Popular House Sign Materials
Our team at Rustic stone have been creating and crafting house sign for over a decade now and have tested many different types of house sign materials, for example: stone, wood, metal or glass, plastic (acrylic) and even concrete.
Our team have the knowledge and understanding of every material pros and cons, so that we can share this information with our customers, to give them a sign that will fill their needs as well as lasting a long time to come. Rustic Stone has an extensive range of materials to use to fit your taste, budget, and what you would like from your sign. Our skilled team can give you advice on how to maintain your new sign which will extend the life expectancy of it.
Stone Materials
Stone is one of the most popular choices for House Signs made from Stone due to their natural look and durability against weathering. Once your stone sign arrives, you know you have a material showing off your home that could be up to 500 million years old, and some could contain fossilised shells, animals, fish or plants which leaves you with one of the worlds most natural stone house sign for your property.
Stone is extremely durable and has survived millions of years of weather conditions such as corrosion which makes stone one of the best materials to use, ensuring that it will last for years to come with little maintenance. Natural stone signs can be attached to a wall, applied to a post or freestanding on a lawn or at the end of a driveway and will complement any home.
Stone signs, however, are not ideal when looking at DIY House Sign as they are tough to engrave without the right technology and tools but contacting a reputable stone engraver online will leave you with a stunning sign that has been imprinted with your wording and imagery to present your home in style.
Popular Stone Choices
Common stone choices for making a high quality stone house sign includes but not limited to: Slate, Welsh Slate, Marble, Sandstone and Yorkshire Stone
Stone House Signs: PROS
- Durable
- Strong
- Can hold itself upright
- Natural beauty
- Less maintenance
Stone House Signs: CONS
- Unable to engrave yourself
- Can be expensive depending on the type of stone
- Not widely available on the highstreet
Metal Materials
House Signs made from Metal are another popular choice as they tend to look smart hanging from a post or above a pub’s door. Cast iron signs are usually prevalent for barns, farms, signposts and other types of businesses.
Unlike stone, metal materials require a lot more maintenance as they tend to struggle with weather conditions. Metal signs can rust and corrode over time, leaving it needing to be replaced a lot more often than most materials, especially if it is close to the ocean, then it will destroy a lot faster.
Stainless steel signs have been increasingly common for modern homes and businesses giving them a professional and stylish look and usually, have lighting behind it to light up the details displayed which is excellent for visitors finding their way.
Popular Metal Choices
Common metal choices for making a high quality metal house sign includes but not limited to: aluminium, brass, bronze, cast iron and stainless steel.
Metal House Signs: PROS
- Professional
- Modern
- Easy to install
- Lots of choices of metals
Metal House Signs: CONS
- Can corrode
- Rusts easily
- Requires expensive tools
Plastic Materials
House signs made using plastic has grown in popularity over the last ten years due to them being affordable as well as looking smart.
The most common plastic that is used in house signs tends to be acrylic and is a much more affordable product than glass, which makes it the most popular choice. Most acrylic signs will have a high gloss surface which will protect the sign during adverse weather conditions.
Plastic house signs allow the customer to choose a wide variety of colours, and a company will engrave the sign enabling the customer to choose any fonts and colours to create a unique sign.
Popular Acrylic Choices
Common acrylic styles for making a high quality plastic house sign includes but not limited to: Cutout Acrylic and Printed Acrylic.
Plastic House Signs: PROS
- Affordable
- Variety of colours
- Easy to work with
- Easy fixtures
Plastic House Signs: CONS
- UV rays fading the sign over time
- Can be brittle
- Will shatter easily
Wood Materials
House Signs made using Wood have been used for centuries and still are as popular today. National parks will even use wooden signs to mark out directions or attractions within their parks today due to their natural look, and they fit well within the scenery.
Most wooden materials can be affordable such as lumber, but some wooden materials like oak can be more expensive, but each has a different look and style to what you may be looking after.
Popular Acrylic Choices
Common acrylic styles for making a high quality plastic house sign includes but not limited to: Accoya, Balau, Chestnut, Douglas Fir, English Cherry, English Oak, Idigbo, Iroko, Opepe, Sapele, Sycamore.
Wood House Signs: PROS
- Affordable
- Natural look
- Unique shaping of the wood
- Can be used as a DIY project
Wood House Signs: CONS
- Water damage
- Decay from weather
- Termites if untreated
- Treatments required
Glass Materials
Signs made using glass are slightly more expensive than acrylic, but the results are worth spending that extra on a glass sign.
Glass signs are most popular with modern homes or businesses and look highly professional when they display family or business names on them. Glass signs are strong and durable throughout most weathers but will only fix to a wall and will not, so choosing a place beforehand is critical.
Glass signs will need to be ordered with an online company if you want it to be engraved as this is a complicated process. The LED lighting can be placed behind the glass sign to light up the details to give it an extra look of elegance. Glass can also be used to make pretty mosaic house signs.
Glass House Signs PROS
- Elegant
- Strong
- Easy to clean
- Easy to maintain
Glass House Signs: CONS
- Can easily shatter
- Can chip and crack
- Can be difficult to install
Combined Materials
Now that we have looked above at all the pros and cons of each material for our house sign, we can now think about combining these materials to create a unique sign that no one else will have.
There are many reputable house sign companies online that will combine these materials and engrave the details on them for their customers.
Customers may want an acrylic backing of the sign and then a glass engraved front. There are many ideas for making signs on online sites such as Rustic Stone Pinterest and Rustic Stone House Signs on Google Images.