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Re-Branding Wayne Hills Baptist

September 2, 2024 By Mark Hackley

BRAND NEW LOOK

A local church customer had designed a new brand and considered an investment of new signage to help publicize it. I met with a few board members tasked with looking into possible sign materials, costs, timeframes, lifespans, etc. Once I completed the initial survey it took me a few weeks to respond to the group with a proposal. The church wanted me to break the estimates up into interior and exterior segments, and they needed the interiors completed first, especially the new lobby branding.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, PVC Wayfinding Sign Systems, Virginia, USA
Setting up the church main ID sign at the entrance road to the large church parking lot in Waynesboro, VA. I designed space below the main sign for the customer to post seasonal event banners as needed throughout the year and provided stainless steel eyehooks in the PVC posts.

ACCOMODATING MEETING SCHEDULE

My main contact worked full-time at Augusta Health and I was able to accomodate his busy schedule by meeting with him on and off to measure and take survey pictures for a while before his mid-week evening programs at the church. After several weeks, I was delighted to find out that the church had selected my company for the job! To keep the costs in a reasonable range for a good-performing sign system, I suggested they use maintenance-free PVC posts and framing with ACM sign panels.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, directional signs
This exterior directional sign was placed at a fork in the driveway coming up the hill to the main church parking lots. Once I received approval for the footer inspection, I filled the holes with high strength concrete. I normally leave the bracing on posts in concrete for 24-48 hours after the pour.

CONSISTENT DESIGN ELEMENTS

The interior part of the sign project cost under $2,000 and the exterior part was under $6,000. I could get to the interiors right away since they had a church member with a CNC router who could make the signs from my vector artwork, and I could make the mounting patterns for the lettering and install the letters on the interior walls rather quickly. The other interior signs consisted of wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted directional signs, plus several flag-mounted room number signs. The signs were consistent in size, color, and placement to make for a nice-looking system that helped newcomers and visitors find their way around.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, interior PVC PLastic Letters
CNC-Router-Cut Black PVC Graphics at the Church Connect Center in the Main Lobby.

EASY TO INSTALL

I used my scaffold equipment to make installing the letters over the entrance doors a piece of cake. To install interior letters like these which were cut from 1/8″ thick black PVC material, I use 3M Very High Bond Double-Back Tape (VHB). For larger and heavier letters I would usually add a little silicone adhesive along with the VHB Tape. Prior to lettering the entry wall, I removed the old lettering from the wall and a member of their building committee re-painted the wall just prior to adding the new branding.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, interior PVC PLastic Letters
More of the router-cut PVC wall letters installed using a rolling scaffold.

A MEMORABLE BRAND

The secret of a memorable brand is repetition. Web pages, printed literature, and signage all across campus with the brand ties everything together and makes people feel comfortable with it and helps them remember it.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, door glass lettering and signs
Plotter-Cut White High-Performance Vinyl Graphics adorn the front door windows.

SOLID INSTALLATION

After securing the necessary County permits and VDOT right of way clearance, I checked for underground utility conflicts, then picked a few fair-weather days to work outside on installing the signs. It took a day to get the holes ready, and another day to install everything for inspection. Once the footers were approved, I came back to set the concrete, then one more time to remove the bracing and do a final cleaning. Customers sometimes wonder why installation costs as much as it does. Usually it is due to the number of trips needed to finish the job. Anytime concrete is required, there are several days of trips involved to drive up the cost.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding
I used standard size 12X18 ACM to make several visitors parking signs, attaching them to 4X4 White PVC Posts with stainless hardware.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS LEAD THE WAY

As a Christian myself, I appreciate the many opportunities I have to help area churches with their mission of spreading the gospel. It may not seem like signs can help in this important endeavor, but when newcomers to the area are looking for a church family to call home, first impressions can mean a lot!

