What Is a Blade Sign?
Blade signs are one of the smaller types of signs for businesses. They will be attached to a pole or directly to the building, and they hang perpendicular to foot traffic. They are typically used in more condensed urban centres and malls to attract pedestrians to a business. They can be made using a variety of materials and in varied styles.
How Big Is It?
Blade signs are typically around a foot in length and height, but their width can be quite varied. Some are as thin as an inch or so, and others can be quite bulky. It all depends on the type of blade sign you choose and how you will be representing your business with it. Thinner blade signs are more elegant and traditional, and are often used for businesses like pubs and restaurants. Thicker blade signs are popular for stores like candy shops and ice cream parlours, because they match the theme of the store and are very eye catching.
What Is It Made Of?
Wood, plastic, acrylic, metal, and aluminum are popular material choices for blade signs. Each has their benefits and drawbacks, so let’s explore them a bit deeper.
Aluminum and other metals are highly durable, weather resistant choices for blade signs. Aluminum is rust proof and is therefore a more popular choice for outdoor signs since it doesn’t need to be coated in zinc to be protected like steel does.
Wood blade signs are incredibly traditional, as this was the first material ever used for this type of sign. They can provide a very rustic appearance, especially with certain treatments, and they can be useful for creating a timeless, nostalgic association with your business. While quite easy to make and cost effective, wood blade signs will be more vulnerable to fading and weather damage, so they will often need to be repainted/refinished to prevent them from looking shabby.
Plastic blade signs are one of the most customizable since they can be molded into any shape. These are great for unique shops that want a sign to exemplify the things that make them stand out from other businesses. Many colors are available without needing custom work done, and they are lightweight and easy to manufacture. These signs are highly weather-resistant, affordable, and lightweight.
Acrylic is another popular material for both interior and outdoor blade signs. This material is available in many colors and is the best for longevity. It will not fade over time and is incredibly resistant to inclement weather. This is one of the most eye-catching materials to use due to its glossy finish, so it’s very popular for busy streets with plenty of competing businesses.
Why Is This Sign Type Needed?
Blade signs are incredibly important for areas like strip malls and busy downtown streets. Since pedestrians will not be walking in the middle of the road to see the flat faced building names, there needs to be a way to identify shops and businesses from the sidewalks. That’s where blade signs come in. They hang perpendicular to the sidewalk so that their face(s) is/are easily visible do to both directions of traffic flow. They usually will be hung directly over or beside the entrance to make it easy for people to know exactly where the business is, and they will have the business name, logo, and perhaps a unique shape or design to give a pedestrian all of the information they need to know about the business right away. At night, illuminated blade signs help direct foot traffic and substantially increase business. Especially in strip malls where there is a lot of choice for similarly branded stores, a unique, intriguing blade sign can make the difference between a client choosing your store over someone else’s.
When Was This Sign Type Invented and Why?
Blade signs have been implemented on businesses and storefronts since the 14th century. They began as markers for inns, cobblers, and blacksmiths primarily. They were very simple in design when they were invented; simple wood boards and either a single word or image to indicate the nature of the business was all that was needed. They were used to help people find their way in both familiar and new territory. It was the easiest way to identify where a business entrance was, especially when on the same side of the street with limited visibility of the shop interior. Back then, symbols were used more often than words (such as an animal to represent a pub), since not everyone was taught how to read. Blade signs never faded out of use, so they have seen some remarkable advancements. Improvements like bracket mounting, illumination, graphics, and unique shapes have all expanded the uniqueness of (and possibilities for) custom blade signs.
Types of Blade Signs
One differentiating factor for blade signs is whether they are illuminated or not. Illuminated blade signs are ideal for businesses that stay open late or are not easily visible from a street. They help catch a pedestrian’s attention and attract them to the business. They are also quite distinctive, so they can help a business succeed in a competitive environment. Both neon and LED lights can be used to illuminate a sign. Non-illuminated blade signs are a more affordable option. These signs allow you to advertise your business in a less obtrusive way. You can have your business name and logo on the sign to give the public an easy way to identify you. This sign type is very classic and traditional.
Whether illuminated or not, they are still many other types of blade signs to be aware of. These include swinging signs, stationary signs, double sided signs, and more.
One of the more eye-catching types of blade signs is the sandblasted panel sign. This is made of high-density urethane boards that are sandblasted for detailing purposes. These typically will be complemented by 3D lettering and colorful paint.
