How to Measure for a Shop Sign

• A tape measure long enough for the full width of the fascia, or a laser measure
• Your phone, for photos
• Something to write on
• Safe access. If the fascia is above head height, use a stable stepladder with someone holding it, or ask us about installation and we can measure up for you.

1. Width: measure from one end of the fascia to the other, at the top and again at the bottom.
2. Height: measure from the top of the fascia to the bottom at the left end, in the middle and at the right end.
3. Use the smallest figures: fascias are not always square, so if your measurements differ, the smallest width and height are the space the sign has to fit.
4. Height above the ground: measure from the pavement to the bottom and top of the fascia. This matters for access and fitting, and for planning, because height is one of the conditions for a sign to go up without an application.
5. Obstacles: note anything on or near the fascia, such as lights, cameras, alarm boxes, cables, pipes, shutter boxes or old fixings, with their positions.
6. Surface: if you know what the fascia is made of, or what sits behind an old sign, write it down.

Measure in millimetres. Our calculators work in millimetres, which avoids rounding mistakes.

Good photos help as much as the measurements:

• the whole shopfront, straight on, from across the street if you can
• the fascia from each side at an angle
• close-ups of both ends and of anything in the way
• one photo with the tape measure stretched across the fascia, so the scale is clear

Take them in daylight, and include the neighbouring shopfronts if your sign needs to line up with them.

Decide whether the new sign should cover the whole fascia or sit within it as a panel. If it is going over an old sign, measure the old sign as well, so the new one covers any marks or fixing holes.

For a flat panel, enter your width and height in millimetres on the flat aluminium sign or flat Foamex sign page, and the calculator shows the size range available and your price. Anything over 1.5m on a side goes by large-item delivery, which we price after you order, or you can collect it free from our Manchester production HQ. Our shop sign cost guide has example prices for common fascia sizes.

Flat aluminium and Foamex signs are priced online, so you can order as soon as you have your size. Signtrays, illuminated signs and anything unusually long or shaped are made to order: send your measurements and photos on our quote page, and we usually reply with a price the same working day.

Whichever you choose, your proof shows the size we will make, so check it against your measurements before you approve it.

If you would like us to fit the sign, tick professional installation at checkout. Nothing is charged for it there: our team contacts you to discuss the site and confirm a price, and bigger jobs may need a site survey first, where we check access, fixings, surfaces and, for illuminated signs, power. We install UK-wide.

Before you order, it is also worth checking whether your sign needs advertisement consent, and our guide to fitting a Foamex or aluminium sign covers what is involved in putting it up.