News

Installing foam letters

Installing foam letters

Measure first, install foam lettering with double-sided tape, then when ready use silicone for a permanent installation.

Replace old sign faces with tracked V3 GlasSteel Fiberglass sign plastic

Replace old sign faces with tracked V3 GlasSteel Fiberglass sign plastic

If you have an older Outdoor Signs America [OSA] sign, we have a way to replace the worn sign faces with new GlasSteel V3 Fiberglass faces. The flat-face portable signs are no longer made and we will miss the smooth lines and  flat sign faces, but perhaps not miss as much the tendency to buckle and warp in the heat. If you have an old "OSA" sign, you will not be able to find replacement sign faces because they're no longer made or available. We have good news for you. Our V3 fiberglass 'faces' will fit on your OSA sign with an adaptor kit. The OSA sign adaptor kit is made of metal and includes 12 48" retainers and 24 zip screws, enough for both side of your sign in the popular 40" tall by 96" wide size. You'll need to cut four of the vertical retainers to 40" if your sign is that size. How?The black aluminum angle retainers are 2.5" by 1.25" to fit around the edges of your OSA sign. Since the OSA sign plastic track only fits up to 0.25" flat faces, the retainers allow the 1" deep V3 faces to fit over the old track. See illustration below.  You may require assistance or perseverance to install the kit.However, the results will be quite attractive, especially when your customers notice how attractive your sign appears- almost like new!For more information, just contact us. You're the reason we're here. The new V3 Fiberglass sign faces will give you many more years of use from your sign investment. You can also update old signs and make them look newer inexpensively. If you're handy with simple tools (small drill and screwdriver), you can easily update your signs with our V3 Fiberglass and OSA sign update kit,look here to order. For assistance with any of our sign products and custom projects, reach out to us like our thousands of customers have over the past 30 years.You'll be glad to have LetterBank in your corner.

Congratulations, you've ordered a LetterBank Readerboard Sign!

Congratulations, you've ordered a LetterBank Readerboard Sign!

