Your sign is your business' suit and tie. Would you wear a cheap suit to a job interview? The classiest signs you can put on your business? Sandblasted, Routed, or Carved Signs made from wood or HDU (high-density urethane). These signs from Visigraph will last for decades,* unlike some of the cheaper vinyl on wood or plastic signs some businesses dress up in. In reality, these signs are no more expensive than cheaper signs that need replaced every five years.

Sandblasting can be done with many substrates, but is most commonly used with hi-density urethane, redwood, and cedar. Sandblasting reveals the natural grain in wood and leaves a unique "pebbled" finish on HDU. Glass, metal, and stone also sandblast exceptionally well.

To make a great Sandblasted Sign, you need a solid foundation. We use clear redwood, cedar, or 18lb. HDU as the base material for our signs. Then we adhere a pre-cut rubber stencil mask to the substrate and sandblast the areas that are not covered by the mask until it is at the desired depth, usually 1/4" to 3/8".  Then we prime or stain or clear-coat the wood or HDU, and finish it with stains, varnishes, or urethane enamels to give the sign maximum longevity.

*Signs may need refinished every 2-10 years, depending on the original finish, but the base sign should last for several decades if properly maintained.

View our sandblasted sign gallery.

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Possibly one of the earliest forms of signs, carving can be done by hand or, less expensively, with our computer driven CNC routers. Wood, metal, plastic, and HDU (hi-density urethane) are all routable sign materials. Either way the result is a beautiful sign that can be hand-painted, stained, or gold leafed for one of the classiest signs available.

So what is the difference between carving and routing? The basic difference between carved and routed signs is the router bit (routing generally is done at a 90 degree angle - carving is done with a V-grooved bit). Routing is typically used on informational and directional signs, and is an attractive alternative to vinyl copy on plastic or MDO. Carving can be done, as previously mentioned, by hand or with a router.

Carved Signs make great business signs, particularly on boutiques and other stores that want to appeal to an upscale clientele. Hand-Carved Signs are certainly more romantic and have an element of art that you won't have with a CNC-Carved Sign, but it may be difficult to tell the difference from five feet away, unless you are looking at the invoice. CNC-Carved signs will be considerably less investment per square foot. We do both.

Visigraph can help you with your design, or if you have a design, we can turn your ideas into art. Call, fax, or email us today.

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