But if you choose the wrong elements, you could be left with a sign that doesn’t last. You may end up with a poorly-maintained sign that creates a bad first impression. Your customers don’t want to drive up to a building with broken lights and faded colors on the sign.

To make sure you get signage that lasts, start thinking about exterior sign maintenance from day one of your planning. Consider the five factors that will impact your sign’s ability to last for years to come.

1. Balance Form and Function

The key to installing signage that requires minimal maintenance but still looks good throughout the years is to work with a partner that can balance form and function – also known as durability and design.

You don’t want to fully focus on durability, because your design might not be as eye-catching as you think. However, if you focus solely on design, then your exterior signage will look dirty and dated within a few years.

At Creative Sign Designs, we take a variety of design and fabrication principles into consideration along with our client’s needs. A few of these are:

• Types of lighting needed
• Texture goals
• Location of the signage (environmental, the distance from the road, other signs nearby)
• Message length
• Visibility needs (whether or not a sign needs to be seen at night)

All of these elements (and many more) help us understand the durability challenges of our clients. For example, signage within a shopping center for daytime shoppers requires less maintenance than LED-lit signage that customers need to be able to read at night on the highway.

Related: Commercial Exterior Audit: What Do Customers Think Before They Enter? 

2. Plan for Wear and Tear

In order to understand the importance of quality exterior signage, it helps to know what can affect your sign over time. You have likely seen several exterior signs that looked worse for wear as you drive down the road. These are signs that have faded colors or lights that have gone out.

While you may not notice small changes, your brand can start to look worn and dated from the elements without proper exterior sign maintenance. A few threats to your signage include:

• The Sun: Your rich colors can start to look faded or get bleached away.
• Dirt and Animal Impacts: Grime can grow over your signage, while bugs live in the lights and birds build nests in the letting.
• Damage: Hail and other debris can cause dents in your signage.
• Lighting: Lights can burn out, making your sign look poorly maintained and unprofessional.

By choosing durable, reliable design elements, you can limit the effects of nature and time.

3. Choose Sustainable Materials

Along with creating a creative and engaging design, your signage also needs to be made of both sustainable and durable materials. Fortunately, many of these materials can also benefit your brand and require minimal exterior sign maintenance.

For example, LED bulbs are considered environmentally friendly. The energy-efficient exterior lights use 75% less energy than incandescent lighting, reducing your brand’s carbon footprint. Plus, this drop in energy use also lowers your energy bills.

Furthermore, LED bulbs last longer than other bulb options, which decreases the chances that your signage will go out and make your brand look unprofessional.

The use of LED bulbs is just one way to make your exterior signage more sustainable and durable. Additionally, we recommend energy-efficient flatbed printing which uses fewer waste cartridges and creates less indoor air pollution. This method of digital printing is also of higher quality, benefiting our customers as well as our employees. We also look for ways to use reclaimed signage materials, preventing the buildup of signage in landfills.

The materials you choose can be a point of pride for your business and proof of your commitment to protecting the environment.

4. Consider Compliance

There is one more thing that stands in the way of your ideal design and its execution: compliance.

As a business owner, you have to follow the rules of your community. In order to avoid fines and stay in operation, your exterior signage likely needs to meet certain size guidelines and expectations. These are issues that range from sizing to protecting children from adult brands.

At Creative Sign Designs, we have worked with dozens of communities to understand their permitting and variances. We are very experienced and can provide client representation before government agencies to get signage approval. We understand the legal framework around city and county codes, which is why we can analyze what you can and cannot do.

Before we sign off on any designs for production, we make sure that their development is completely approved by all required parties.

5. Install Properly and Safely

Even the best signs can break or fall down if they aren’t installed correctly, which is why you should work with a partner who set up your signage in a way that protects your workers and your customers.

At Creative Sign Designs, we follow all OSHA guidelines to protect our workers. We have a first-aid certified team and take time to make sure signs are installed correctly and safely. This allows you to maintain your branding without risking your health or the safety of your employees.

