Lawn Signs Key Terms

Terms to know when designing and ordering lawn signs

You can use lawn signs for marketing many types of businesses and concepts. Real estate firms and political campaign organizations both use lawn signs for marketing. Home contractors often use signs to advertise to the neighbors of a customer.

Sign manufacturers have some confusing terms for types of signs. There are also terms that help you understand how to send a graphic to the printer and how to know what size sign is best for different locations.

MDO wooden sign

MDO stands for medium density overlay and is a type of plywood-like product that is tough, sturdy and wears well, making it a good choice for outdoor signs that need to last.

Corex, corrugated plastic

Corex is a special kind of corrugated plastic well suited for outdoor signs. It's waterproof and inexpensive to produce and print on. When properly designed, the plastic contains flutes that run vertically between the exterior surfaces, so you can insert sign posts.

Fluted signs

Corex signs are made of fluted plastic. Each flute is a separate small tube running vertically within the sign. You can insert thin metal sign posts into the flutes and then insert the other end of the posts into the ground to create a sturdy, waterproof lawn sign.

H frames, U frames

There are several types of metal stakes and frames to hold lawn signs. One of the most popular is an H frame, which uses cross pieces to hold together two vertical posts. A U frame, shaped like three sides of a rectangle, holds signs that fold over at the top. Simple straight metal stakes can also hold up a sign, if you use two or more.

30 MPH rule

This rule helps you decide the size of the sign needed for different locations. If cars are going by at less than 30 miles per hour (MPH), you can use a smaller sign. You should use larger signs and lettering for locations where the speed limit is greater than 30 MPH.

JPG, TIFF

If you want to design your own sign or send the sign printer a logo, you will need to know something about graphic file formats. Most printers will accept JPG, also called JPEG, and TIFF formats. Some will accept other types of formats, as well. Check the printer's website to see which ones will work.

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