Types of Shop Sign: Which Is Right for Your Shopfront?

A flat board is a printed rectangle that you fix flat to the wall or fascia. It is the simplest and lowest cost way to put your name on a building.

• Flat aluminium sign: printed 3mm aluminium composite, made for outdoor use. From £16.00.
• Flat Foamex sign: a lighter PVC foam board for indoor signs and short-term outdoor use. From £10.50.

Buy online or quoted: buy online. Enter your size and see the price straight away. Our comparison of Foamex vs aluminium helps you pick between them, and the shop sign cost guide shows typical prices.

A signtray is a folded aluminium composite tray with returned edges, made to the exact size of your fascia. It gives a neat, finished look. There are three styles:

• Vinyl signtray: your lettering and logo in vinyl on the tray. The classic shopfront sign.
• 2.5D signtray: raised letters cut from acrylic or aluminium composite, fixed to the tray for depth and shadow. Guide price from £267.29.
• Fret-cut signtray: letters cut out of the face of the tray. Guide price from £267.23.

Buy online or quoted: quoted. Send your measurements and photos on our quote page, and we usually reply the same working day.

A projecting sign sticks out at right angles from your building, so people can see it from both directions along the street. It is the best way to be noticed from a distance.

• Projecting lightbox: an illuminated, double-sided box lit from inside, made to order in 10 working days.
• Projecting and hanging signs: the wider range for signs that hang or project from the wall.

Buy online or quoted: quoted, because the fixing depends on your wall. Illuminated signs usually need advertisement consent, so read our guide to planning permission for shop signs first.

• LED neon: LED lighting shaped into lettering or a logo, in a full range of colours, made in 7 to 10 working days.
• 3D lettering: individual letters with real depth, for a premium look on a wall or fascia.

Both are statement pieces, designed around your brand and your wall.

Buy online or quoted: quoted. Tell us what you have in mind on the quote page and we will price it for your site.

A stand-off panel is a flat panel held a short distance off the wall on metal stand-offs, which gives a raised look. It suits entrances, receptions and logo walls.

• Brushed aluminium stand-off panel: a metallic finish, suitable indoors or outdoors. From £26.38.
• Clear acrylic stand-off panel: a glossy, glass-like panel made for interiors. From £24.00.

Buy online or quoted: buy online. See our comparison of acrylic vs aluminium stand-off panels if you are not sure.

These work at street level, where people are walking past.

• Pavement A-board: a freestanding board with a changeable poster, for menus, offers and opening hours. From £66.00. Check the rules first with our guide to A-boards and pavement permission.
• Window graphics: printed vinyl on the glass, including frosted window vinyl for privacy and style. Our guide to window frosting and manifestation has the details.

Buy online or quoted: A-boards are online. Window graphics depend on your glass, so send the number and size of windows on the quote page for a whole shopfront.

Four questions narrow the choice quickly:

• Budget: flat boards cost the least. Signtrays, lightboxes, neon and 3D lettering cost more because they are made to order. The shop sign cost guide breaks down what drives the price.
• Lit or unlit: lighting helps if you trade after dark, and unlit signs are simpler and cheaper. See illuminated vs non-illuminated signs.
• Planning: new fascia, projecting and illuminated signs may need consent, especially in a conservation area or on a listed building. Check the planning permission guide before you order.
• How long it must last: aluminium composite is made for permanent outdoor use, while Foamex suits indoor and short-term signs. Our sign materials compared guide covers every material.

Whichever you choose, measure first. Our guide to measuring for a shop sign shows how. Installation is quoted separately, so tell us about your site when you ask for a price.