What should I expect now that I've placed my Readerboard sign order? Here's a brief overview of the process that begins when you place your order. See also: "Why is freight so costly?" below. Once your order is received, it is received by accounting and entered into the first checkpoint for review. The first checkpoint is where we review the order and determine that, if there are different options or accessories ordered, that they will all work well together so the correct sign ends up shipping with exactly what you expected. Once the order passes our preliminary order review, we check for the necessary signed forms. What forms, you may ask? The first form (if you haven't already sent it in to us) is to determine the cost to ship the sign by freight to your specific address. This is the freight quote request form. When you order, a 'placeholder' amount (usually $450) is applied as a hold on your card for part (or all) of the cost of crating and freight to your ship-to address. Any overpayment or balance due must be taken care of for the order to proceed.  The second form is also required before the sign can be scheduled for production. This form [Delivery Checklist] is to show your acceptance of responsibility, by agreeing that when you accept delivery, you will inspect the sign for any damage or sign of damage before signing the delivery driver's Bill of Lading (delivery receipt). If there is any damage or a torn/dented carton, make sure to inform the driver that you need to inspect the sign or you cannot sign off on it.Signing the Bill of Lading informs the insurance companies that you accept the delivery as is, where is without any damage. This is a legal document, so take as much time as you need to check for any damage. See below: "What happens if I sign the Bill of Lading and discover damage afterwards?" Once the two forms have been received and any balance of freight debit or credit is satisfactory, a project scheduling request is sent with the forms signed to our plant to be entered into the production schedule. Signs are scheduled for production based on the order date and time the order is accepted at the factory. A typical readerboard sign is usually ready for pickup within 12-14 work days, following assembly, electrical work, inspection and preparation for shipping or pickup. If you have ordered freight shipping to your address, we will notify you when the sign as been boxed/crated and has been picked up. We will send you something called the PRO Number and the name of the final freight company that will do the delivery. Getting ready for your new signIt's exciting to prepare for the delivery of your new sign. Take photos of the delivery and inspection. Send them to us for our website and a chance for free gifts! Be sure to have a clean location where you can safely unwrap the sign and recycle the packaging. You may need scissors or a utility knife, a couple of screwdrivers and an adjustable wrench to assemble the legs onto the base of the sign.  Where are the legs and the letter set?You will find that to lower shipping costs, items are consolidated. To access the legs and letters, you'll need to find the side of the sign with the outlet. [A8 model shown] The opposite side of the sign has a removable vertical panel. Take the panel off. Slide out one of the sign faces (plastic with ridges and track) to see inside the sign, where you'll find the leg assembly and a box of letters. Assemble the legs using the wrench- you may want some assistance in holding the sign while you put the legs on. The replace the sign face and the side panel. Now you're ready to plug the sign into your extension cord and create your first sign! What can I do with the letters to keep them sorted?Some like the simplicity of getting 40 or so  folders and a plastic crate to store and sort the letters. Others like to get our Pronto Case, a molded storage case available with wheels which holds up to 600 (two sets) of flex letters.Get one for 25% off retail when you order within five days of delivery!     Why is freight so costly?The main reason is that freight and labor charges have gone up dramatically several times during and since the pandemic of 2020. Another reason is that, since freight companies operate in certain regional areas, it usually takes multiple freight companies to get the new sign delivery to your door.  A third reason is that when a special delivery is requested, like a liftgate delivery van (when delivering to an address with no dock), indoor delivery or delivery to sprawling campuses, fields, stadiums, industrial areas and other requests all add time to the delivery schedule. LetterBank charges exactly what the freight company(ies) charge. We do not augment the bill.   What happens if I sign the Bill of Lading and discover damage afterwards?Sadly there is very little we can do once you sign off on the bill of lading (the delivery contract). 1. Inform the delivery company immediately that damage has been discovered and that you need to file a claim.2. Contact us with photos right away so we can notify the factory. Include a copy of the claim filed.   The overall total costs with freight may be greater than you originally planned, but our profit is a very small fraction of the total costs. We want our customers to be happy with their experiences with the LetterBank/MyDIYsigns team so that you may recommend us to a friend or think of us for replacement supplies and well-thought-out signs to complement your business!

Channel Letters, lighted

Channel Letters, lighted

Order channel letters for your store Channel Letters are dimensional sign letters that are lighted from inside. The letters display on the facade or front of a building or monument. LetterBank channel letters are lit internally with LED modules which have a high effective light output and require less electricity than fluorescent, incandescent or neon. Displaying channel letters is an intelligent way to showcase your brand in front of your customers. Letters are...  Made to order in your size, color and style Ready-to-install: Wiring diagrams and installation pattern are included Certified: UL Listed with Sign Section Labels for Outdoor Installation 5 Year WarrantyChoose the kind you need: Channel Letters Start From Scratch:Design your Channel Letters by sending your letter height, wording, style and color choices for a quote. Channel Letters Made from my art file: Upload artwork that was designed in a vector program (Affinity Designer, Adobe Illustrator, Canvas) and saved in a simplified vector PDF, EPS or AI) IMPORTANT: If proposed sign location is for a lease space which is rented. Check with property owner to confirm if there is a signage criteria before manufacture. All electric signage should have signage permit from city before installing. Custom projects are not returnable For the "Start From Scratch" option, design your own layout and send it for pricing with height, style and color of letters, we will do the rest. For a price quote, include the Letter Height, Style, Color of front (plastic), color of trim and color of returns (sides). Use this form. For the "upload art" option,you can upload a file that was created as a vector in Affinity Designer, Illustrator, Canvas or other vector programs and sent as a pdf. Once we receive your file, we'll go over your Channel Letter specifications and send an estimate. Please follow these guidelines before uploading your artwork. - Vector or Outline all objects - Scale artwork to the exact dimensions of the full-size sign (or 50% overall scale of your file when exceed 200” width) - The shape of the Channel Letter should be simplified before uploading. If a Channel Letter file is too complex with many anchor points or too narrow/wide we will do our part to communicate the best solution to achieve the look you're going for. Save as a PDF file and upload. Use this form. Read about typestyle selection, what size your letters should be and more in this brief, illuminating article.

