Memorials & Plaques: An Authoritative Buyer’s Guide

Memorial plaques are meant to endure, physically and emotionally.
Below is a concise guide that aggregates what LetterBank's MyDIYsigns.com offers, so you can choose the right material, finish, and fabrication method with confidence.

What each company brings

LetterBank's MyDIYsigns

• Offers made-to-order, foundry-made metal plaques—aluminum, steel, brass, bronze—with options like special borders, shapes, and varied mounting methods. Their memorial-focused blog emphasizes durability from cast metals for outdoor use and invites custom project quotes and, through their foundry distribution, manufactures architectural plaques in multiple processes (cast, precision/tooled, etched) plus ADA/wayfinding. Their memorial line includes standard and fully custom bronze memorials, with portrait and emblem options, and is backed by an industry-leading lifetime guarantee. 

Plaque types & when to choose them

Cast Bronze/Aluminum
Best for a classic, deep-relief look with permanence (building dedications, landmarks, long-term outdoor memorials). Cast plaques use lead- and mercury-free alloys and include lifetime coverage. 

Precision-Tooled (Machined) Metal
Great for crisp typography, tight tolerances, and large formats—With sizes up to 38″ × 84″ and a lifetime guarantee, the machined plaques are a good choice. Consider for institutional interiors/exteriors where clean lines matter.

Etched Metal (Bronze, Brass, Stainless, Zinc)
Ideal for fine detail, donor lists, small graphics, and layered wayfinding. Specs call out minimums (as small as 2″ × 2″) and maximums up to 36″ × 72″, depending on thickness. 

ADA & Wayfinding Plaques
Raised text and Grade 2 braille, built to code, and covered by a lifetime guarantee—use for accessible facilities and campus programs that complement a memorial environment.

Bronze Memorials (Cemetery & Park Settings)
The memorial program includes standard sizes/borders (with veteran matches), fully custom shapes, and advanced photo treatments like PhotoRelief—plus a lifetime material/workmanship guarantee (with ground-install finish guaranteed for one year). 

Customization options that matter

• Portraits & imagery: Bas-relief, PhotoRelief, etched inserts, and emblems are available through Gemini; MyDIYsigns facilitates these options in project scoping.

• Sizes & shapes: From petite 2″ × 2″ markers to monumental panels (up to 38″ × 84″ for precision plaques). 

• Finishes & colors: Standard patinas, painted backgrounds, and specialty finishes across cast and precision lines. (Request a product guide for standard borders, colors, and finishes.) 

• Mounting: Stud-mount, blind-mount, stake/post, and wall hardware are offered with many mounting methods for site conditions. 

Durability & warranty (what to expect)

• A Lifetime Guarantee: If a plaque fades, breaks, or has defects, the foundry will refinish/replace at no cost when installed in its original location; memorials are guaranteed for the life of the memorial (ground-installation finishes: one year). 

• Outdoor suitability: Cast aluminum/bronze resists corrosion and weathering, making it ideal for parks, buildings, and gravesite markers—an emphasis echoed by MyDIYsigns’ memorial guidance. 

How to buy (quick path)

• Through LetterBank's MyDIYsigns: Start with their memorial overview and submit the project pricing/quote form with photos, dimensions, text, and site info. They coordinate materials, finishes, and mounting plus freight.\

• Gemini: Gemini sells via authorized partners like LetterBank.

Decision cheat-sheet

• Want the timeless look and deep sculptural letters for outdoors? Cast bronze or aluminum.

• Need very large sizes with crisp edges and exact typographic control? Precision-tooled metal (up to 38″ × 84″). 

• Showcasing fine details or long donor lists? Etched plaques (2″ × 2″ to 36″ × 72″). 

• Building an accessible wayfinding program around a memorial? ADA plaques with lifetime coverage. 

• Cemetery or park setting with portraiture/emblems and a formal border? Bronze Memorials (standard or custom) with lifetime material/workmanship coverage. 

Useful starting points (links)

• MyDIYsigns: Lifetime Monument Plaques overview; Creating a Memorial Plaque; Project Pricing Request form. 

• Gemini: All Plaques; Bronze Memorials; Plaques Made to Last; Warranty; Product Guide entries for plaques.

Pro tip for faster approvals

Before ordering, gather:
The final inscription text, high-resolution photos (for portraits), exact size and site photos with measurements, preferred border/finish, and mounting surface details (stone, concrete, masonry, metal, or wood). Pairing this with the quote request saves back-and-forth and speeds production.

Questions? Send a detailed spec sheet to sales@letterbank.com