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The Importance of Letter Height Visibility for Your Business Signage

Letter size is usually not the first thing that we consider when it comes to creating signs. Letter height visibility is usually overlooked in the planning stages; but proper letter height and viewing distance for your sign is important. And, bigger isn’t always better in this case. Font size for your business signage does determine from how far away your sign can be seen, though. But how do you go about choosing the best letter size for your needs, to make easy to read business signage? Let’s discuss the following aspects of making the best advertising signs for your business:

  • Font Size
  • Coloring
  • Lighting
  • Sign Placement
  • Font Type

Font Size

Proper font size is one of the most obvious parts of sign creation, and it’s easy to determine. All you need to have is a general idea about the distance you want your sign viewed at. Generally, a good letter sizing calculator rule is: height is one inch for every 10 feet away from your sign. A sign 100 feet away should have letters that are 10 inches in height. There are certain types of signs that usually have standard letter sizes. Such as:

  • Yard Signs – 5″-7″
  • Sidewalk Signs – 6″-12″
  • Window Signs – 8″-12″

These are only a few examples that may help you standardize your signs depending on your needs.

Font Color

Font color is very important for proper visibility of your sign no matter what distance. It’s best to use a font color that contrasts with your background color. Not only that, but it’s best to use a light background with a dark letter. Dark backgrounds don’t work so well with light letters for visibility. There are even charts that will detail the best color contrasts to use.

Font Type

These days are so many different font types that it can be hard to know where to begin. Many fonts make great-looking decorations and have a uniqueness. But that doesn’t mean they are the best fonts to use for your sign. It may be tempting to use a less traditional font to “stand out,” but that isn’t the best choice for business purposes. This is because the decorative fonts need to be bigger than usual to be seen from a distance.

Thin fonts also decrease letter height visibility. That means you’ll want to increase size beyond the recommendations above. They are also harder to see than your standard block fonts. If your goal is for the sign to be seen, use proper letter height visibility. Use Serif, Sans Serif and other similar fonts. Note that letter height to width ratio is important, and it’s best to use letters of equal width and height.

Sign Placement

It’s important to consider where you’re placing your sign. Is it next to a road? A sidewalk? Will your potential customers be more likely to be walking or driving by the sign? It’s best to scope these things out before placing your sign to maximize viewing.

Signs perpendicular to the line of sight are better than those placed parallel to a road. If your sign will not be at a natural eye level, you should increase the letter size for improved visibility.

Lighting Conditions

What sort of light will your sign be in? Natural? Artificial? Outdoors and in direct sunlight? This may not seem like a big deal but when it comes to best readability for your potential customers, it is. Bright or pastel colors are going to be harder to see when light shines on them. Keep this in mind if the sign is outdoors in direct sunlight for part of the day or indoors in a well-lit area.

Consider using darker colored fonts if the area will be well lit, and adjust your background colors according to your needs. But, if your background area is dark or a tinted window, for example, make sure to lighten up the font.

Creating the Best Signs

The information above should help anyone starting out to make the best signs. If you need more help and advice, we offer easy to read business signage with a variety of other services. Please contact us today to get started on the perfect sign!

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