What the Font?

Signs for San Diego is a commercial sign company. When we design, make, and install signs we use “Fonts”.  Fonts are a set of characters with set shapes. When we design Custom LED Signs, or Monuments, Lobby Signs, Marquee Signs, or other signs the font is important for the look and feel and more. Certain types of fonts are easy or hard to manufacture, Serifs – that is the pointy parts, are very difficult to shape custom metal signs to match these complex fonts. If we could, we have difficulty fitting the LEDs in these narrow spaces. Even if we could make these shapes and light them, they are hard to real, and not valuable for signs

What is a Font? A font is a graphical depiction of a set of characters. It is the style, shape, and pattern for a set of characters. The image shows examples of different fonts. What’s the best font to use on a sign? There are several reasons to pick or not pick a certain font. Understand how to pick the right Font for your business. Any font can be printed on vinyl. If your sign is a print, you are free to use any font, but…. pick a font that is easy to read. Signs are used to communicate simple messages fast. Fonts with a lot of detail, like a cursive or complex serifs are not the best choice.

Understand how to pick the right Fonts for your business

CNC shaping a Font

Router cut signs in Flat Cut Letters are dependent on the cutting tool that shapes the letter. These vary, but sharp edges, sudden turns and tight clearances are hard. Pick a font that is basic, easy to read and not overly complex.

Channel letters are dependent of bending metal. Metal can form sharp edges, but complexity and multiple bends are harder. A font requiring these complex bends makes it difficult to form and difficult to read.

Font being routed with CNC has sharp Serifs

The objective is to make a sign that is easy to read. This is very different from other marketing communications. It means using a standard Font helps convey that message faster. Over the last hundred years a series of Fonts have become standards for this purpose. There are used over and over, becoming second nature to the reader. Helvetica Trajan Garamond Futura Gill Sans Franklin Gothic Rockwell

Signs for San Diego often pushes signs to get a special look and feel. We bend metal with more exact and smaller geometries. We push the boundaries on lighting small areas. Need a custom LED sign, or monument or another sign and help with picking the right font?  Give us a call! 760-730-5118

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Developer & Designer
I, Frank Murch was born in Honolulu. Dad was an Army Captain. After his separation he drove my 2-year-old self and Mom to Colorado. After starting Kindergarten and terrorizing my parents, brother and sister for 20 years, I graduated both Kindergarten and the University of Colorado. I worked at Coors Porcelain for a time and then a series of high-tech companies in California, Pennsylvania, New York, and Tokyo. Along the way I gathered letters to drag behind my name MSEng, MBA.  30 years later I started Signs for San Diego. Signs for San Diego is a manufacturing company. Much more about building signs than other Sign Companies; it comes from my background. Technical Capability is a focus. We are a wholesale source for the industry. We want to make the best sign possible. It is in my DNA. Applying 30 years of manufacturing experience and 10 years of entrepreneurial experience make us the best sign company around. I also am of the HP management culture, Inclusion, respect and treating people as adults makes Signs for San Diego a happy place to work. We are looking for customers that match our culture, happy, better quality, and better than what is generally available