We also use multiple bucket trucks, forklifts, cranes, and other installation equipment with certified drivers. You can feel confident that your investment will be protected and installed to last, reducing your exterior sign maintenance needs.

Related: Project Management for Exterior Signage Design: How to Bring Your Sign to Life 

Plan for Exterior Sign Maintenance From the Start

Your signage is the first impression that customers have of your brand. Don’t show them something faded, broken, or knocked over. Choosing the right materials and design company allows you to create something you are proud of, while limiting how much exterior sign maintenance you need to perform.

Work with a partner who you can trust. Call Creative Sign Designs today. We are here to listen to your needs and offer a consultation for the materials and timeframe needed to get your commercial signage installed for years to come.

At Creative Sign Designs, we have a proven method for project consultation and management for exterior signage design. We know how to make the signage design process easy and seamlessly guide clients from idea to installation.

We use this process when working with clients local to us in Florida and with clients located around the country. Through this process, our clients always feel supported and that our team is working for them – even if they can’t meet face-to-face.

Let’s look at how we use project consultation and management for exterior signage to guide our clients from beginning to the end of their custom exterior signage projects.

1. Budget and Time Constraints

Before we even consider the type of signage you need and the aesthetic opportunities in your business, we start with two key elements: your budget and your timeline.

Budget: We know that if you go over budget on exterior signage then you won’t be able to invest in other design and marketing elements to grow your business. This is why we are always respectful of how much you want to spend.

Timeline: Time is money, which means you can’t afford for this project to extend beyond your initial plan. Whether you are opening a new business and have a specific launch date planned or simply want this project done in a few months, we can work around your time expectations.

The timeline and budget create a shell for our project consultation and management for exterior signage. Within these reasonable limits, we can get creative for your actual sign design.

2. Needs Assessment

A key part of our design process is listening to what the client wants. We love to start with the “big idea” and work to make it a reality. This is where the needs assessment comes in.

Our project consultation and management team listens to your goals and evaluates your current lighting and signage situation. They will also take into consideration ADA needs and code regulations. Our knowledge of exterior design and lighting combined with your vision for your brand helps us understand what work needs to be done.

For example, Gator Ford in Seffner, Florida approached us with the big idea that they wanted to improve their lighting so it could be seen from the interstate. Brighter lights meant that more customers would remember them and consider their dealership a safe and welcoming place to go. Our team at Creative Sign Designs ran a needs assessment to determine how we could make that idea happen.

With LED bulbs, we were able to use fewer lights than before and set up a lighting system that lowered the company’s electric bills by 10%. This is how our technical know-how turns a dream into a reality without breaking the budget.

Related: Energy Efficient Ways to Light Commercial Building Exteriors

3. Permitting Regulations

Even the best ideas need to be adjusted to meet city and county ordinances. Local guidelines limit the size of signage and even the design. If your business is within a professional park or even a corporate strip mall, then it may have its own limits for sign color, size, and font. Often, most signage and lighting projects will get approved, but they still need to go through the local government permitting office.

We have years of experience working with local ordinances and permitting, which means we can easily interpret your regional limitations and take steps to meet their requirements. While we never want to limit your overall vision, some government laws may require adjusting your original plan.

4. Design and Fabricate

From there, we start the design process. (Check out our featured projects to see our designs come to life.) Once we have a plan in place for achieving your lighting and signage vision, you will sign off before we start signage fabrication. This way, everyone is on the same page for when the work will get done and how.

Our sign consultants have a sophisticated information handling system that allows us to create a step-by-step process for your signage needs. We will report to you during each step of the process and give you opportunities to adjust your needs before we move forward. This way no one is caught off guard by new requirements or ideas on our end, while you never have to worry about monitoring our services. Through transparent work and clear communication, everyone can stay on the same page until the project is complete.

5. Installation

The project consultation and management team doesn’t sign off on a completed job until the signage is installed and functioning at its best. We have multiple facilities to create signage, a large fleet of vehicles, installation equipment, and experienced sign and lighting personnel who can help you. Our resources range from large bucket trucks and crane trucks to basic trailers and vans.

