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Keeping Signage In Good Shape: Best Ways To Remove Graffiti

Keeping Signage In Good Shape: Best Ways To Remove Graffiti In today’s rough and tumble world, signage is subject not only to the usual wear and tear, but also to the appearance of graffiti. And that can be problematic, because if you don’t remove the graffiti within 24 hours, it’s likely to attract more of the same. That’s why, although we spend a lot more time thinking of what signage to build for our clients and the best ways to install it, we have also cultivated a certain degree of expertise in graffiti removal. That’s a big reason we sometimes select special materials – such as high pressure laminate – for signage intended for the MBTA or for schools, where

Have you discovered the Metro Sign and Awning Industry News page yet? Each week we gather information of interest to those in the sign industry, as well as business people who care about signage. Here are a few recent highlights: Los Angeles Introduces New Concepts in Signage Nikki Sylianteng had an idea. The designer reached out to Seleta Reynolds, who was about to take over as Director of Los Angeles’ Department of Transportation. As a result, about 100 brand new parking control signs are currently being tried out in a 15-block area near downtown Los Angeles. The goal is to develop a new generation of simple, well-designed signs that tell drivers where they can and cannot park their cars at

It’s understandable that local communities would want to regulate the signs that businesses install. City residents are naturally interested in maintaining high standards regarding community appearance and aesthetics. The problem is that local codes can easily become overly restrictive, and inadvertently prevent business owners from advertising in legitimate ways, particularly as technology and community standards change. Sign lighting is one of the most problematic issues within this regulatory arena. For example, many communities have regulations that simply assume nighttime illumination of signage is automatically harmful and unsightly. As a result, these communities often enact overly restrictive codes that can negatively impact the community’s economic health, as well as impose unnecessary costs on small business owners struggling to keep their heads

Channel letters are among the most common signs we make, and for good reason. They are cost effective, easily shaped, extremely vivid (when designed well), and long lasting. Here are a few facts you probably don’t know about channel letter signage: 1. Because of the innate flexibility of channel letter fabrication, these three-dimensional signs can be made in almost any font or graphical shape, in almost any size, color and style. The major limitation on channel letter signage tends to be local zoning codes and other regulations. 2. Channel letters displayed against a solid color background can be seen and recognized from great distances. One common guideline is to size the letters 1.5 inches high for every 25 feet you

The term “ADA Signs” is now in widespread use among architects, general contractors, developers, and signage experts. “ADA” stands, of course, for the Americans with Disabilities Act. But the term “ADA Signs” is misunderstood almost as often as it is interpreted correctly. For example: 1. A great many people believe that “ADA Signs” refers to those containing Braille symbols for the benefit of people who are visually impaired. That’s like saying elevators are installed in buildings for the benefit of people who are unable to climb stairs. The claim is true, as far as it goes, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. While signs containing Braille and other raised characters are a highly visible expression of the ADA requirements,

We’ve written in this space about wayfinding signs more than once, but we’re still getting questions about them from business owners, architects, developers and construction industry people. To satisfy their curiosity and give everyone a place to start finding answers on their own, we’ve now compiled a brand new e-book on Wayfinding Signage. It covers such important topics as: What makes wayfinding signage so difficult to do well? Why bother struggling to get wayfinding signage just right? How to take the big first step on any wayfinding signage project. and much more. As experts in wayfinding (and other) signage, we actively enjoy sharing what we know with others. So it was fun for us to compile this easy-to-read e-book, which

We are pleased and proud to announce that we have completed the acquisition of the premiere sign company in the Southern New Hampshire and Vermont region. Custom Designs Signs (CDS), located in Keene, NH, has been a leading provider of signage design, fabrication, installation, and service since 1969. The company has built its enviable reputation by crafting high quality and eye catching signs and displays for a large number of local businesses, architects, and developers in the greater Monadnock and Brattleboro regions of New Hampshire and Vermont. Recent projects include the Keene State “Wall of Donor Recognition,” Nanotech, Brattleboro Ford, TGI Friday’s, and The Center at Keene. Key people at CDS, including Jim Vitous and sign maker Kris Arnold, will

How much do you really know about signs and signage? Avid readers of this Metro Sign and Awning blog are probably near-experts in signs and signage, with a detailed understanding of signage technology and an encyclopedic knowledge of signage history. To see how much you know, here’s a quick quiz based on previous posts in this blog. How many answers can you get right? All the answers should be known to you, provided you’ve been reading this blog: Question 1: How many ways can you easily calculate the Return on Investment (ROI) of your signage: a) In comparison with other advertising expenditures. b) In comparison with any other expenditure – a purely financial calculation. c) In comparison with your competitors’

What a game, right? Now you know why I wanted to take a break. This is Part 2 of my blog post, 6 Things I Know About Basketball (and the Sign Business). In case you missed Part 1, find it here. 4. It’s not all fun and games. Taking your play to the next level Of course winning feels good. But even when our team is playing top-notch ball, we know there’s a team out there that could beat us. And particularly with young athletes, we know the competition is going to get tougher each year. As a coach, I have to balance letting the girls enjoy the game and their successes while at the same time pushing them to

Each of us has probably encountered this basic experience: you enter a building for the first time, and you find navigation difficult. You can’t easily get oriented, and so you can’t easily find the place you’re trying to go. This happens so often because interior wayfinding signage is one of the most complex tasks a signage company can face. Sure, you can provide maps and arrows, but it’s still tricky to make them clear and easy to follow. Happily, the rewards of a successful interior wayfinding signage program are immense: there’s not only great utility, but great pleasure in providing visitors with well-designed wayfinding signage that unravels the complexities of a shopping center, hotel, office building, hospital, or campus. As