What’s it cost to produce this 4-by-5-ft. freestanding sign?

Whenever we use our CNC router, I’m always impressed with how great it is and how much better the signs look. This sign is a good example. The customer came to us, looking for a new sign for their horse-training ranch. They had a logo and a paper sketch of what the sign could look like. (I do love customers who come with an idea!)

The easy approach would have been to make them a flat aluminum sign and move on to the next project. But I just felt this sign could be so much more. When the customer came in to see the proposal, I made sure to have two options for them to review.

The first was the flat, simple and low-cost sign they inquired about. The second, with routed dimension and a custom shape, couldn’t have been more different. As I hoped, they fell in love with the routed sign, and the deposit was given to start the sign.

Follow along as we take a drawing from idea to installed sign. And while a CNC router was a big part of this project, it’s just one tool we use to help make signs.

Don’t have a CNC router? No biggie. Many companies offer routing services so you can sub that portion out and still make some of the best-looking 3-D signs in your market.

Don’t let your selection of tools, or for that matter your experience at making signs, dictate what signs you make in the future. The best way to get experience is to stretch your skills a little whenever you can. The knowledge you gain will pay off on future projects.

Cody Reich’s shop, Columbia Signs, is in Vancouver, Washington. You can visit his website at www.columbiasigns.com.

This appeared in the July/August 2013 issue of SignCraft. While the prices have been adjusted for inflation as of 2024, they may not accurately reflect current pricing for such signage.

Here’s what the customer brought to me.

I wanted to give the customer the option of a less expensive sign, but it was quickly discarded when they compared it to the upgrade.

My second version offered a more attractive and more effective sign design!

The main body of the sign was cut from a 4×8 sheet of 18-lb. HDU board.

Aluminum composite material is a great way to add layers to a sign.

A simple angle iron frame was welded up to add strength to the HDU face.

We bored holes in the front of the HDU for bolts that would mount it to the frame. They will be filled with epoxy to hold the bolts.

Here you see the bored, filled holes that will hold the bolts.

The posts were rough cedar over 4-by-4-in. pressure-treated lumber. Stainless or galvanized hardware is required when using pressure-treated lumber. Caulking joints gives a professional finished product.

Fasteners were carefully placed to be hidden by each layer of the sign.

Notching the template lets us transfer the placement of the letters exactly.

We used a straight edge to align the letters perfectly. Round bottom letters go on last after the straight edge is removed because they often extend below the others.

You can see the mounting hardware in this photo. All the hardware is stainless or galvanized so it won’t rust or show rust drip lines. This really pays off in the long run.

Here’s the finished product.