My awning is Sunbrella or treated with silicone, what are my options?

My awning is Sunbrella or treated with silicone, what are my options?

Awning fabric may range from old-fashioned canvas to 21st century vinyls and resin compounds. If your awning sample does not stick well, it may be because of a reaction to the finish applied to the awning fabric. So what can I do to cover over or to replace or add new lettering on the awning (without having to pay for a whole new awning)? Some solutions listed below may work for your D.I.Y. awning makeover.The least costly solution is likely to be to order our PaintMask self-adhesive stencils in combination with sign paint like 1-Shot. List of distributors here. Find out more about LetterBank PaintMask here.This requires painting over the old lettering with a color close to the awning's original or faded color, then using a contrasting color and PaintMask to finish the project. Next up is our new Awnner™ [Awning/Banner] CoverUps, made for the persistent Do It Yourselfers who want a good-looking result (and a bit of a challenge!). We're still designing and working to make the universal hardware that will allow our Awnner™ CoverUps to work with many kinds of awnings and frames, and to be sufficiently easy to install by a person without the training that sign companies have.The vinyl or fabric banners used in this process are made to complement or contrast to the awning color for optimal visibility and impact and may be removed easily by a non-professional. Finally, our rigid signs option allows us to print your graphics onto one or more durable metal panels which can be installed with or without a snap-open frame into the metal frame of your existing awning, allowing for easy exchange of signs and promotions. For more information on any of our awning signage solutions, contact us with photos and the exact dimensions of your project and what you intend to do. We are here to help you look good.

Wording for Entrances & Gated Communities

Wording for Entrances & Gated Communities

For durable, made-to-order lettering that will withstand time:Where do we begin? When doing research on lettering for your wall, gated entrance or home and business identification, here are a few pointers and a checklist that will save you a lot of time and worry. All of our metal and acrylic letters come with a lifetime limited warranty not to fade, crack, chip or peel. Start at the beginning. You'll need a tape measure and a way to record the measurements, as well as the camera on your smartphone to send photos of the undecorated wall along with your request. Stylish or easy-to-read style?We have countless years of experience to share with you on this project. Whether you want it to look elegant and refined, trendy, upscale or modern, the choice of materials, color and sizes will impact how your project is viewed for decades to come. Here are related articles to review. How to create an entrance sign, A Basic Guide to Wall Lettering Design and our popular Wall Lettering Guide. Standing out from your surroundings!  Are there similar decorated walls in the vicinity? Send a photo if there's a wall you particularly would like to look like ( clear photos are very helpful ). Are there colors that are part of HOA or Community Guidelines that must be followed? Let us know with your request and we're glad to work with you.  Make it happen.Get started now with a price quote request or if you're not yet ready, ask for assistance. We can include a mock-up free with your order, or for a small set-up fee without an order. Just ask!   Best to you and your projects! LetterBank + MyDIYsigns Team

