Augusta Sign Company on Waynesboro Economic Development Blog!

September 20, 2016 By Mark Hackley

Augusta Sign Company on Waynesboro Economic Development Blog!

Augusta Sign Company on Waynesboro Economic Development Blog! Many, many thanks to Courtney Cranor and the Waynesboro Department of Economic Development for featuring me in their monthly Grow Waynesboro blog about local entrepreneurs today.

Grow Waynesboro offers many services to entrepreneurs including grants, capital loans, start-up advice, etc. They also feature start-ups like this one and that is extremely helpful with marketing a new business. As a small business owner with limited capital, I really appreciate the exposure.

Here’s a link to the article…

Augusta Sign Company: Leaving a Lasting Impression on the Local Economy

Interior Sign Systems from Ordinary to Different

September 6, 2016 By Mark Hackley

Pretty Neat Interior Signs in Waynesboro and Augusta County, Virginia

Augusta Sign Company of Waynesboro makes interior sign systems from ordinary to different; simple white on brown rectangular signs to signs of custom shapes and colors. Most of the interior sign systems we make are made in-house from PVC material, usually 2mm or 3mm thick. The signs are typically mounted in wall-installed metal frames or hung from simple scroll brackets for an interesting look. The lettering is typically flush vinyl; cut or printed.

BLUE RIDGE AREA FOOD BANK OFFICE SIGNS

Here are a few recent examples of interior signage projects I have done around Waynesboro and Augusta County. The first project for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank in Verona, VA falls into the “ordinary” group. Not wanting their signs to be too gaudy, the director there chose a simple two-color monolithic design, white letters on brown. The system consisted of entrance way and hallway directional signs and office door signs intended to help new volunteers find their way around a little easier. Investing in better signage is a good way to spend extra year-end capital, and that was one of the reasons for the idea. Also, the Food Bank recently completed a large building renovation project and it was good timing to add new signage.

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OFFICE SIGNS

The previous year I had built several new exterior signs for Westminster Presbyterian Church in Waynesboro, VA. Continuing our relationship, the pastor called on me again for ideas on improving their interior signs at the church office. She had seen some neat signs on Pinterest and she shared the link with me as a good starting point. I chose to use 1/4″ thick white PVC with digitally printed graphics as the sign material and after discussions with the customer, decided to cut them in the same shape as their exterior signs to keep things consistent. The end product was really different. The hangers were plant hanging brackets I picked up at Lowes. All the office name signs were double-sided and were centered over the office doors; the directory was single-sided and inset into the existing reception counter, in view immediately as visitors enter the office.

If you’re in the market for interior signs, contact me anytime. Both of these multi-sign systems (30 plus signs for the food bank’s system and at least a dozen for the church’s) were designed, manufactured, and installed at a cost of less than $2,000. Considering the number of signs, interior signs are a cost effective way to spruce up your internal image for both staff and guests!

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company in the Tree Street area of Waynesboro, VA

540-943-9818

Using Banners as Semi-Permanent Building Signs

September 5, 2016 By Mark Hackley

Using Banners as Semi-Permanent Building Signs

When the Boys and Girls Club of Waynesboro’s Executive Director e-mailed me about a banner after receiving a referral to me from one of their board members, I assumed they needed a temporary banner like most people.

Wrong!

They were interested in using the banner as a permanent (semi-permanent) sign, or one that’s up for over six months. They got the permit, and I fabricated a nice banner, custom-fit for the area above the entrance to their newly renovated youth center. The banners produced by Augusta Sign Company are either hand painted, made with computer-cut or hand-cut vinyl graphics, or digitally printed. This one was digitally printed. I used the same 13 oz. vinyl fabric as I do for temporary banners and mounted the banner with four eye hooks that were set in lead anchors in the brick mortar joints of the building; fastened down with flexible bungee cord material. I do not think a banner of this type will perform forever, but they should get at least two years of service from it, or at least that’s what I’m expecting. Only time will tell, but for non-profits like the Boys and Girls Club, this type of sign may be just the answer.

