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Here’s how Chris does a typical cast aluminum letter installation. These letters were being reinstalled after a building addition, so he had to make a new pattern. He ground a point on short studs to mark the hole locations on the pattern. Then he laid the pattern on a sheet of insulation foam. Each letter was pressed in position, making a perforation in the pattern at each stud location, as you can see in the photo at right.
The hole locations are marked to make them easier to see on site.
The letters were numbered on the back so that they will go in the correct location on the wall. Then the pattern was taped to the wall with duct tape and the concrete block wall was drilled at each hole location.
The long studs were threaded into the letters, and the holes were drilled in the wall.
The letters were checked for fit then removed, and the pattern taken down. The holes were filled with silicone adhesive and the letters were installed slightly off the surface of the wall.
The cast aluminum letters from Gemini will last for decades on this government building.
“Sometimes you run into a very uneven surface like this stone wall,” Debi says. “We had to do a raised stud mount on extensions. It’s a little trickier because you want the letter faces all on the same plane.”
Here Chris drills a brick wall for a set of flat cut aluminum composite letters.
Pads bonded to the backs of the letters hold the studs.
Once the holes are drilled, they were filled with silicone adhesive and the studs were slid into the holes.
“Because an awning over the window limited the access to the front of the building,” Debi says, “this job couldn’t be installed from a bucket truck. The customer took the awning down, then we installed the letters using a scissor lift.”

6 tips for success with architectural letters

With their impressive look and appeal, letters are a natural upsell

By signcraft

Posted on Monday, August 28th, 2017

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Sourcelist: Architectural letters

ARK Ramos:
www.arkramos.com

Gemini Sign Products:
www.geminisignproducts.com

Metal Arts:
www.mtlarts.com

Steel Arts:
www.steelartco.com
When longevity and durability matter, architectural letters are often the solution. Architects, contractors and graphic designers often specify dimensional letters for schools, government offices, corporate buildings and medical centers. Besides delivering important information, these letters speak of permanence and stability—just as a banner stretched across a storefront tells consumers the information is temporary.

There’s a natural appeal to individual letters and logos. They turn the entire wall or building into a sign. Raised pad stud mounted will cast a shadow, emphasizing their dimension. This elevates the graphics above the surface, making them a more appealing and prominent sign.

Chris and Debi Lovelady create, purchase and install a lot of architectural letters on storefronts and buildings, and also use them on monument signs. They take advantage of the image these letters can create for their customers.


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