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, brick mounted signs
6MM ACM Wall Signs installed into the brick wall with Tapcon fasteners.

www.augustasigncompany.com, waynesboro, staunton, VA, church signs, church branding, portico signage
The church wanted newcomers to realize where the main entrance was as they approached the parking areas, so I designed a sign for the high fascia of the entry portico.

Mark Hackley is owner and president of Augusta Sign Company; 540-943-9818; [email protected]

Filed Under: Sign Knowledge

The Tools of My Trade

August 17, 2022 By Mark Hackley

ONE MAN-THREE MAIN FUNCTIONS

Different professions use different tools to get the job done. Since I am involved in all the day-to-day operations of a one-man sign shop, I need to be familiar with a variety of tools to do my job well. I guess, if I wanted to break it down into three important facets, my job is first marketing, sales and administration; then comes design; and last is production and installation.

I spend at least 3 days per week in front of my laptop, where all design and sales is done…no wonder I wear trifocals! Oh well, it gives me a good excuse to miss putts out on the golfcourse!

The tools I use in marketing and sales would not be much different than the tools my son uses as a software engineer, and that is utilizing computer apps and software to “hang my sign” on the virtual street of Googleland; which basically means I use a website with a regular blog as a tool to drive online searches to my website where my contact information is available. The same thing goes for design work: most of it is also done on the computer. But in this blog, I’ll be highlighting the tools I use out in the shop for producing my signage products and services.

Back in the day I used to sell these Mimaki plotters and printers for Tubelite out of the Charlotte, NC branch. When I went back into business in 2015, I purchased one from the company I sold for. They are now called TubeliteDenco.

OUTSOURCING IS MY FRIEND

Since I am a one man shop, I depend on one or two key suppliers for my sign panels, and ones that can provide custom cutting of the panels if needed when things get busy. Most panels nowdays are pre-finished, meaning there is not much shop painting needed unless I am working on a cedar sign project, where I would order raw cedar boards. About 90% of the panels will be finished with digitally printed films that are outsourced; the other 10% will get cut vinyl graphics that I prepare in the shop using a 30″ plotter. I can cut my own vinyl films and make paper patterns and stencils using this important tool.

A random assortment of tools left on the worktable today out in the shop…

Since a third of my time is spent in sales and marketing, and another third in design, that only leaves a day or two out in the shop each week. That means I have to be efficient out there to get things done. The process most performed in my shop is installing graphics on ready-to-letter panels. For this process I use a variety of squeegies. I use felt squeegies to apply printed vinyl and hard plastic squeegies to apply cut vinyl letters and logos. I also use application fluids, precision blades, and various tapes during the graphic application process. Many times I will have to cut a decorative shape in the panel and sometimes attach removeable panels and things like that, so I have all the basic woodworking and metalworking tools that you’d expect to find out in the shop for those kinds of things. On occasion, I get the chance to handpaint a sign, and I have a slew of brushes and other tools for handpainting signs, which I learned to do in the early 1980’s.

I learned to paint signs back in the days when we were actually called “signpainters”!
Here is a shot of some brushes I still get to use on occasion…

SELECTIVE INSTALLATIONS

As a one-man shop perhaps the most difficult task I have is installation of signs. I will not take on a job if it involves a difficult installation unless the customer takes care of that part. I do have a nice set of scaffolding, a very nice set of ladders and a crosswalk, digging tools, and other tools for signage installation, but as I get older, I limit myself to what I can actually do these days. I like to recommend other sign shops I am familiar with for the things I cannot tackle or at least feel uncomfortable trying to even consider.

Me, holding a heavy steel “drive cap” used in driving steel posts in the ground.
I purchased a slew of post driving tools for my Blue Ridge Tunnel Project back in 2020.
A view of various tools out in one part of my workshop today…

Mark Hackley owns and operates his small business, Augusta Sign Company, near Staunton, VA.