Mark Hackley is owner of Augusta Sign Co. in Waynesboro, VA

540-943-9818

Stucco: A Good Material for Long-Lasting Entrance Signs

September 5, 2016 By Mark Hackley

file — **Sign “Before” Renovation. Notice the dirty, moldy background that would not come clean with normal cleaners.**

Stucco: A Good Material for Long-Lasting Entrance Signs

www.augustasigncompany.com-waynesboro-crimora-va-church-signs — **Sign with All Graphics Removed…**

www.augustasigncompany.com-waynesboro-va-wall-letters-church-signage-22980-22901-22801 — **Letters being spot primed and re-sprayed white. (Anyone for alphabet soup?)**

Back in about 1991, I was just a green small-business guy. I had recently moved to the Shenandoah Valley area 3 years earlier, and this was my first full year in my new full-time business, Tree Street Signs. One of the earliest church sign projects I tackled was constructing an entrance monument for Main Street United Methodist Church. The youth pastor at the time, John Tindall, had previously used my company to letter their church van, so I guess I had done a good job and the church called me back with a bigger project. A member had passed away and left money for a nice sign, so I recommended a low-profile concrete block sign faced with stucco and metal letters.

I used one of the best masons in the area to build the sign, Danny Davis. He did a great job as he always does! After the footer was poured and the solid, masonry sign was complete, I ordered two sets of router-cut and painted aluminum letters for each side. Using a paper mounting template and a hammer drill, I carefully drilled the holes for the aluminum studs that would hold the letters to the low walls. After dry-fitting all the lettering, I cemented them all in place with clear, architectural grade silicone, the standard adhesive for these types of sign letters. The sign had a special two-part cross and flame emblem, the established Methodist brand.

www.augustasigncompany.com-waynesboro-va-logos-signs — **Making drill templates for white backers behind original cross and flame emblems to help pop off from dark background.**

Fast-forward to 2016, and I was kneeling at that sign again. The head of the church property committee sought me out to upgrade the sign after 25 years! I recommended they reverse the letters out this time around for better visibility. You see, I had learned a few things about sign design over the years, and sometimes it’s better to use light colored letters against a dark colored background when three dimensional sign letters are raised from the surface. These types of letters cast shadows during the day, and also at night from lighting, and many times the shadows can interfere with good visibility. (See this article from Holiday Signs that tells about this phenomenon.)

www.augustasigncompany.com-waynesboro-va-architectural-signage-for-churches — **“After”… The finished renovation!!**

I think I did a pretty good job in completely changing the looks of the sign without having to change the sign background or letter materials, just the paint colors and a backer for the emblem. Painting stucco is rather simple. After bleaching the old moldy stains, I used a quality latex satin paint on the stucco and automotive acrylic enamel on the metal letters. I pulled all the lettering off, repainted the background on site, repainted the letters in the shop, then re-mounted everything. When I was a kid, some of my more daring friends were frequently occupied with mischief. Waynesboro school kids must be either blessed with excellent manners or cursed with low IQ’s because anyone could have pulled those letters off over the course of 25 years, but nobody did until I came along again, this time under a new company name, Augusta Sign Company.

Mark Hackley is President of Augusta Signs in Waynebsoro, Virginia

540-943-9818

How to Make Sign Patterns Using Your Photocopier

September 5, 2016 By Mark Hackley

How to Make Sign Patterns Using Your Photocopier

Back in the old days (early 80’s), I remember using an Art-O-Graph projector to cast images and letters on the wall and then trace the images to pattern paper. I am not sure what happened to that old projector over the years, but nowadays it’s just as easy using a photocopier, at least for small to medium sized signs. For larger signs I can use the old grid layout system, where you print out a scaled drawing of the sign and overlay it with grids that you can then scale up to the surface you are painting.

In a recent case I used the copier to make a pattern for a few real estate advertising signs. The customer had some old fiberboard panels that I could use for the signs and I hand lettered them with basic information about how interested parties could reach them about a piece of commercial property.

I did the layout in CorelDraw X5. I printed the letters actual size by making sure I picked “as in document” vs “fit to page” on the printer/copier. Once the letters printed, I scotch taped them all together, used a carpenter’s pencil to blacken the back where the letter lines were, and then corner-taped the pattern to my signs, traced the lettering, and painted.

All done in very little time and effort and less expensive than having to order vinyl, weed and tape it, etc. For temporary applications it is a great solution. Plus, I don’t get many chances to hand letter signs anymore; something I still kind of enjoy. I reckon I’m just an old timer!

Mark Hackley is owner/operator of Augusta Sign Company in Waynesboro, VA

Contact: 540-943-9818

Many thanks to Holiday Signs for teaching me how to use WordPress 🙂