Before signage installation, we conduct site survey analysis and make sure that the installation is up to code. We provide client representation before government agencies to make sure that your signage gets approved. This makes us more than a signage company, but rather an advocate for your business.

6. Maintenance & Upkeep

Once your updated lighting and signage is installed, you can continue working with Creative Sign Designs to maintain your investment and keep it looking at its best. While we develop plans for exterior signage with longevity in mind – choosing materials that can withstand elements like wind, snow, and sun – your signage may require regular maintenance to look its best. Whatever you need, we are here for you.

Let Us Guide Your Project Consultation and Management for Exterior Signage Design

At Creative Sign Designs, we stand by our clients through the entire development process. We don’t expect you to have a plan in place by the time you call us. We are here to help you make smart decisions for your business. From the initial needs assessment to installation and maintenance, you will have a reliable partner in exterior signage with Creative Sign Designs.

Contact us to see how we can help you bring your signage idea to life and guide you through every step of the process. Contact Creative Sign Designs.

Wayfinding helps inform visitors’ immediate decisions upon entering your space and guides them as they navigate themselves to each destination therein, providing spatial problem-solving.

Custom Wayfinding Strategy

Developed by expert designers who understand space relations in a public place, as well as how to incorporate eye-catching design elements, custom wayfinding signage design provides clear and obvious direction while making a lasting impression.

Enlist An Expert in Branded Experience Design & Wayfinding

A Branded Experience Design & Wayfinding subject matter expert should be proficient in design, creative direction, project management, and design engineering. Specializing in both in-depth experiences with concept development and wayfinding master planning, an expert helps shape and execute the big picture with stakeholders while managing the iterative process, relationships, time, budgets, and assets.

With expert guidance, you can expect that every visual or graphic element within the environment will be useful, serve a purpose and do so efficiently in an impactful and intuitive manner without waste, clutter, and useless or misleading information.

Think Big Picture

Thoughtful custom wayfinding master planning for all interior and exterior spaces doesn’t just consider the necessities of directional signage, ADA compliance, and local accessibility regulations. It includes a more holistic approach in order to consider all of the surroundings: different buildings, massive parking structures, interconnected walkways, unsecured and secured pathways, as well as pedestrian connectors.

Because beyond the obvious goal of helping people to find their way, effective wayfinding systems play countless important roles, especially in high-stress and high-traffic environments, such as hotels, airports, public spaces, museums, hospitals, and libraries, which provide unique guest experiences and serve to foster an understanding of any given space.

Select The Right Materials

Diversifying fabrication methodologies will yield a much greater integration of signs and interior and exterior environments, providing more opportunities to produce unique custom wayfinding signage designs. Specifically, digital graphics and large-format printing have allowed sign designers and fabricators to create quality, durable custom signs to fit even the most unique brand and needs.

Consider The Whole Process

In the world of wayfinding, especially where ADA requirements must also be considered, the degree of difficulty and expertise in digital graphics and sign fabrication has increased, creating a greater need for fabricators to adopt a design-build approach.

Design-build utilizes one entity – the design-build team – which works under a single contract with a single point of contact, the design-builder, who is responsible for every aspect of a build – from estimation, assessments and pre-construction, to architecture, schematics, engineering, subcontracting, construction and post-construction, to managing all contracts with companies, such as subcontractors, equipment vendors and materials providers.

Your custom wayfinding signage design-build team should also manage the review, design, value-engineering, estimations, schedule, sourcing all costs related to fabrication, freight, and installation.

The Right Wayfinding Signage Design Partner

Creative Sign Designs is an industry leader in developing custom design and wayfinding signage solutions, and our professional designs capture the eyes of visitors to make a lasting impression. Our experts in wayfinding solutions and consultation help each client navigate permitting, design and planning to make each custom wayfinding program a success.

Contact us for a free consultation to see how Creative Sign Designs can help you create custom wayfinding signage designs today!

When it comes to fabricating the perfect sign or sign system, there is a certain methodology to ensure the design, space and materials are being utilized as efficiently as possible to meet your brand goals and stay within a timeline and budget. You don’t want to cut corners, and with the right expertise and equipment, even the most complex and intricate custom sign designs can be realized and scaled to meet your needs.