540-943-9818

Filed Under: Sign Knowledge Tagged With: Tools of the trade-signs

Keeping Up With The Joneses

June 24, 2022 By Mark Hackley

Plastic wall letters have always been a great product for me to use for customers seeking a clean, durable brand. For red brick backgrounds, white plastic wall letters make a great choice. This particular customer wanted to add a new partner’s name to the existing name on the wall. I met with the owners to survey the area of the signage and what would have to happen to accomodate the additional letters. They wanted to keep the same letter height, typeface, and color scheme. The only difference would be to use durable 1/2″ thick acrylic versus the existing cut-out and painted plywood letters that they had used for decades.

Sometimes I refer to plastic wall letters as FCO letters, which stands for “flat-cut-out”. There are many ways to make wall letters. Plastic wall letters can be cut from flat stock or they can also be formed in a vacuum forming process using molds. Cutting the plastic letters from flat stock is done by a CNC router. Each letter is cut and then threaded holes are drilled in the backs to accept aluminum or stainless steel studs that hold the letters onto the wall.

The labor hours involved to install plastic wall letters is determined by the wall material: brick taking the longest, gyp board probably the shortest. Once the customer approves the final design, the letters are ordered. After a normal 4-8 week period, the letters arrive at my shop from the manufacturer along with a computer-generated pattern that I use to mount the individual letters on the wall. I arrive early on the site, set up my walkboard and proceed to layout the drill pattern. I find the center of the wall area and, after rolling the pattern like a scroll from each end, I tape the center at the marked centerline. Then I unroll each side, taping it down as needed with high-tack duct tape. Once the pattern is double-checked for center, baseline height, and level, I use a wall punch to make dimples in the brick at each stud location. Then I drill a 3/16″ hole into every marked stud hole, coming back with a 1/4″ drill bill to accomodate the 3/16″ studs and silicone adhesive.

Once the holes are drilled, I dry-fit each letter to make sure everything works and each letter fits correctly into the holes. After all letters are dry-fit, I come back one more time and apply a clear adhesive to each stud, fastening each letter in place. It was a hot day to install the letters, but fortunately my helper, Jennifer Hackley, was able to help me complete the final project!!

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company in Staunton, VA 540-943-9818

Filed Under: Sign Knowledge

How My Sign Company Made The Sign for Horseshoe Hill

March 8, 2022 By Mark Hackley

One afternoon I received a call from a property owner in Keswick, VA wanting a sign for her driveway entrance. After meeting with her at her Charlottesville office I was able to prepare a sign design based on what she had in mind: a small, simple, yet elegant oval sign to greet friends as they entered her property, a beautiful 42 acre lot in the heart of Albemarle horse country.

Finished carved cedar sign in Keswick, Virginia.

Building a wood sign like she had in mind is very motivating for me! Ever since I attended a handcarved sign workshop in Stowe, Vermont back in 1990, I have been interested in all types of handmade wood signs. Then, over time, with the help of computer-aided-design and manufacturing, I became skilled with V-carved and sandblasted lettering techniques. Nowadays, I generally choose western red cedar as the species of wood for sign panels because I’ve gotten to know its track record of carvability and durability over the years; and this is what I selected as the wood for the Horse Shoe Hill sign.

The Horse Shoe Hill sign after it is routed with a CNC machine.

After she ran my preliminary sign design by her architect, who was at that time working on an extensive remodel on the property, she recommended I alter the base of the post by beefing up the scale some versus using a plain 6X6 post column for the sign pole.

Marshall Carpenter sanding the main part of the post outside the shop in Staunton, VA.

I purchased the cedar panel and had the lettering carved per the approved design drawing. Once that was complete, I routed the edge, sanded the letters, background, and edges, and then primed the surface with two coats of oil-based primer. Once the primer was cured, I applied a heavy coat of hunter green enamel over the entire sign. After a few days of drying, I hit the sign with my pounce powder bag and applied the size for the gold leaf. (The pounce powder prevents the gold from adhering to the fresh enamel background.) After the size set to the proper consistency, I applied the gold leaf. As the sign was drying, I constructed a tall 6X6 post using treated yellow pine. Once that was built I primed and painted the post black and installed a large black iron scroll bracket to the top of the post to hang the finished sign from once installed.

