This page is used to help you save a few dollars and submit artwork to Waterford Signs that is ready to go with little or no additional design or preparation needed. We have included many different programs below to help you decide which one is best for what your finished product will be.

First:

Contact us. We realize that not everyone is a graphic designer or a sign manufacturer. Waterford Signs does this all day, every day. Let us tailor a project specifically for you and your needs. We can discuss cost, materials, design and a timeline. Then we will let you know what type of file to send us. Remember, this is our job……let us make it easy for you.

Next:

There are many ways to get your artwork to us. You can email it to info@waterfordsigns.com, use an online file transfer service like yousendit.com, mail it to the address on the top of our pages, drop it off at our retail store or if your artwork is too large just email us and we will fix you up with an online file folder.

*Please use the following information to make sure your file is in a usable format and that it is properly set up. This will help streamline the process from beginning to end as well as save you money in the long run.

File preparation tips:

We accept artwork that is created on MAC and PC as long as they are formatted properly.

When creating and sending artwork for printed materials such as business cards, flyers, brochures and postcards, you must use a CMYK working environment and export your file as such. You can work with Pantone colors as long as they are from the Pantone CMYK Coated fan deck.

If your artwork needs to be turned into a sign, banner, poster, sticker, pop-up display or similar product, then we require the artwork to be created and exported using RGB color settings. You may use Pantone colors as long as they are chosen from the Solid in RGB Coated fan deck.

We can show you printed examples and color guides if you can make it in to our shop. This will take the guesswork out of color matching so you can know, without a doubt, that your product will look perfect.

CorelDraw

• Please see above to know if your artwork needs to be created in CMYK or RGB color mode

• Do not create artwork with a bleed

• All text must be converted to curves (otherwise they will be substituted and NOT look like they do on your screen)

• All lines must be converted to objects (or they can change thickness and even disappear when printed)

• Here are the file types that we can use in preferred order: .CDR, .EPS, .PDF (.TIF and .JPG can be used, but only if they are saved at least 200 DPI at actual size)

Illustrator

• Please see above to know if your artwork needs to be created in CMYK or RGB color mode

• Do not create artwork with a bleed

• All images need to be embedded and not linked

• All text must be converted to outlines (otherwise they will be substituted and NOT look like they do on your screen)

• All lines must be converted to objects (or they can change thickness and even disappear when printed)

• Here are the file types that we can use in preferred order: .EPS, .AI, .PDF (.TIF and .JPG can be used, but only if they are saved at least 200 DPI at actual size)

Photoshop

• Please see above to know if your artwork needs to be created in CMYK or RGB color mode

• All images must be created at actual size and have a resolution of at lease 200 DPI (i.e. 3’ x 6’ = 36” x 72”)

• Do not create artwork with a bleed

• All images need to be flattened

• All text layers must be rasterized (otherwise they will be substituted and NOT look like they do on your screen)

• Here are the file types that we can use in preferred order: .EPS, .PDF, .TIF, .JPG

QuarkXPress

• Please see above to know if your artwork needs to be created in CMYK or RGB color mode

• Do not create artwork with a bleed

• All images need to be embedded and not linked

• All text must be converted to outlines (otherwise they will be substituted and NOT look like they do on your screen)

• All lines must be converted to objects (or they can change thickness and even disappear when printed)

• Here are the file types that we can use in preferred order: .EPS, .PDF (.TIF and .JPG can be used, but only if they are saved at least 200 DPI at actual size)

InDesign

• Please see above to know if your artwork needs to be created in CMYK or RGB color mode

• Do not create artwork with a bleed

• All images need to be embedded and not linked

• All text must be converted to outlines (otherwise they will be substituted and NOT look like they do on your screen)

• All lines must be converted to objects (or they can change thickness and even disappear when printed)

• Here are the file types that we can use in preferred order: .EPS, .PDF (.TIF and .JPG can be used, but only if they are saved at least 200 DPI at actual size)

Freehand

• Please see above to know if your artwork needs to be created in CMYK or RGB color mode

• Do not create artwork with a bleed

• All text must be converted to paths (otherwise they will be substituted and NOT look like they do on your screen)

• All lines must be converted to objects (or they can change thickness and even disappear when printed)

• Here are the file types that we can use in preferred order: .EPS, .AI, .PDF (.TIF and .JPG can be used, but only if they are saved at least 200 DPI at actual size)

Microsoft Programs

• We do not accept artwork created in these programs

• Artwork created in these programs is not compatible with the software that we need to print from

File resolution tips:

Always keep in mind the size and intended viewing distance of your final graphic. For instance, billboards and banners are generally viewed from a far-away distance and may not need to have photo-quality graphics in order to look great from the intended viewing distance. Posters and brochures are a “hands-on” kind of product that generally do look better with higher resolution graphics.