Here are some considerations when planning a custom sign fabrication.

1. Establish Sign Design & Materials

At this stage, it’s critical to understand trends and design principles in order to think outside the box. Get creative with materials, graphics, finishes and more for a custom design that will work.

Some trends to consider are …

Textured Printing

Many large flatbed printers can handle up to 2-inch thick materials, so sign companies can now print on a wide variety of surfaces, such as different grained woods and textured metals.

Building Wraps & Graphic Integrated Exterior Architecture

Sign companies now offer building wraps to create a more aesthetically pleasing exterior for larger structures, such as downtown buildings and parking garages, as well as specialty architecture metals.

3D Printing

3D printing boasts potential for ADA signs and complex interior dimensional signs as the printers can create sculptural objects and apply print graphics for customized solutions.

Direct-to-Substrate & Layered Printing

This process can be applied to dimensional surfaces and a variety of rigid and semi-rigid materials, including metal, aluminum, wood, and plastic.

RGB LED Signage Lighting

Low-voltage RGB LED signage lighting can provide color-changing accents with the benefit of a white or warm-white light source with over 4 billion color combinations.

LED Electronic Message Centers

Electronic message centers, also known as digital signage, can create brand awareness and influence consumer behavior with their ability to instantly change message.

2. Designer-Fabricator Collaboration

When designers and fabricators work together, you ensure every detail has been considered and the end result is a perfect mix of form and function – without worrying about misalignment of plans or sourcing. From surveying to scaling, to schematics, proper planning can ensure sign fabrication is done right the first time.

Some factors to consider include …

Location

Once a tentative location is selected, measure the space in order to visualize how the sign will impact the overall aesthetic and adjust accordingly.

Distance

Metrics, such as the maximum viewable distance, will help inform you in choosing the right size to maintain easy visibility.

Message Length

Draft exactly what you want your message to be then – and this is critical – trim out as many superfluous words you can spare to make sure it is concise and clear. Less is more.

Branding

Your sign should be a fluidly continuous extension of your brand narrative so make sure that all copy complements the aesthetic and feel of your business and its brand.

Proofing and Scaling

Proof your message for misspellings, grammatical errors, printing issues, and more. Consider enlisting the help of someone who’s spelling- and grammar-savvy.

3. Use Scalable and Sustainable Equipment

When the state-of-the-art equipment is available, you can be sure innovation and efficiency are working hand-in-hand. Custom design doesn’t have to come at a high cost when you have the right equipment and processes at your disposal.

Some advanced fabrication equipment includes …

CNC Machining

CNC machining provides a streamlined process for print and cutting applications with the ability for router and laser cutters to use photovision and registration point recognition to print and cut full sheets of nested objects.

The CNC machine utilizes computer numerical control over tools like press brakes, shears, routers, grinders or mills by using specialized software that enables precise control of coordination, feed rate, location, speed and more.

For custom sign fabrication, this means that for signs that require large amounts of metal and plastic parts, often in complex shapes, this machine’s multiple axes can adjust to difficult angles and help manage hard-to-cut materials.

UV Flatbed Printing

UV flatbed printing uses UV-curable inks which are ‘cured’ into a solid film that bonds directly onto the substrate’s surface once exposed to wavelengths of UV light.

Additionally, flatbed printing provides the ability to print on multiple substrates that don’t need pre-preparation for size or shape beyond the parameters of the overall size of the bed.

Environmentally, flatbed digital printing is more sustainable as it produces fewer waste cartridges and less indoor air pollution and since no printing plates or silkscreens need to be produced, flatbed printing allows shorter runs of signs to be produced more economically, too.

At Creative Sign Design, we are extremely skilled at understanding and managing site requirements and conditions, city or municipal desires and mandates, fabrication limitations, and client expectations. And with our design | build process, our clients enjoy fewer steps, fewer partners, and less ambiguity for better pricing, higher quality, and exceptional results.

Contact us today to see how Creative Sign Designs can bring your sign fabrication ideas to life!