- H-stakes: wire stakes that slide into coroplast flutes. The standard for lawns and soft ground.
- A-frames: folding sidewalk frames with replaceable panels. Good for daily specials outside a storefront.
- Post and frame: for real estate listings, with rider slots for status updates.
- Standoffs: chrome hardware that holds a panel off a wall for lobby signage.
- Grommets and zip ties: for attaching to fencing and railings.
Sizing and legibility
A rough rule for signage read at distance: one inch of letter height per ten feet of viewing distance. A sign meant to be read from 50 feet away needs headline text around five inches tall. That constraint decides how much can go on the sign, which is almost always less than people want.
- 18 x 24 inches: the standard yard sign, readable from a slow-moving car.
- 24 x 36 inches: real estate and construction site signs.
- 12 x 18 inches: directional signs and parking notices.
Design that works outdoors
- Three elements maximum: what you do, who you are, how to reach you.
- Very high contrast. Dark text on a light ground reads best at distance.
- One phone number, set as large as you can bear.
- Skip the QR code on anything read from a moving vehicle.
- Avoid thin, light-weight typefaces. They disappear at distance.
Local rules
Queens and Nassau municipalities have their own regulations on placement, size and duration, particularly for political and real estate signage on public property. Check before a large print run, because signs removed by the city are not coming back.
See the full range on our banners and signs page.
Need this printed? We are on Hillside Avenue in Jamaica, Queens.