Finally:

Waterford Signs will check your submitted artwork to make sure that there will be no troubles when we produce your products for you. We will check that the size, color, material and quantities are all correct before we make anything. This ensures that there are no snags or unforeseen problems along the way. Please contact us when you are ready to place an order. We welcome your questions and comments.

What other fees can be involved?:

We include standard placement of your art and add copy to your product at no charge. If there are multiple revisions

at your request or further graphic design involved, there will be additional charges billed at our hourly design rate

of $90 per hour.

There may be an additional charge if one or more of the following occur:

• Your supplied artwork is not to the proper scale and needs to be reformatted to our specifications.

• Your supplied artwork was sent with the wrong color profiles and you need Waterford Signs to modify the colors for you.

• You require specific color matching or Pantone color matching.

• The artwork you supply is a bitmap or flattened image and needs to be vectorized (traced in the computer) in order to be reproduced.

• We spend an unforeseen amount of time going back and forth with you making changes to any design.

These are the most common scenarios of additional fees. We will let you know ahead of time before any of these charges would be applied.

Why Waterford Signs?

Easy and Convenient – Stop into our showroom, order over the phone or send us an email

Fast – We have the ability to get the job done immediately. 95% of our orders are done in-house.

Effective – In-house marketing, communication and design experts assure:

Quality & Choice – Multi-source partnerships give you options and the right sign for the right job.

Friendly Service – We are family owned and give you honest and friendly service. We treat our customers as we would like to be treated – and we have fun helping you meet your needs.

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See What One Customer Had to Say:

When it comes to signs and promotion I was always like other small business owners and looked online for the lowest cost, always attracted to “cheap banners”, “cheap signs” and “cheap lawn signs”! But I’ve learned my lesson about Internet signage companies and even so-called wholesale signs & banners companies. They’re in it for volume, not to help my business.

I was in a pinch and needed help one day and that’s when I discovered Waterford signs. Tim Moore helped me out with a car-wrap decal I had purchased… yes, off the internet. He didn’t flinch when I confessed to him that I couldn’t put it on my car; instead he grabbed a tool kit marked for “vehicle lettering” and went outside and installed my lettering.

Here’s the thing. No Internet or wholesale outfit would ever do that for me. So I started talking to Tim and realized that he was a long-term business owner and knew more about marketing than me.

We went back in and I started noticing Tim’s display walls. Office signage, custom wooden signs, restaurant signage, no soliciting sign, garage signs, farm signs. He had all the workplace signs, car lettering, coroplast sheets, video surveillance signs. Even magnetic van signs for my business, and all sorts of custom plastic signs – you know the engraved kind.

Inside his shop I noticed all the machines to print banners, signs, vinyl wall lettering and even a computer-controlled sign engraving machine.

This isn’t one of these franchise shops. This is the real deal.

It soon became clear to me that Tim also knew the marketing behind signs. He can tell you which no smoking signs to print and why. He can tell you how big to make your custom signs and where to put them to get traffic into your business. He can tell you what to say on your signs to promote your benefits and not your features.

So I started using Waterford Signs for my business. I’ve used them for Trade Show Exhibits, printing business cards. And I’ve used his graphics designer, Scott too. These guys are pros.

So if you think you’re looking for wholesale signs or cheap internet sources, don’t do it. Go to the sign marketing experts. Even if you need wedding signs, welcome home banners or golf signs, Waterford Signs is the only place I would ever go. Use Waterford Signs and you’ll be glad you did.

Phil – Delaware, OH

Graduation Banner Special Offer

2′  x  5′ Full Color Banner for $49

Call us or Complete the Order Form below.

