By signcraft
Posted on Monday, January 8th, 2024
3D signs pack a lot of appeal and it’s easy to add them to the type of signs you offer. It opens the door to a broader market of higher end signage. And thanks to the outsourcing options, you can move in this direction without adding equipment.
Over the past few years, RT Signs, Steinbach, Manitoba, has been producing more and more 3D signs. As usual, once you get more of a certain type of work out for the public to see, customers who want that same type of work start showing up at your shop.
“We went through a stage a few years ago where almost all of our work was printed,” says Travis Toews of RT Signs. “We were confident of the durability and the work went through the shop smoothly. But we realized that there were materials that delivered outstanding quality and durability for 3D signage. We started doing more 3D signs and more customers started asking us about them.”
Dimension can bring a lot of interest to a design. While the same layout may look great as a flat sign, a 3D version can be more dramatic. It can add a look of sophistication and professionalism to a business. Along with corporations, small businesses and schools, RT Signs has found a market with nearby municipalities as well.
“Local communities, mostly small towns, are open to 3D signs,” Travis says. “They want something that is low maintenance and very durable. The sign won’t directly make money for the town, but it sets a tone. It’s a matter of community pride and respect for the community. It makes a statement. They’re making an investment in that.
“There is a lot of agriculture here, too, and we have done several farm signs as a result. Farmers are open to having a sign that makes a very good impression. Again, the sign isn’t going to make them any more money, but it shows the pride they have in their farm.”
On the corporate side, you often aren’t designing the graphics but rather how they are used dimensionally. You’re not likely to design a new logo for a corporate client or long-established business, so your task is to design a 3D sign that best expresses their existing logo.
RT Signs is in a stable, middle-class community and many of the shop’s clients are Mennonites, who are traditionally frugal and conservative. Though they are not so conservative today, that mindset still seems to carry over into some things. Travis says that a proposal for a 3D sign may seem “over the top at first” compared to what they might have thought a sign would cost. “But people also want value for what they spend,” he adds. “A 3D sign can be a great value because of the longevity.”
3D sign design and production
Creating effective 3D signs involves more than learning how to create cutting paths for the router. Dimension creates some design challenges that require consideration. RT Signs’s approach to 3D sign design avoids complexity and keeps costs down for customers. Dimension can add appeal without having to be overly expensive.
“Cost is almost always a factor, no matter what type of sign,” says Travis. “Most customers have a budget so we try to keep things simple. A 3D sign doesn’t have to be extravagant. While designing a sign, we’re thinking about how we will build the sign efficiently.
“I think designing more dimensional signs in the past few years has changed my approach to design in general. Working in 3D helps you think about legibility. You have to consider the effect of the shadows, contrast and color choices. And you want to make it practical to produce to keep it affordable, too.”
There are plenty of ways to put dimension to work, too. CNC routing and cut-out letters, laser-cut letters, molded letters and sandblasting all get into the act.
RT Signs also uses a lot of PVC board for 3D signs because they find it affordable and easy to work with. In spite of their extreme temperatures, they haven’t had any expansion and contraction issues. They outsource their CNC cutting. Acrylic latex is used to finish most of their work, along with automotive paint in some cases.
“For dimensional letters, we may have Gemini Inc. fabricate them or else we CNC-cut the letters and spray the finish. Laser-cutting has made it easy to add dimension and appeal to a sign. We often use Gemini’s laser-cut acrylic letters for this. They’re a great way to add dimension.”
Selling 3D signage
Every sign projects an image, and attractive 3D signs send a message of permanence and stability. That’s a key factor to use in your sales approach.
“What we’re talking about,” says Travis, “is better felt than explained by most people. They can’t necessarily explain why they find 3D signs more attractive or appealing—but they know that it is.
“Dimension adds so much to a design. Dimension adds shadows, it adds shape, and it adds interest. Most of the signs out there are flat signs, so that makes dimensional signs unique. It can set a sign apart.”
Routed Sintra PVC board and acrylic sheet, and painted. It stands 17 ft. tall.
Laser-cut painted acrylic letters from Gemini Inc. on 10mm thick PVC board panel which is mounted on the painted 6mm thick aluminum composite material [ACM] backer. The cow is carved and hand painted PVC. It was installed by the customer on existing posts.
Laser-cut acrylic letters on a painted 6mm ACM panel. The graphic is painted on two layers of 10mm PVC. The timbers are 8-by-8-in. common oak with steel stringers.
Painted ACM cabinet fabricated in a custom shape with painted PVC and acrylic letters and graphics.
Handpainted sandblasted western red cedar sign mounted on custom steel frame and bracket
Painted ACM cabinet fabricated in a custom shape on a base of concrete board siding over treated wood posts
Western red cedar panel, sandblasted and painted
Fabricated ACM banner with painted acrylic letters and graphics wrapping around a concrete structure built by client
CNC-cut letters and graphics on an ACM cabinet with a vinyl film background
Sandblasted hand painted western red cedar panel mounted on a custom steel frame and bracket.
Custom wood frame and backer panel with cutout ACM graphics with printed vinyl finish
Acrylic graphics on an ACM panel with a vinyl background, mounted in a custom steel frame and bracket
“This is an economy dimensional sign,” says Travis. It’s all 6mm ACM with printed vinyl finish.”
Sandblasted hand painted western red cedar panel mounted on a custom steel frame and bracket.
Formed plastic letters from Gemini Inc.
Sandblasted western red cedar and hand painted. The sign was made in 2004 and this photo is from 2019.
This sign was a Christmas gift and hasn’t been installed yet. It will go on a custom wood frame.
