At The Sign Maker, we have a variety of slates that can be used for house signs. Once you’ve selected the type of slate you would like to use we will work with you to create the perfect design for your slate house sign. Then our stonemason will get to work creating your unique sign.
You may be wondering what makes each slate unique? This is why we’ve created this handy guide to take you through the different options available to you.
Types of Slate:
Natural Slate:
Slate house signs are made with a natural grey slate. The smooth surface is highly attractive and because it is not highly polished, some of the grain and markings within the material are left exposed maintaining its natural appearance. The natural appearance will make your sign unique and embracing the natural qualities of the slate can result in a great looking house sign.
Welsh Blue Slate House Signs:
Welsh Blue Slate is renowned for being one of the best slates in the world. It is much older than most other slates having been formed as early as 600 million years ago. As a result of its age, it is far harder, stronger and denser than other materials, increasing its durability and hard-wearing quality. This slate is purer than others and presents with a cleaner finish. At The Sign Maker, we believe that Welsh Blue Slate is perfect for those looking for a high quality, long-lasting house sign, the beautiful colour also being a stand-out feature.
Lakeland Green:
Lakeland Green Slate is sourced from a small quarry in The Lake District. A father and son duo (Nev and Richard) work hard to produce beautiful hard, green slate with unique markings. Given the short production line, the traditional use of tools and the skilled craftsmanship that exists to produce this slate, we enjoy making exquisite signs from this one-of-a-kind material. Lakeland Green Slate is hard-wearing, again making it a great choice for a house sign.
Styling Your Sign:
There are many ways that you can style your slate house sign. From standard sizing to having a sign made to measure, we can produce a sign that works for you. The slate signs can also be modified with additional borders and holes. Simple and detailed images can also be featured using different methods to create them.
The lettering is typically silver, gold, black or white. We also believe pale green produces a natural-looking effect and compliments the grey slates well. That said we have a wide range of other stock colours to choose from. The lettering on slate house signs can also be created by blasting away the background to leave the letters raised. When choosing this option, it is wise to choose a bold font that will be complemented by this effect. We can also style your sign in a more decorative and contemporary way.
This process means that the signs are made in reverse. The slate is first painted, then sandblasted or lasered to leave the lettering standing out and unpainted which is called raised lettering. The contemporary style is also available in lots of lovely colours (some coming as standard and others can be ordered in). The slate is sanded to a smooth finish and then the front and sides are painted, leaving the lettering the natural colour of the slate.
Types of Sign:
Slate Signs:
The slate house signs have a great finish while having a natural appearance. With both standard sizing and made to measure orders available to you, the standard slate signs can be made to fit your house sign needs. Each piece of slate is different which makes your sign unique too.
Slate house signs last well and are a traditional choice without being bland or boring. Their smart appearance is notable to passers-by and here at The Sign Maker, we think they are a great house sign choice.
Slate House Number Signs:
The slate house numbers have a natural finish. Typically the numbers are painted in either black, silver or gold however you can leave the number raised in the natural slate by having the background sandblasted. There are a range of fonts available that enable us to create a number sign for you that fits your vision. You can also choose to have your house number and an additional image or border engraved.
Rustic Slate Signs:
Rustic Slate signs are an excellent value of money house sign. They have a very unique aesthetic and their appearance is as the name would suggest – rustic. These charming, lightweight signs make great house signs. The rustic slate signs can be made as standard (black with white lettering) or in reverse (white with black lettering). Traditionally, the letters are carved into the slate with a sandblasting process before being painted in. In the reverse process, the piece of slate is first sprayed white and then the lettering is lasered in. For finer details, a laser is used but for the larger bold text (which is what we would recommend), the sandblaster is used to create deeper lettering.
Slate Doorsteps
Personalised Slate doorsteps certainly make a statement! The Sign Maker’s slate doorsteps can help you make a bold welcome to your home (or business). This is a product that we love, the first one we made was in fact for our own offices at Yelland Farm.
The doorsteps can be made to your specification (cut to any size and several different thicknesses). We have hundreds of fonts available (we would advise choosing a bold font that is clear despite the sandblasting) and we can create a design that is just right for you.
The sandblasted pattern prevents the step from being too slippery in the cold winter months and the design stands out.
Overall, slate is a great material to work with and at The Sign Maker, it proves to be a popular choice. We hold a small variety of slates and can use it to make numerous sign styles. At The Sign Maker, we hope we can make a slate sign that works for you.
Telephone: 01769 561355 | Email: sales@sign-maker.net | https://linktr.ee/thesignmaker