Payment must be made before your order will be processed.

Payment methods available:

• Phone – Call us with your credit card information
• Drop your payment off at our shop
• Mail – to the above address
• Pay Pal – Click Here to pay by credit card or with your PayPal account

If you have any questions please give us a call.

Easy and Convenient – Stop into our showroom, order over the phone or send us an email

Fast – We have the ability to get the job done immediately. 95% of our orders are done in-house.

Effective – In-house marketing, communication and design experts assure:

Quality & Choice – Multi-source partnerships give you options and the right sign for the right job.

Friendly Service – We are family owned and give you honest and friendly service. We treat our customers as we would like to be treated – and we have fun helping you meet your needs.

prevnext

See What One Customer Had to Say:

When it comes to signs and promotion I was always like other small business owners and looked online for the lowest cost, always attracted to “cheap banners”, “cheap signs” and “cheap lawn signs”! But I’ve learned my lesson about Internet signage companies and even so-called wholesale signs & banners companies. They’re in it for volume, not to help my business.

I was in a pinch and needed help one day and that’s when I discovered Waterford signs. Tim Moore helped me out with a car-wrap decal I had purchased… yes, off the internet. He didn’t flinch when I confessed to him that I couldn’t put it on my car; instead he grabbed a tool kit marked for “vehicle lettering” and went outside and installed my lettering.

Here’s the thing. No Internet or wholesale outfit would ever do that for me. So I started talking to Tim and realized that he was a long-term business owner and knew more about marketing than me.

We went back in and I started noticing Tim’s display walls. Office signage, custom wooden signs, restaurant signage, no soliciting sign, garage signs, farm signs. He had all the workplace signs, car lettering, coroplast sheets, video surveillance signs. Even magnetic van signs for my business, and all sorts of custom plastic signs – you know the engraved kind.

Inside his shop I noticed all the machines to print banners, signs, vinyl wall lettering and even a computer-controlled sign engraving machine.

This isn’t one of these franchise shops. This is the real deal.

It soon became clear to me that Tim also knew the marketing behind signs. He can tell you which no smoking signs to print and why. He can tell you how big to make your custom signs and where to put them to get traffic into your business. He can tell you what to say on your signs to promote your benefits and not your features.

So I started using Waterford Signs for my business. I’ve used them for Trade Show Exhibits, printing business cards. And I’ve used his graphics designer, Scott too. These guys are pros.

So if you think you’re looking for wholesale signs or cheap internet sources, don’t do it. Go to the sign marketing experts. Even if you need wedding signs, welcome home banners or golf signs, Waterford Signs is the only place I would ever go. Use Waterford Signs and you’ll be glad you did.

Phil – Delaware, OH

     From time to time, we will be adding some helpful tricks of the trade. This page will help you learn how to apply graphics, keep your signs looking nice and keep them lasting for years. If you have any suggestions, please email us and we will consider adding them to our site.

Applying Vinyl Decals:

     Why rewrite the book when there are so many nice tutorials online that we can point you to. Here is a great link with a step by step guide for applying vinyl using every method that we use here at the shop. There are even pictures that show you each step during the process. Click http://www.directdecals.com/application-tutorials.htm to go to the vinyl application tutorial site. You can also check YouTube for some great instructional videos.

Removing Vinyl Decals:

     Vinyl graphics are fairly easy to remove.  Most can be peeled off using just your hands.  The following are tips for stubborn vinyl decals. If your graphics have been in place for a while, you should first warm the vinyl using a hair dryer. Use a razor blade to peel back the edge of the vinyl graphic.  This is NOT recommended for vehicles, as razor blades can cut the paint. Once you have pulled up the edge of the vinyl, you can use your hand to pull the rest of the vinyl graphics off. To remove adhesive residue, we recommend using Goo-Gone adhesive remover or a similar brand.

Magnetic Sign Care Tips:

When not using your flexible magnetic sign, keep it in a clean, dry place.

1. •Store your rolled magnetic sign on end with the printed or vinyl side out.
2. •When storing flat, be sure your magnet is on a level surface. Avoid placing objects on top that could damage the face; do not stack with magnetic sides facing each other.

