An Overview of Our Most Popular Sign Materials

We know there’s a lot of options for sign materials. It can be a bit overwhelming, and you may be left wondering which material would be best for you.

While you can always get detailed information on our product pages, or by calling or customer service, here is a brief overview of some of our most popular sign materials:

• Alumalite-Alumalite is made up of two sheets of factory enameled aluminum that's permanently bonded on both sides of a corrugated plastic core. The ribbed rows of plastic make the core virtually hollow and give this material an incredible panel strength. It is rigid and strong and built to last. Though it is often used to make heavy-duty signs, the material itself is lightweight and easy to install. It is weather-resistant, which makes it excellent for outdoor sign use. Alumalite cannot be cut into custom shapes but can be made cut into odd sizes. It is available in 1/4” and 1/2” thick.
• Aluminum-Known for its strength and rigidity, aluminum is probably the most popular sign material. Excellent for both indoor and outdoor use. You’ll see aluminum used for real estate signs, property signs, directional signs, road signs, safety and regulation signs, restroom signs, etc. Many businesses use aluminum signs for their exterior signage. Also, they are one of the best options if you’re looking for high quality, affordable and lightweight indoor signage. Aluminum can easily be cut into custom shapes and comes in 5 thickness levels: .032”, .040”, .063”, .080” and .125”
• Acrylic-Acrylic, also known as Plexiglass, is one of the most popular sign materials for corporate offices. Acrylic signs are translucent and completely smooth. Although acrylic is highly durable, we don’t typically recommend acrylic signs for outdoor use. It is available in 6 levels of thickness: 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2” and 1”. Acrylic can be cut into any custom shape or size.
• ARMOUR-Wood-When it comes to durability, it's difficult to match the superior strength and resilience of ARMOUR-wood. This sturdy, heavy-duty sign material gives an unbeatable performance as outdoor signage. Whether it's a roadside sign for your business, a construction site sign, or a real estate hanging sign, ARMOUR-Wood gets the job done and lasts for the long-haul. ARMOUR-Wood is a composite material, made from two sheets of factory-painted aluminum permanently bonded to a plywood core. This means you get the strength and sturdiness of wood along with the smooth, weather-resistant surface of aluminum. ARMOUR-Wood signs can be made in any size, are ½ inch thick, and cannot be cut into customized shapes.
• Coroplast-Coroplast, also called "corrugated plastic," is basically a hollow, plastic material that is typically used to make promotional signs. It is easy to produce, does not last a long time, is very affordable, lightweight and waterproof. Coroplast signs are ideal for short-term outdoor use. Because of their low cost, they are a good choice for 1-day event signs but can still last up to 2 years outdoors. They have tolerance for cold and hot weather temperature extremes and are completely waterproof. Popular outdoor uses for Coroplast signs are yard, real estate, garage sale and political signs. It is available in all sizes, but cannot be cut into custom shapes. It is available in either 3/16” or 3/8” thickness.
• Dibond-Dibond is highly rigid and sturdy. It has a solid plastic core between two sheets of aluminum. Many businesses use Dibond signs for their exterior signage because of its weather-resistance and rigidity. Since it is lightweight, it is also popular for mounted indoor signs. It can be made double-sided and cut into custom shapes. Dibond comes in 1/8” thickness and 1/4” thickness.
• Foam Core Ultra-While regular foam core signs are delicate and easily susceptible to damage, Foam Core Ultra is much more resistant to scratches and indentations and banged-up corners because it is covered in plastic, not cardboard. Foam Core Ultra is still lightweight and economically priced, and it’s also completely waterproof and durable enough for handling and transportation. Foam Core Ultra is recommended for indoor and temporary outdoor use. Foam Core Ultra can be cut into custom shapes and comes in 4 main strength levels: 3/16 inch, ½ inch, ¾ inch, and 1 ½ inch.
• Dura-Wood-Dura-Wood combines the timeless beauty of wood with the modern convenience of vinyl. Our Dura-Wood painted signs are made with a high-quality MDO (Medium Density Overlay) plywood core and sealed with a highly durable painted finish. This gives our Dura-Wood signs a high tolerance for cold and hot weather extremes, as well as humid, wet clients. It is popular for both indoor and outdoor use. It can be cut into custom shapes, made in any size and made double-sided. Dura-Wood is ½ inch thick.
• HDU-HDU signs are the perfect option for anyone that wants the looking of a carved wooden sign, but not the price tag. Made out of High-Density Urethane foam, these signs can give you the look of a wooden sign for far cheaper. Also, HDU signs are waterproof and won’t absorb like wood does, so your sign will endure the elements better than a traditional wood sign. It won’t crack, rot, warp or bow like wood, and the paint won’t peel or fade. It can easily be made to look dimensional just like a cedar sign. Because it is lighter than wood, installation is much simpler. HDU comes in 1.5”, 2”, 3” and 4” thickness. 1.5” HDU cannot be made double sided, but the 3 thicker options can. They can be cut into custom shapes and made in any size.
• PVC-PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is one of the most popular sign materials used in making indoor signs. It is waterproof, flame-retardant, and shatter-proof. It resists smudging and scratches and eliminates glare. PVC signs are very easy to install as well. We strongly discourage this as PVC signs have a tendency to warp in high heat and direct sunlight. PVC can be cut into custom shapes and sizes. It is available in 5 thickness: 1 millimeter, 1/8 inch, ¼ inch, ½ inch, and 1 inch thick.
• Sandblasted Cedar-Wooden signs have a certain "staple" appeal. Their traditional, classic look and feel never go out of style. Whether it's a beautifully crafted roadside sign or a carved fascia sign mounted above the entryway, business owners greatly appreciate the characteristic beauty that wood – especially cedar – achieves flawlessly. While sandblasted wooden signs are common to see outdoors, they are not as weather resistant as other sign materials. If you’re looking for a sign that is guaranteed to withstand the elements but has a similar look to sandblasted wood, check out our page about HDU signs. Sandblasted Cedar can be cut into custom shapes and in any size. It is available in many thickness levels, from 1.5” to 7” thick.