PVC monuments deliver durability and lots of appeal
By signcraft
Posted on Monday, January 30th, 2023
A monument sign delivers a much different look and message than a sign panel mounted between two posts. The additional mass of its structure makes the sign more visible, but also speaks of permanency. The structure and graphics therefore become a permanent, professional and attractively visual unit.
About 25 years ago, Joe Paffoon (Boardwalk Designs, Inc., Lynn Haven, Florida) began using PVC board to fabricate monument signs, which traditionally are CMU / wood structures. He liked PVC’s durability plus it can be handled much like wood for fabrication.
“Mike Sheehan (Classic Sign & Design) in Pensacola and I were some of the first shops to fabricate monuments from PVC board,” says Joe. “Mike had started using PVC for sign panels then we both decided to try using it in building monument sign structures. There were lots of challenges to work through, and one was finishing PVC board; in fact, our shop pioneered using exterior acrylic latex as a finish for PVC board—this was at a time when everyone said it wouldn’t stick to PVC.”
Joe went on to develop ways to fabricate attractive sturdy monuments from PVC board. He combines techniques and finishes such as synthetic stucco, cut-out PVC letters, carved graphics—to create highly visual, attractive monuments.
