Choosing your sign

Six quick decisions: where it goes, how big, the lettering, the timber, the finish and how it's fixed. Get these right and your sign will read clearly and last.

Helping you choose your sign.

Step 1: Where will it go?

Step 2: Size.

Step 3: Lettering.

Step 4: Timber.

Step 5: Finish.

Step 6: Fixing.

Step 1: Where will it go?

Outside

House names and numbers, gates, walls and porches. Choose a house sign or house number in 19mm solid timber, with an exterior finish.

House signs →

Inside

Bedrooms, offices, studios and playrooms. Choose a door sign in 12mm solid timber, with an indoor finish.

Door signs →

Step 2: Size

The further away people will read your sign, the bigger the letters need to be. As a guide, allow about 25mm of capital letter height for every 3 metres of reading distance.

300 × 70mm

Up to 12 letters, one line

Read from approx. 4 metres

A short name by the front door

300 × 120mm

Up to 20 letters, two lines

Read from approx. 5 metres

Name and number by the door

450 × 150mm

Up to 20 letters, two lines

Read from approx. 6 metres

House name read from the pavement

600 × 150mm

Up to 30 letters, three lines

Read from approx. 6 metres

Longer names, or name and road

House numbers, 150mm high

1–3 digits

Read from approx. 11 metres

Readable from the road

Note:

Spaces don't count towards your letters. Need it bigger, or a different shape? Design your own sign and we'll quote for it.

Step 3: Lettering

Every letter is V-carved: cut as a V into the timber, so light and shadow make it readable. Then choose a font and whether to paint the letters.

Fonts:

Cinzel and Playfair Display for a classic look; Roboto Slab and Oswald for strong, clear names; Josefin Sans for clean and modern; Dancing Script for a handwritten feel. Script looks best at larger sizes.

Natural letters:

Natural letters rely on shadow, so they suit signs read close up and look best on paler timbers.

Painted letters:

Painted letters read from further away. Black stands out on oak, ash, beech and maple; white or gold works best on walnut.

Step 4: Timber

All our signs are solid timber, all the way through. Each board is real wood, so colour and grain vary from piece to piece.

Oak

Warm honey colour with a strong grain

The traditional house sign

Beech

Pale and even, with a fine grain

Crisp, clean lettering

Ash

Light, with bold, open grain

A natural, characterful look

Maple

Pale cream and smooth

Modern homes and painted letters

Walnut

Rich dark brown

Under a porch or canopy, with white or gold letters

Alternative Materials:

Alternative materials are available including live edge timbers and engineered boards. Please ask.

Step 5: Finish

The finish decides how your sign looks and how long it lasts outside - as well as inside.

Unfinished

Bare timber

No protection. Weathers to silver-grey

Upkeep none, or finish it yourself

Dispatched approx. 3 working days

Exterior oil

Natural, matt

Protection is light

Re-oil once a year; oak will silver over time

Dispatched approx. 7 working days

Satin marine varnish

Soft sheen

Protection is strong

A light recoat once a year

Dispatched approx. 2-3 weeks

Mirror gloss

Deep, glass-like shine

Protection is strongest

A light recoat once a year

Dispatched approx. 4-6 weeks

Note:

For a sign that faces the weather all year, choose mirror gloss. For door signs indoors, choose SealCoat & wax or satin.

Step 6: Fixing

Choose pre-drilled holes, holes with stainless screws, or invisible fixings for a clean face with nothing showing. We use stainless steel only, because oak reacts with ordinary steel and stains around the screws. Prefer to fit your own? Choose no fixings.

Shop signs →

Design your own →

Made once. Made properly

© 2026 Bordura Ltd · Registered in England and Wales, company no. 14451683 ·
Registered office: Gold Street, Podington, NN29 7HX

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