class="tag"Posts Tagged ‘distressed’
3 Comments Custom Wood Sign Trends – Why Barn Board Is Hot In Artistic Sign Design
How Do Trends Start?
By definition a TREND is a general direction in which something is developing or changing. If that is the case then we are trendsetters here at The Sign Depot. We strive to always be unique and innovative when it comes to creating our custom signs. We approach each project individually and look for ways to help our clients get noticed. We have been recognized for the uniqueness of our custom barn board signs by winning Runner Up for Best Business Sign for the Spirithouse sign we created, but the real trend began when barn board started popping up in Kitchener Waterloo. When clients come in with sign concept in mind we work hard to create the vision they have in mind. This was the case with the Death Valley’s Little Brother sign.
Bringing Back Barn Board
When Death Valley’s Little Brother needed a rustic looking wood sign that would catch the eye of passers-by we knew this would be an out of the ordinary custom business sign.
Barn board was used as a backer for the rusted finish individual cut out letters. In order to give a lot of contrast between the wood and the letters the reclaimed barn board with given an distressed finish and the letters were pin mounted to add dimension to the sign.
And They Tell Two Friends
Once the Death Valley’s Little Brother sign was installed in Waterloo, we started receiving inquiries about rustic look wood signs. The Truth Beauty Compay. contacted us regarding their upcoming move and wanted to have a vintage-look wood sign created for their new location. You can read more about their sign creation over on our post Custom Vintage Look Wood Signs.
Another inquiry came from Cheeses Murphy. Cheeses Murphy is a late night grilled cheese eatery that was about to open a second location in Downtown Kitchener. They had noticed the custom wood signs that their Uptown Waterloo neighbours had and came to us to create a barn board sign for their new establishment. Take a look at our Reclaimed Barn Board post to learn about the process to make their sign.
Photo Courtesy of Cheeses Murphy
We’re Trending
Because of the many retro-look signs we have created over the past few years we are getting a lot of calls about signs made from reclaimed materials and even for new signs that have a distressed look.
It is a design trend that we love. Using a variety of materials and fabrication methods is something we specialize in. Finding ways to create dimension through artistic signage is what makes us unique in the sign industry. What makes you a trendsetter in the marketplace? Leave a comment with your answer! We want to know what makes you stand out!
Custom Wood Signs Created From Reclaimed Barn Board – Cheeses Murphy
A New Business Signs With A Vintage Look
Our latest installation has brought us to a new area of Downtown Kitchener Ontario. Just blocks away from the new court house is where you can find the newest location for Cheeses Murphy. Just like the concept of this grilled cheese restaurant, the custom business sign for it needed to be unique and tasteful.
Reclaimed barn board with individual cutout letters were used in this framed sign. The fabrication took several steps.
The wood was given a custom finish to give it a distressed look and enhanced the wood grain of the boards. The barn board would serve as a sign backer for the business name. Individual letters were created by CNC cutting half inch PVC on our router table and they were then prepped for pin mounting. A handcrafted wood frame was constructed to surround the sign backer and painted to match the cut out letters. Together these pieces would create a modern sign with a vintage look.
Assembly And Installation
After all the various components of the Cheeses Murphy sign had been manufactured and finished it was time to assemble the sign and install it above the establishment.
The pin mount letters were flush mounted to the barn board backer to add dimension to the sign and the finished wood frame completed the look.
The custom wood sign was installed above the entrance-way and an additional vinyl decal was added to front door to attract the attention of both vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
Photo Courtesy of Cheeses Murphy. Click the image to visit the Cheeses Murphy Facebook page
Photo courtesy of Andrew Coppolino of Waterloo Region Eats. Click the image to follow him on twitter
What Will Be Next?
What will be next? Be sure to watch our Sign Depot Blog for updates on what else is to come from this developing area in Kitchener otherwise known as the Duke St. Food Block. For more examples of 3 dimensional restaurant signs be sure to visit our portfolio page. There you will find a variety of sculptural signs that are sure to grab your attention!
There’s A New Kid In Town – Beertown Arrives In Waterloo Region
Exterior Signs For An Extraordinary Restaurant Concept
As mentioned on the Beertown website….
Beertown – our newest concept – is a fusion of a retro public house and a modern beer bar, built around a ‘chef driven’ kitchen.….the newest Charcoal Group Restaurant was going to change the local eatery landscape in Waterloo Region. With their unique approach to culinary masterpieces, we knew that this sign project needed “WOW” factor.
Since Beertown Cambridge is situated on the busy Highway 24, Hespler Rd there would be a lot of vehicle traffic passing by, and there would need to be a way to catch their attention. It was important to have Beertown’s exterior business sign be noticed by passers-by.
The Beertown main logo was only part of the focus for this sign. In addition the PUBLIC HOUSE part of the sign was to be a feature as well.
We used several techniques to create the outdoor signs. The “Beertown” portion was created from channel letters finished to match the brand logo. The “PUBLIC HOUSE” was also created with channel letters, but with a few additions. That element of the sign was to resemble a marquee sign with an aged look. Most marquee signs are created with traditional light bulbs, but to keep the sign eco-friendly the light bulbs are actually powered by LED lights, which are low energy and have a much longer bulb life. The paint finish on the letters gave the sign a distressed look that would catch attention to those driving by.
You can see some of our behind the scenes photo on the Beertown Facebook Page. In addition to the main exterior sign a mural was created on the side of the building. The mural resembled a bottle cap with a weathered look. It was created with stencils, spray paint and our resident graffiti artist/sign creator David Hoover. The finished mural quickly changed a plain white wall into a work of art.
When the project was completed Beertown included The Sign Depot in their announcement of opening video. The video below catches the installation portion of their signage.
