Creating a great sign starts with choosing the right material. Metal, wood, foam, and plastic signs are all commonly used, each with their individual pros and cons. It really depends on the type of sign you want to make. Then, there are other factors to consider. Weather-resistance, easy setup, and a sign’s ability to stand up on its own without support are some of the factors that make a good sign board great.
A-frame signs perform outstandingly in all three criteria listed above, with the added benefit of being reusable. They also come in a variety of different materials to better fit your particular needs, and are some of the most popular sign options out there because of their reusability.
A-frames, or sandwich boards, are a style of sign board that stand on their own and fold up easily when not in use. These signs can be made of corrugated plastic or metal, and both options are durable and eye-catching.
A-frame signs are also made up of two distinct parts: the sign holder and the A-frame sign inserts. The inserts are where your design is printed, and the sign holder is the solid frame that holds it in place. The inserts are made of corrugated plastic and can be swapped out for other designs without damaging or discarding the holder. Metal A-frames also require a sign board with the design printed separately, but the sign hangs off the metal with rings or hooks instead of being posted on either side.
What Options Are Available? The material of the sign frame itself can be a metal wire or a corrugated plastic sandwich board. Both forms are reusable. The corrugated plastic variety uses sign inserts, which are a substantially lower cost compared to buying a whole new set of sign boards. Metal A-frames use hooks or rings to hang the board between the two metal legs and can be printed on both sides for maximum impact or just one.
Due to their ability to withstand the elements, these boards can be used in a variety of different ways. Unlike other materials, you won’t have to worry about purchasing new signs every time you need to use it in a new context. Both the plastic and metal varieties can be reused by swapping out the sign insert that holds the design.
Both the metal and plastic versions of these designs can easily withstand the elements. The metal frames can handle anything, rain or shine, with some help against the wind. The hardier corrugated plastic can stand on its own through windy environments without being easily knocked over but isn’t waterproof.
A-frame boards are able to be folded and transported easily. All you need to do to get them ready for transport is pick them up and fold them. They even come with small handles built into the frame’s design to make transportation even simpler.
The best part about A-frame style boards is the fact that the design can be taken off and replaced with another design printed on a corrugated plastic insert. This means if you have one of these signs, it can last you a long time and show multiple advertisements or whatever you need. All you need to do is buy new inserts and place them on either side of these plastic A-frames.
The metal A-frames themselves can be consistently reused like the corrugated plastic counterparts. The difference between the two come in the fact that the metal variety needs another sign board instead of an insert, but that doesn’t diminish the usefulness and elegance of these metal frames.
The different varieties of these boards allow for a wide range of uses. The corrugated plastic variety is perfect for posting directions for large events like trade shows. The signs are also hefty and weighted. This means being placed outside is no issue at all, so they make for a great outdoor sign that can be used at events and venues like important announcements or upcoming events at colleges.
The wire-frame metal a-frame signs can be used for both indoor and outdoor advertising. This variety of sign variety are a lot lighter. This means they’ll need to be staked down if in outside use, but the metal frame means the frame itself won’t get damaged by the elements. These setups are perfect for real estate, retail, yard sale advertisements, sidewalk signage, and advertisements for local events.
Most other materials require extra accessories to hold themselves up. A-frames allow you to post your message with very little assistance from extra tools. On their own, corrugated plastic, aluminum signs, vinyl banners, flags, and PVC are all materials that need something to help them stay up. Going with A-frames will allow you to put your signs up without needing to buy accessories, especially if you already have a sandwich board.
As far as resilience, A-frames match up well to other boards that can be used outside. Because they are made of corrugated plastic, they have the sturdiness of that material, which can be used for extended periods outside.
Drawbacks: Because of the mobility and self-reliance of A-frames, it isn’t easy to use them as permanent signs. They also limit the size of the design you can post on them. You still have 24” x 36” to use, but you can’t get any bigger with a basic A-frame sign board. Making your design smaller will only lead to pixelation or awkward formatting. It comes down to knowing what you’re using though, as these signs are perfect for setting up near areas of heavy foot traffic.
Best Printed Signs has high-quality A-frame signs in corrugated plastic and metal, along with sign inserts. Our free online design tool also allows you to easily upload your layout or create one in the program just as easily. We also have design templates, magnetic signs, and other marketing materials you can use on your sign boards. Browse through our shop and find the sign material and promotional products for your needs!