7 common outdoor signage mistakes and how to avoid them

Designing for and ordering large-format print can feel like a bit of a minefield. What material will work in a particular setting? How do I know what my design will look like when it’s a flag? Sometimes you don’t even know what you don't know and sometimes, you end up learning the hard way with a flag that’s torn in the wind or a pop-out banner blowing out to sea! 

We get it. We used to buy signage and banners too! That’s why, ever since we launched back in 2009, it has been our mission to make offering large-format print as seamless as possible for our customers.

As your large-format print partner, you can lean on us to make the large-format world seem a little less confusing, whether you’re just starting out or whether you’re a seasoned professional but are adding a new product you’re not familiar with to your offering.

Here are seven common mistakes we see time and time again, so you can help your customers to avoid signage fails and focus on adding large-format print to your offering instead.

The first thing to consider when ordering your large-format print is of course what your signage will look like. This means getting the design stage right before you even think about the next steps like material or installation. Poor artwork design will result in a poor quality product, it’s as simple as that. A key thing to look out for is the image quality. Outdoor signage means large-scale printing and when your image is scaled to a large size features that don’t seem noticeable on screen can appear much more obvious. Very low resolution images will appear pixelated and result in a poor quality sign. 

Consider the image file format too. A .jpg can show ‘speckling’ or compression artefacts around high contrast details and these can become much more visible at large output sizes. TIFF images are preferred at over 120dpi as anything less may show pixelation however, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphic) images are by far the superior format as they are infinitely scalable and are a must for elements such as logos. We also recommend turning off image downsampling when working at reduced artwork size for scaling on output. 

Read our blog to find out more artwork tips and tricks to look out for. Then, download our Artwork Essentials: the Guide to Ensuring That Good Designs Become Great Signage guide which covers this topic in even more detail!

Still in the artwork stage, where another common mistake we see is misplaced or incorrect information or contact details. We can’t stress this point enough - check, check, check again, and then get someone else to check it too! Including a QR code in your design? Check it works! Including a URL? Make sure it’s correct! The Conservative Party recently made national headlines for this very reason when chocolate bar wrappers misspelling Britain were distributed during a party conference. Featuring a message from leader Kemi Badenoch, the wrappers read ‘When Labour negotiates, Britian loses’.

Next, consider whether your product is going to be double or single sided. Don’t forget to account for that other side if it’s the former! You don’t want your message to get lost due to only being visible on one side of a flag.

And don’t overlook finishing. Will your banner have eyelets? Do you need to account for pole pockets? We find that the most common confusion with pole pockets happens when some customers expect the pockets to be added to the overall size of the banner. In fact, the pockets are produced inclusive of the overall size. Here, an internal ‘pocket allowance area’ is required which varies in size depending on the diameter of the pole that will be used.

This pocket allowance should be used on any edge where a pocket will be present. As with hems, we recommend this area is kept free of any important content like text or logos for example. Is this sounding a little confusing? Don’t worry, we’ve created a template guide for this very use case.

For hems and eyelets we recommend leaving at least 60mm space in from the edge of your design for important content like text or logos. We know this can be easier said than done sometimes, which is why we have created a range of templates and artwork guides for every product we sell to support this.

This one might sound obvious but the colours you choose for your signage could make the difference between your message being bold and bright and easily seen and instead getting lost in the background. Ordering signage for an autumnal park or woodland event? Perhaps an orange design isn’t the best choice for this particular environment. Fonts can also make a big difference. Will your sign need to be visible from a long distance? Opting for a bold font over a thin one could help your message stand out.

Your print should always be supplied in CMYK as this is most likely to give an accurate match when printed. Whilst digital printers can’t print Pantone colours directly, using CMYK approximation enables us to get very close to many of them. On some occasions, customers will create their own custom colours from CMYK recipes and name them after the Pantones they’re supposed to match, but this can cause disappointment when the colours aren’t as expected after printing.

Instead, it’s best to use Pantones as special colours in your artwork (make sure they are embedded) and, most importantly, make sure to tell us which when placing an order. We can then run some test prints to get the best match possible.

We can colour match from printed or other samples, but this will take some extra time as we’ll need to be sent a sample to work from. You may also need to sign off on a test print if the digital photo showing the original and the match isn’t as reliable as we’d like. We recommend factoring in more time if this is the case.

It can be easy to concentrate on the design and material of your signage product, but don’t overlook the size. Make sure the product you are ordering is the correct size for its intended use case. Are you ordering a flag? Make sure it’s not too tall. Ordering a cafe barrier? Does it cover the intended area completely? Will your banner or flag obstruct a walkway or entrance? Always think about your customer’s intended end use for the products you are ordering, before you order.

In addition to whether the size of the signage will actually fit in the intended environment, consider the viewing distance of your signage. Similarly to considering how the image will appear when scaled to a large size, is the size of product your customer wants going to be suitable for the likely viewing distance? For smaller spaces, they may not require a banner as large as they might initially think. On the other hand, for a flag that needs to be visible across a large field or event venue, a larger size might be better suited for maximum impact and visibility.

As with sizing, the material you choose is a crucial part of the process. Will your customer’s signage be exposed to the great British weather for a long period of time? Non-weatherproof PVC products or fabrics not suitable for wind for example could lead to tearing, wear or damage to the sign’s surroundings. Is it a last-minute order for an outdoor event? Check the weather first! If it’s looking like it’s going to be blustery, we recommend opting for a mesh product instead of PVC. For windy environments, mesh is an ideal solution because lots of tiny holes in the fabric allow for wind flow.

When it comes to products like flags, selecting the correct base type for the size of the flag is vital. A cross brace and weight bag, basic parasol base or wall or floor mounts are all only suited to a small or medium flag. A number of bases like metal ground spikes, car foot, or premium parasol base with feet are suitable for all flag sizes so make sure to check you’re choosing the best option to avoid any falling or escapee flags! They don’t quite have the same impact when lying on the ground, and can be hazardous if they get on the move on their own.

Choosing an indoor product for an outdoor application is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. It just won’t work. Don’t let your customer waste precious time designing the perfect artwork and then ruin it by opting for a product that was never cut out for the job. For example, a roller banner designed for indoor use won’t withstand windy weather or uneven surfaces, because it’s not designed to. If it’s going to be used outdoors, opt for a heavy duty banner frame instead. Stretch walls and other stretch fabric products are also designed for indoor use such as trade shows, conferences and exhibitions. They have many benefits but the outdoors is not their natural habitat. Our website is categorised into ‘Flags and Outdoor Displays’ and ‘Exhibition and Indoor Displays’, so taking note of this will help avoid any unintentional mistakes. 

So you’ve nailed your customer’s design and chosen the perfect material. But when it comes to installation, something’s not quite right. Using incorrect, unsuitable or inadequate fittings, such as cable ties with no give when bungees are required, can make high quality prints look unprofessional, can affect their ability to do their job, and in some cases can result in the signage being damaged. We include guidance on the best fittings for each product under each product page on our website, but again, getting the best result always comes down to understanding its intended use case.

Oh, one last thing. You’ve followed all our tips and advice to the letter and have ordered the perfect sign for the job. But can you confidently get your signage to where it needs to be? Don’t fall at the last hurdle, make sure your vehicle can fit your signage if collecting! Don’t forget, large-format signage is, well, large! For example, if ordering banners, it’s likely the roll or large printed board won’t fit in a standard car and it may be necessary to arrange a larger vehicle to collect. 

Now you have all the tools you need to offer large-format print without any fuss or stress!