B2B Business to Business Sign Printing

B2B Business to Business Sign Printing

For many of the industrial, military, corporate and commercial markets, LetterBank Signs + Print just makes good sense. See Services belowBased on customer surveys of our Fortune 1000 clients, who typically purchase tall outdoor Banners with Wind-Proof Stands, Printed Table Covers, Wall Lettering, Lighted Can Signs and Decals, 100% of our Corporate customers (who replied to share an opinion) stated that they will use LetterBank Resourcing and Fulfillment in their next branding and marketing outreach.   Checking in with our Military customers, the more popular orders are for  Decals, Floor Decal Graphics, Stencils,  Rec Signs and  Changeable "Curb" Signs  100% of Military respondents said that we are on their list of preferred suppliers.   Top-sellers with our Sign Shops in stand-alone and franchise locations are: Custom Sign Frames (snap-open and security), Awning Lettering in our DuraStik Lettering and Cover-Ups, Foam Letters for Concrete Casting and Replacement Sign Parts Sign Covers Sign shops may choose to participate with our B2B wholesale services and production with knowledgable full art and marketing services available.   ServicesSign Brokerage, Printing and Fulfillment Services, professional Art and Graphics and logistics evaluations are available.  Simply put, since 1989 we strive to find you the best signs and sign fabrication solutions for your sign projects. Clients include PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Toyota, Circle-K, PG&E, Verizon, US Government, USSteel, Exxon/Mobil and many Fortune 1000 corporations of note. Our 30+ years of experience in the intricacies of sign manufacturing, capability and procurement allows us to save you money but more importantly, save you time on your projects and get the products ready with time to spare.Now more than ever, businesses must catch the eye of their customers.We can help you to do just that.   To set up a time for a no-strings-attached call, just ask. Check out our new B2B and B2G article

New! Rigid stencil system for perfect letter mounting on walls is announced.

New! Rigid stencil system for perfect letter mounting on walls is announced.

INTRODUCING IMPROVED INSTALLATION TOOLS Based on suggestions and feedback from our customers, we've improved our installation tools for metal and acrylic flat cut letters. These upgraded, updated tools make installation easier, saving you time and money. Gemini and LetterBank introduce the Rigid Stencil (replacing the old paper patterns for letters 4" and smaller). The RIGID STENCIL GUIDE More durable than a paper stencil, the Rigid Stencil Guide is printed and cut on rugged, durable material, for precise placement without curling or tearing. A computer-generated, full-size cutout, the Rigid Stencil Guide is designed for smaller letters and logos. A high-quality finished installation has never been simpler.When you order self-adhesive tape on letters, you'll like Our New ONE-PIECE TAPE BACKING One-piece, full-coverage backing eliminates the nuisance of dealing with multiple pieces of double-face tape on every single letter. This improvement is now a standard feature for smaller, interior flat-mounted letters and logos. Easier tape handling eliminates frustration and speeds up installation. This new one-piece backing is for our flat cut metal and plastic letters.     And for larger letters, we are glad to introduce The PERFECT PATTERN Designed for larger, mounted metal letters, the computer-generated Perfect Pattern is calibrated to our production equipment. Printed on weather-resistant, tear-resistant material, it provides a guide to accurate drilling and mounting for the initial install, future replacement letters and duplicate signs in different sizes. It's your guide to a perfectly mounted sign, every time. LET'S TALK Our customers spoke up about their installation challenges, and we worked hard to come up with solutions. What else can we do to support your business and help you deliver high-quality finished signs?Let us know. You can Ask for a Quote on your Dimensional Letters projects here. We're glad to help. If you want help with an upcoming project for wall letters, indoors or outside, plain or lighted, we're here to guide you through the design, selection and ordering.Already know wha tyou want" We're your go-to source for professional service.   LetterBank is a distributor for Gemini Lifetime Warranty letter products.

Can you even read this in 30 seconds? Average attention span is 3 seconds!

