Market with Metal: 5 Reasons to Print Aluminum Signs

Whether informative or decorative, custom metal signs give your business signage and branding a facelift. With an aluminum composite makeup featuring white-painted aluminum sheets and a solid plastic core, these signs give any message, logo or brand character that others just can’t.

It’s that character that drew Steven Romeo to Smartpress’ aluminum signs. As the CEO of Music City Creative in Nashville, TN, Romeo’s sign needed to check a couple of crucial boxes.

“We knew the material would fit with the industrial feel of the building that we are in,” he said. “We also knew that it is a long-lasting sturdy material to print on.”

Justin Frey, Creative Manager for Merit Coffee, said, “I needed a sign that would last in close proximity to coffee! Spills/splashes happen all the time. Also, [aluminum] looks much more professional and communicates quality to our partners – versus sending them a paper/cardstock sign.”

Cohesion is essential when it comes to messaging and branding, whether you’re working on a multi-platform campaign or the aesthetic of your physical space. And Romeo wasn’t the only one to key in on that fact. 

Scott Beeler, president of Beeler Communications, ran with that signage strategy for one of his clients, StoryCatchers. With an uncomplicated yet effective design, Beeler’s sign “evokes the client’s unique and vital mission: to capture the life stories of loved ones.”

Knowing aluminum signs are “durable for exterior use and [at a] reasonable cost,” Beeler’s goal to “craft exterior signage to match the existing branded materials” was easily achieved. And with Smartpress, it’s a goal within reach for any business.

Tip: Want to print aluminum signs in specific shapes? Add digital die cutting to your design! Part of our premium online printing services, die cutting lets you create signs in simple ovals and rectangles, complex abstract logos and anything in between. 

No business signage is complete without wayfinding and directional signs. Whether you have clients, visitors or your own employees moving throughout your buildings, print aluminum signs to guide them.

As you design your directional signage, it’s important to keep your branding and aesthetic in mind. These signs don’t have to just serve a function – they can be free advertising for you, too. It’s a tactic Ruth Sommers, creative director at Ruth Sommers Creative, employed with her design for Shoreline Rentals in Penn Yan, NY.

Aiming for clarity within the content so customers weren’t confused, Sommers hit the bullseye with simple arrows. “The sign was designed to be used beside a street, [so] that’s why I wanted the two directional arrows pointing down to the business location, as [it] isn’t visible from the street.”

Freelance designer Ashley Rundall zeroed in on practicality and presentation as the main objectives for the feminine yet bold signage she created for Shift Studio Aesthetics in Houston, Texas. 

“[The owner’s] studio is in an office building [with no] signage or even a name plate,” Rundall said. “When you walk through her door, it’s bright, white and welcoming, just like her brand, so I wanted to give that feeling in the signage and wayfinding, as well.”

Tip: Have more than one message to showcase? Use Versions to print multiple signs with different content. As long as your signs have the same size and finish, you can vary the content as much as you like (and all in one order!)

One crucial way to utilize business signage is for informing and educating. You can personalize and print aluminum signs with need-to-know protocols and helpful how-to instructions, like how to use an intercom system or how to rent a bike at a bikeshare kiosk. 

These processes and procedures are essential to your day-to-day operations, so be sure to brand them at the same time. Just because their purpose is to inform doesn’t mean they can’t be included in your brand story. Think colors, fonts and logos that create cohesion throughout your office spaces and building locations.

And as you’re thinking about the design, keep installation in mind, too. Smartpress offers a helping hand with convenient options like drill holes in four different sizes, as well as hook and loop, magnet and double-sided foam tape. Just choose the one that suits your sign and displays your message with ease.

That’s exactly what Romeo did with his metal signs. “They are being used above the entry doors to our print shop, [so] we had two holes drilled in the top to place an S-hook and chain through.”

Tip: Have questions about aluminum sign printing? Get answers with our Aluminum Signs FAQ.

Similar, but perhaps even more consequential, warning and utility signs need to be clear, concise and easily visible in your space. From fire exits and panels to warning and safety messages, you can print personalized metal signs that stand out in all the right ways.

One easy way to do that is with color. Whether you stick with fire engine red for warning signs or go with a subtle shade for your utility room, color undoubtedly gets noticed. No matter your design, our process ensures it’s printed directly on top of the aluminum with UV ink – a fact not lost on Romeo.

“I was most impressed that the red color on our sign was accurate,” he said. “We’ve had other printers not match the color correctly.”

Marissa Roesch had a similar experience. As a filmmaker and photographer who also does graphic design work, Roesch knew the importance of color to communicate. 

“The final product came out perfect: colors were matched, no lines or edges were blurred,” she said. “I chose aluminum because of its durability and knowing it will last the client a long time. And it looks great with their already existing decor!”

Frey concludes, “Our partners love it. They’re proud to display that they’re brewing our coffee and the sign really helps foster that pride.”

When you collaborate with an online printer like Smartpress, that’s what you get: pristine print, quality materials and beautiful aesthetics.

Tip: Dive deeper into indoor and outdoor signage:

• Vital Signs: Choosing Custom Signage for Indoor or Outdoor Use
• Custom Signs: 10 Substrates to Intrigue, Inform & Wow