Signs with stone bases are ubiquitous. If you’re not paying attention to the signs you see, you might not notice them, but once you start thinking about your own sign and checking out what other businesses are doing, you’ll never stop seeing them. Granted, business owners aren’t usually fixated on signs the way sign manufacturers are, but it helps to have an idea of what you want.
In the sign industry, those classy signs with stone bases are known as monument signs. Not all monument signage uses stone; some monument bases are composed of brick or split face block, and some are made of foam. A monument sign typically refers to any sign structure that has a base made from one of these materials and sits at eye level. Still, for the purpose of this post, we’ll be discussing 5 ideas for the design of your monument sign’s stone base. So, without any further adieu, let’s get down to sign business!
1. Traditional monument signage with a uniform stone base
Many monument signs consist of a stone base with the actual signage sitting on the base. The sign itself might be a lighted sign cabinet (also known as a box sign), a carved sign made from high density urethane, or an aluminum or plywood sign panel. Raised lettering such as dimensional (non-illuminated) or channel (illuminated) letters can also be added to the sign to create visual appeal–if you want.
2. Monument signage with stone pillars and no base
An alternative to a sign box sitting atop your base is forgoing the uniform base and having a monument sign with two stone pillars. Between these pillars, your sign box can be sandwiched. Think of the traditional “post and panel” sign with the sign panel between two posts–only instead of thin posts, you have beautiful, thick stone pillars.
3. Monument with lettering mounted directly to the stone
There’s no one way to make a monument sign, and you don’t even need to include a sign box or panel to add lettering! Why not mount your dimensional lettering directly to the stone monument? This design is used by many businesses to exude class and elegance. Your lettering can also be mounted to a panel attached to the face of the monument.
4. Half monument, half sign
Not feeling particularly inspired by any of these monument sign ideas yet? Admittedly, they’ve been pretty traditional so far. So, if you really want to create aesthetic interest, take some inspiration from the iconic monument sign at the entrance to the Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa (yes, it’s a monument sign for a monument). The park, which preserves over 200 Native American-built mounds, has a monument sign that’s half sign and half stone. The sign panel has a unique edge that fits into the stone monument like a puzzle piece.
5. Creative stonework and designs that match your building’s architecture
We’ve talked about the structure of your stone base, but what about the design of the stone itself? Your stonework can also replicate the architecture of your business for uniformity. Taking it a step further, a skilled mason can create patterns in your monument sign’s stone base that will truly make your business sign stand out from the crowd.
Still not sure what kind of stone monument signage is right for your business?
Now you know a bit more about monument signs and the different stone base designs you can choose for your business. The next step is to get in touch with a sign company that can help you narrow down your options and get your monument installed! Then, you’ll have a stone monument sign that is the envy of every business on the block.