Basics of DIY Sign Design, a checklist

Basics for sign design: A checklist for testing your ads and signs    The primary purposes of a Sign or Ad: To attract, to inform, identify or (as an Ad) to motivate.See our free review details below.Does your sign pass these eight simple checks?If you're shopping for a sign or to have someone design an effective sign for you, use this to check the design before purchase. Let's get started!   The Squint Test: Hold the sign or layout before you and squint. Can you make out what the sign says when you squint at it through your almost-shut eyelids? If not, your choice of colors and/or typestyles needs to be reconsidered, or there's just too much going on to be easily understood. Fancy does not equal readable. Squeezing a lot into a limited space makes it easy to ignore. The Meaning Test: Is there one clear, easily understood message in the sign, or is it "cute" or unclear as to its purpose? Does the sign try to cover many, many points or products? Be succinct; be colloquial K.I.S.S. Keep it simple and just get to the point, fast. See why below.   The Spew Test:  Does the person overseeing or designing the sign know exactly what they want the sign to accomplish? Common amateur mistake: Trying to put too much information or a cluster of photos on a sign, because "it fits", and because "there's still some space available", without thought to the function of the sign, or its purpose. But how much is too much? The prevailing thought is, "Heck, I paid for it; I'll put my great-aunt's recipe on it if I want to."  Do you have a crystal clear idea of the purpose of the sign?The 3-Second Test: The ultimate goal of making a sign is to have it easily understood within 3 seconds. That's the average attention span of an American adult and it's falling rapidly, according to recent studies. 3 seconds (count off three seconds now- it's not a whole lot!) means that you need to clearly identify what you are selling, quickly. The company name should be second in importance, even if you're Pepsi. (no one is immune to script signs) The Colors Test: Are the color values too close together (see Squint test)? For instance, a red letter with a royal blue outline (a very common and easy to remedy error) may appear fancy on the computer screen, in your email or at arms length, but IRL will be virtually unreadable from a distance or at street driving speeds. Colors that are too close together in value should not be used as outlines or backgrounds as that makes it more difficult to understand. If you look at the colors above and squint, many of the colors may blur together because they're too close in value. See it? The VanGogh Test: (above)Is the sign too artsy/busy to be readable? Most people don't think twice about avoiding complicated things. Why bother?Some "sign artists" pride themselves on how fancy and detailed their layouts are: Oooh, gilded gold 3D swash-y textured or outlined letters on a smalt glass background and curlycues up the yingyang in ten different typestyles with holographic foil and a cool theatric wash-out.Cool. But can you read it from a distance? Or is it "art"?The Shout Test: This is practically the antithesis of "arty" or "florid". It's usually ALL CAPITAL LETTERS BECAUSE THE PERSON TYPING OUT THE SIGN CAN'T BE BOTHERED. Don't waste your time or money. The Scan Test: Assuming you have several layouts for the same sign, put them side by side on your desktop. Now stand back and scan the signs, or ask a friend to scan them without telling them why. A better layout may stand out more, or be more readable, or certainly have that eye-catching quality.Can you understand the roadway sign above in 3 seconds?Try it!Looking for good sign design? There are perhaps thousands of qualified professional sign shops and designers. At LetterBank | MyDIYsigns We have a trained and experienced art staff ourselves and we're also glad to review your art for free. That's free.Email us with your sign photo or for more information and the kind of sign it will be. See examples of the kinds of signs below. Then write us and send a file, photo or sketch.  Comments? We love 'em. What are your thoughts? Did I leave anything out that you want to know more about?Experienced? We welcome your expertise and sharing. Chime in with your thoughts and any comments you may have.   Popular sign types by category:BannersWindowYard SignsSigns with FramesDecalsSign PrintingEngraved/Sand BlastedReplacement Sign PartsMagnetic Signs  

Promote "Safe Business" for your Employees, Staff and Customers

Promote "Safe Business" for your Employees, Staff and Customers

Promote safe business practices. We're open for your design, sign printing and fulfillment service needs.No one can know how long we'll be working in a world with COVID-19 restrictions. Best bet is to imagine that we're all needing to educate and remind people to use caution when they do business with us (without scaring them away). Our materials and signs are all custom printed and available quickly from our design or yours, shipping from our Los Angeles CA plant usually within a couple of days.  Take a look at some of the more popular orders:Sign-i-Cade Curb Sign with Prints $129More curb signs here See-Through Perforated Window Ads $130 for 4x5 footMore window signs here Window Static Cling Signs $70 for 2x4 foot 'Pillowcase' Banner Stands $199.95 36x90" Vinyl Banner full color $119.50 3x10 feetMore banner types here For artwork and design, send us your layout or artwork for a price quote. Stay safe!

×