Preparing Magnetic-Receptive Surfaces

1. •Before affixing your magnetic sign to a metal surface, be sure all surface paints, clear coats and waxes are cured (hardened).*(Approximate curing times: paint-90 days; clear coat-60 days; wax-2 days.)
2. •Clean the metallic surface and the magnet with mild detergent.
3. •Wipe with a soft cloth or allow to dry.

Applying Magnetic Signs

1. •If possible, affix to a smooth, flat or gently curved metallic surfaces.
2. •Make sure the entire magnet is flat against the metal surface (i.e., no air pockets).
3. •If you place the magnet in the wrong position, completely remove the magnet from the surface and re-affix. Do not pull the magnetic sign across the surface, or it may stretch due to the resistance caused by the high magnetic strength.
4. •Avoid use on horizontal metal surfaces exposed to direct sunlight (such as automobile hoods) or temperatures exceeding 150 degrees F.
5. •Be aware that long-term use on surfaces frequently exposed to sunlight (such as vehicles) can result in uneven fading of the surface because the magnet-covered area is shielded from ultraviolet rays.
6. •Avoid use on non-metallic body fillers, simulated wood grain siding and repainted surfaces.

Cleaning Magnetic Sign

1. •To guard against moisture and dirt buildup between the magnet and the metal surface (particularly on outdoor applications), remove the magnet at regular intervals. Clean both the magnet and metal surface with mild detergent; wipe with a soft cloth or allow to air-dry. (For vehicle-mounted signs, remove and clean WEEKLY.)
2. •To protect fresh clear coat, base coat and/or vinyl surfaces on new cars and trucks, remove magnetic signs DAILY.

Proper use and care will extend the life of your magnetic sign and protect the metallic surface to which it is applied.

     The backbone of our business is adhesive vinyl. Waterford Signs carries over 200 different rolls of vinyl in every color of the rainbow (and more). The cricut home vinyl cutter is becoming very popular, and we can cut you off just what you need to finish your projects.

Corrugated Plastic

     Corrugated plastic (coroplast) is very similar to cardboard upon first glance. It is fluted and can be held up with grommets, tape, nails, screws, metal frames and wire stakes. It is highly versatile and weatherproof. The majority of signs seen on the side of the road and on telephone poles is made from this lightweight, durable material. Coroplast also makes a great cage insert for gerbils, hamsters, rabbits and such.

Foamcore

     Foamcore and “gator board” both have a very smooth surface and a foam center. Foamcore is laminated with a paper finish while gator board is a thin plastic. Signs that are made from these materials are generally only used a few times as the corners can dent easily and the material is not very sturdy. They are good for trade shows and easel signage.

Magnetic

     Most often, people that come into our shop that buy bulk magnetic material for the purpose of closing off a cold air return on their vents. Customers have also bought these to cover up business names on the sides of their vehicles. Whatever your purpose, we carry a 24″ tall roll of this material and can cut it to whatever size you need for your project.

PVC

     PVC is a great substrate and comes in many different thicknesses. Waterford Signs generally stocks it in 1mil, 3mil, 6 mil and 10mil. It can also come in a wide variety of colors ranging from white, black, blue, red, yellow and more. Although not every color is available in every thickness, we probably have enough for your project. PVC is weatherproof, sturdy, smooth and can be used in a lot of different ways. It can even be folded and angled if you were to use a heat bender.

Aluminum

     .040 and .080 are the two most common thicknesses of aluminum for signage. A majority of the parking signs that you encounter are made from this sturdy material. We have this available in many sizes and a few different colors as well.

Dibond Aluminum

     By far one of the best materials to use for a sign. Dibond is made from two sheets of aluminum laminated together with a polycarbonate core. This way, you get a thick aluminum that is both easy to work with and thick enough to withstand the elements. It can be cut on a table saw, drilled, routed, seamed and folded. This is the material that Waterford Signs prefers to use for long-term outdoor signage.

Banner Material

     Maybe you want to make your own banner. Maybe you need some of this material to cover your boat with. We carry 10oz. and 13oz. vinyl banner material in widths up to 63″ on 100 yard rolls. This material is great for a number of applications from typical graduation banners to table banners. We have many colors in stock.

