Printing Signage – what to consider

By Winn Apple   |   Published May, 2013

Different printing products are considered signage. Banners – both hanging and with stands – as well as posters.

One distinction between a poster and a sign is the presentation. Mounted posters – also called signage – are a much more cost effective way to promote than investing in a Banner. Especially if you are promoting an event or sale which is time limited.

Signage is essential if you are participating in any type of tradeshow or conference. Printing for tradeshows is often times the last item on a long list of tasks you need to manage. Ultimately it leads to a last minute hunt for a printer to handle the job.

Printers for tradeshows are familiar with the type of time crunch and stress you will be under – so finding a qualified printer to print signage and other marketing materials is extremely important. You don’t want to risk having your signage delivered late.

If you are printing signage with mounting, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the different substrates available. There are many environmentally friendly poster substrates to choice from.

Falcon board is similar to a honeycomb board. It is an eco-friendly mounting for signage. There are also recycled foam core boards which may preserve better in a hot, moist environment.

Depending on the size of your signage, it most likely will be printed on a large format printer. If your printer is certified green, they will use a water based ink which eliminates the harmful VOCs traditionally associated with printing. The eco-friendly inks come in recyclable cartridges – each step producing more eco-friendly signage.

One of the key things to keep in mind when designing and printing signage is the ideal size for your lettering. This depends on the distance from which your reader will see it. Below is a chart listing the ideal font size for a sign in comparison to the distance someone will be viewing it.

In addition to the size of the font, you’ll want to consider the color combination on your signage. There are color combinations that are not only complimentary but allow text and images to pop – making your message easier to read. Below is a list of color combination you should keep in mind when printing signs.

 
     BLACK on YELLOW
     BLACK on WHITE
     YELLOW on BLACK
     WHITE on BLUE
     GREEN on WHITE
     BLUE on YELLOW
     WHITE on GREEN
     WHITE on BROWN
     BROWN on YELLOW
     BROWN on WHITE
     YELLOW on BROWN
     RED on WHITE
     YELLOW on RED
     RED on YELLOW
     WHITE on RED