The 23K gold leaf applied to the wet size that was prepared for the V-carved letters.

When both the sign and the post were complete, I arranged a date for installation. The architect took care of permitting and I dug a 42″ deep hole to set the post in concrete. I planted the sign post and attached bracing to the post until the concrete cured, after which I installed the sign using stainless steel hardware, and everything was finished. I see that the $6.95 M property is currently for sale in Albemarle County, VA. If you’re looking for it, just look for the nice 23K gold leaf sign! You can’t miss it.

Owner of Augusta Sign Company, Mark Hackley, with a million dollar smile, as he completes the sign for property worth millions! (But since he’s heard the streets of Heaven are solid gold, I don’t think that smile will ever fade!)

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company and serves the Waynesboro-Staunton-Augusta County area of Virginia with hand-fabricated signs of all types…(and he has been since 1990!)

Filed Under: Sign Knowledge Tagged With: Carved Wood Signs, Cedar Signs, Gold Leaf Signs, Wood Signs VA

Custom Estate Signs for $2,000

January 12, 2022 By Mark Hackley

Last fall Augusta Sign Company was contracted to make a low profile entrance sign for a home in historic Rockbridge County, Virginia. The customer wanted a carved wood sign. He had found us on a Google search and liked a few of the black and white carved cedar signs we had manufactured for other customers, so we agreed on a design and the cost came to about $2,000.

I found the customer had a similar living situation as my family, where two families are sharing the same house. In their case, a mother/mother-in-law resided with them, in ours its a father/father-in-law situation. The customer recently built a new home and the customer’s mom dreamed of having a nice entry sign with the name of the property and address. These signs are very commonplace and popular here in Virginia, and I remember reading a magazine article decades ago that you can actually increase the value of your country property by giving it a name! After learning about his mother’s sign idea, my customer was excited about getting the new sign up by Christmas.

A carved or sandblasted wood sign generally takes approximately 6-8 weeks to complete, especially if there are posts and installation involved like in this particular case. After receiving a deposit and final proof approval, I ordered a cedar blank and cut the outside shape with a jig saw, and had the V-carved letters cut on both sides with a CNC router. The next step was to thoroughly sand the panel, ease over the outside edges of the sign and then prime with a stain-killing exterior oil-based primer. Once the primer was dry, I chose to use an oil-base sign enamel for the background finish and then lettered the recessed lettering with a squirrel-hair lettering quill and black lettering enamel.

The customer liked the look of an iron scroll bracket, so I ordered a standard black 36″ wide bracket which conformed well to the 30″ wide wood sign that would hang below. I inserted 2 stainless steel eye bolts and epoxied them into the cedar. I fastened the scroll bracket to the custom 4X4 post I made. The custom post was adorned with a nice CNC-turned cedar ball finial at the top and included a build-out portion at the bottom to give it more meat at the base.

After having the underground utilities marked, I dug a 42″ deep hole and planted the sign post in 800 pounds of concrete to keep it plumb. The rural area gets lots of wind so I wanted to make sure the sign and post could endure years of harsh environmental treatment. The cedar wood should last a lifetime, but will need maintenance to keep it looking like new every 5-10 years or so. The treated post should last at least 30 years and probably more, and the iron bracket and stainless steel hardware should easily last a lifetime.

My customer was very happy to see the sign installed by Christmas and I am sure his mom was too!

If you are interested in having a custom carved cedar sign designed and fabricated for your home or business, please contact Mark Hackley at 540-943-9818, or e-mail him at [email protected].

    Filed Under: Sign Knowledge Tagged With: Virginia, Wood Signs

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