MDO Wood

     This layered plywood has an extremely smooth paper finish that is easily painted. MDO is a great wood for signmaking because of its smoothness. It can be painted and vinyl lettering sticks to it for many years.

HDU Sign Foam

     One of the newest types of material to make signs with is HDU sign foam. This is a very dense foam that has the sturdiness of wood, but does not absorb water in long-term outdoor situations. It can be routed, sanded, painted and made to be whatever you want. We carry a few different densities and thicknesses of this material. It is the way that sandblasted signmakers are heading due to the high cost of hardwoods like redwood.

Acrylic

     Acrylic is a very dense and strong material. Some of them (Lexan) is even used as bulletproof glass in many businesses. Backlit signs and a lot of 3d lettering that you see on office walls are made from acrylic. It offers the smoothest surface (just like glass) and is great for indoor and outdoor signage.

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Sign Mounting

There are many solutions for mounting your signs. Waterford Signs carries a lot of different products to help you mount your sign exactly the way that you want them. We carry:

• Wire Stakes – Great for coroplast signs. We carry several different styles of these.
• Angle Iron Real Estate Frames – With bottom or top and bottom riders. These come with 18×24 and 24×36 openings.
• Steel Posts – In different lengths, these come in green and silver with pre-drilled holes to mount your signs.
• Angle Iron A-Frames – These are available in different sizes and will accomodate two signs.
• Plasticade A-Frames – With a 24×24 or a 24×36 sign area, these signs are the most popular choice for sidewalks.
• Changable Message  A-Frames – This sign comes with a box of over 300 letters and numbers and has slots for them on each side.
• Wood Posts – Our wood posts can be square cut or have a dimensional routed finish. We also have decorative post caps.
• Yard Banner Stake Kit – Consists of 2 posts, 4 stakes and thin rope for maximum stability.
• Wrought Iron Brackets – These are very decorative and come in several sizes. A very classy addition to any sign.
• Rollup Banner Stands – Great for “travelling” signs. These hold a banner that rolls up conveniently inside of the base and stand over 7′ Tall.
• Chain-Link Fence Brackets – These bolt to a sign and hold them to chain link fences very securely.
• Iron T-Bars - One of our sturdiest ways for mounting a sign and posting into your yard.
• Misc. – Of course we always have grommets, bungees, zip ties, bolts, screws, rope and suction cups in stock too.

Installation

Don’t feel comfortable putting up your own sign or just afraid that you will ruin those perfect decals? Waterford Signs offers professional installation from applying a bumper sticker to installing your new backlit acrylic panels into your sign on that pole out front. We can install your parking signs, truck door decals, perforated back window graphic, sandblasted street signs, large format banners and permanent storefront sign. Heck……we can probably do this all before lunch. Our team of installation professionals will not rest until your sign is installed and you are happy.

Permits

Like it or not, most install jobs start here, with permits. We have dealt with a lot of businesses and a lot of permits. Each area has its own set of bylaws and guidelines that you should abide by. Otherwise, you could get a fine and nobody wants that. Waterford Signs wants to make sure that you are properly educated in this area so that your signage will go up without a hitch. Here are some useful contacts to find out more information about permits and guidelines.

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Waterford Signs is no stranger to doing design work. We realize that not everyone has a graphic arts degree. Most of them are not really even sure what they want. Does your company need web graphics, ad design, brochures, business cards, vehicle graphics or just a whole new look? We are here to help. Professional graphic design is the first step in every sign that goes out of our doors.

     We will work with you to come up with a basic idea and then turn it into something that you can look at based on your specific needs. We will take your ideas, mock-ups and even sketched on bar napkins and turn them into computer-generated drawings. Then we will show them to you so that you can decide what will work best for you. Our team of design professionals have been doing this for a combined 28 years. We know how to interpret what a customer is thinking into something a customer is proud of.

     No logo? No problem. We can even come up with a logo that will be your company’s branding mark for years to come. We can make them single or full color, large or small. With all of the tools at our disposal, we can then turn them into signs, business cards, vehicle graphics and signs. The best thing about a full-service sign shop is that we will always have your artwork on file, and it will look perfect on everything that we make for you and your business.

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View our product catalog here.