If your aim is to get noticed from far distances, a box cabinet blade sign may be exactly what you need. These are lighted box style signs that can have either dimensional letters advertising your business name and logo, or imprinted vinyl overlay. These boxes are very easy to see during the day and after dark, and they can be dual sided as well.
Aluminum swinging blade signs are one of the most popular types of blade signs. These are thin signs that usually hang from an elegant support rod, and they are highly cost effective. This type of blade sign can be customized with paint, vinyl, and any kind of dimensional letters you find appealing.
Round blade signs tend to be thicker than most other types of bade signs, and they are the best for including more sophisticated graphics. Plastic is a popular choice for round signs, but you can use other materials as well depending on the content you are interested in adding to it.
Lastly, we’d like to give you a quick overview of how blade signs can be mounted, because this is related to their type as well. There are a few options for mounting blade signs; they can be attached directly to a building or pole with a side bracket, they can have a bracket on top of the sign to hang down from an overhang, or they can be attached by a horizontal pole and dangle from short chains. The best mounting style for your businesses depends on the overall type and style of blade sign, and the specifics of your building.
How Is a Blade Sign Made?
Blade signs tend to be one of the more straightforward types to make. Their smaller size makes them easier to work with, and the possibilities for material and design make each sign a unique experience that builds expertise.
What is the Manufacturing Process Like?
Although all types of blade signs will have a slightly different fabrication method, they all follow the same basic steps. First, the base material will be cut/molded into the desired shape. Graphics, letters, and/or paint will be applied, and then the mounting structure will be manufactured and added to the sign. Illuminated blade signs will also have the extra step of being outfitted with wiring and either LED or neon lights depending on the design decisions. Let’s take a look at some details for a couple popular types of blade signs.
Traditional wooden blade signs are one of the easiest to make. Once the appropriate wood panel is chosen, it will be treated to increase its weather resistance and then painted with the lettering and graphics you have chosen to represent your business. Aluminum blade signs will be cut into shape from aluminum sheets, and then they will have the graphics or dimensional lettering applied. These signs usually hang from chains connected to a decorative, appealing mounting rod, so those components will also be fabricated according to your specifications.
No matter what material you choose or how complex the design elements are, your sign will always be made from high quality materials and crafted with an exquisite attention to detail. You can even tour our facility to see for yourself.
How Can Blade Signs Be Customized?
Every blade sign needs to be unique to the business it represents, and that’s why there are a lot of customizable features for every client to play around with. One of the first things you should be choosing is the content, since this will help the design team guide you in the right direction for materials. Some styles can only be achieved using specific combinations of materials. You will also get to choose the color scheme, font style and size, and placement on your building. You can choose to have your blade sign illuminated for better nighttime viewing, or you can leave it traditional. Essentially, any aspect that you can see of a blade sign, you can customize.
What is the Price Range?
Blade signs will usually cost a few hundred dollars. They are smaller than most other sign types so require less material, and they are quite simple to install. The materials, illumination, and graphic sophistication you choose will all impact the final price of the sign, but there are definitely ways to make your dream sign more affordable if need be.
Our Blade Sign Manufacturing Service
We are proud to offer our clients a high quality, professional blade sign manufacturing service. As one of the most useful signs for attracting foot traffic, we know that you need your blade sign to be well constructed, aesthetically pleasing, and sophisticated enough to give a passerby all of the information they need to know about your business in a split second. These are all things we prioritize.
Whether you have a design in mind already or not, our design team will work side by side with you to bring your vision to life. You will have input on the size, shape, style, colors, materials, and of course the content. We will use only the best quality materials for constructing your sign, and you can even tour our facility to see for yourself what will be used to create your sign. Our qualified technicians will ensure the installation process goes smoothly, and if you have any illumination, our electrical division will perform all the maintenance and repairs your sign may need over its lifetime.
No matter how many design elements you wish to include or where you want your sign mounted, we will do everything in our power to design, manufacture, and safely install the sign of your dreams. After all, this sign will likely be the first thing people notice about your business. We are sure it won’t be the only thing that impresses them, though.
Our blade sign manufacturing process ensures that your custom sign is completed on time and without error. Plus, we’ll stick to your budget without fail. We understand how important your sign is to your business, and that’s why your business is important to us.