We’ve all seen them when we have driven through apartment complexes, parking structures or malls.  These types of signs enforce parking limits, tell us what speed we should be driving at, or tell us to be on the look-out for children at play.  Some are more official and associated with specific local ordinances; while others reflect the rules of the property owner or manager with regard the use of the facility, pool or parking.  Most often the signs are exterior aluminum sign with black, red, blue and/or green lettering.

Some are produced in bright reflective colors to make them easily readable, even at night.  This is especially true of road signs and more official MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Transportation Control Devices) as mandated by the Federal Highway Administration.  These are the ultimate in property restriction signs because they enforce the rules on our highways and byways.

Whether you are planning to produce property restriction signs for your place of business or to comply with local ordinances, SignWorks can assist you in designing or fabricating custom or standardized property restriction signs.  For more information and advice about property restriction signs or to request an estimate, contact SignWorks at (510) 357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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We continue to be thankful for our relationship with Madison Marquette, property managers for Bayfair and Bay Street Malls.  Our most recent project at the mall involved supplying signage for a new retailer at Bayfair Mall, Butterfly Catchers Floral Design and Gifts.  The logo and dimensional letters were constructed using an acrylic laminate mounted to standard charcoal foam.  This gives the letters depth and dimension while keeping the sign affordably priced when compared to acrylic lettering.  Our designer worked with the retailer to recreate a digital print of the logo and mounted it to a circular foam cut out in the same foam material.  A paper pattern was created to ensure the logo and lettering was properly spaced.

The use of laminates combined with foam, whether acrylic or the more popular metallic varieties, allows for the creation of logos and dimensional lettering sign projects at new more affordable price points.  The foam supplies the “saving” will the laminate provides the desired finished effect.  If you are a retailer and would like to explore an affordable dimensional letter/logo project give SignWorks a call at (510) 357-2000 or email us at info@signworks.us.com.

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A current project that SignWorks has completed is the window graphics for Golden State Fitness Center in Oakland CA. The owner of the company recently moved in this facility and it is still being renovated.
He asked us to convert his logo into a window graphic and also add his business hours on to his door.

The logo he sent us was a very good quality image, but being that the logo had dark colors and his window was tinted the image would not show up very well.  The designer here at SignWorks was able to add a white stroke outline which would allow the image to show up on the window much clearer.

Since this the fitness center is still being built there will be more outdoor and indoor graphics that we will create and install.

If you are interested a window graphics or any other types of signs please contact us at (510) 357-2000 or e-mail us at info@signworks.us.com.

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We have a long standing relationship with a local funeral and casket company that has developed over the years.  The owner, sensing that past clients and their referrals were confused about what products and services were available from the company, made a bold but very clarifying move to rebrand the business and focus on its core products and services.

Initially, the company had decided to focus on the many aspects of their business which included investments, real estate and other financial services products.  The problem was that the more dominant aspect of the business which focused on funeral planning and casket sales, was being diluted by this broader approach to marketing.  Customers, though welcoming of the broader array of products and financial services, became unsure of the product offering and now thought that the core funeral service and casket sales business was a thing of the past.

Sunset Funeral Company’s brand identity involved a more evolutionary process where the breadth of the product and service offering was tested and refined over time.   Sometimes a company and its products are very narrowly defined making the process of branding more straight forward and less evolutionary.  Hence when you are embarking on the process of naming your company and establishing the branding, you should try to be as specific as possible in identifying the product and service offering.  It will help you to avoid confusing your customers or having to rebrand your business later on. Consequently, your company name and brand identity should be as narrowly focused as possible.

To learn more about using signage to promote your business and help to establish your brand identity call SignWorks at (510) 357-2000 or send us an email at info@signworks.us.com.  We can help you to establish a winning brand!

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There are a variety of compliance signs but generally these types of signs are used for fire and safety purposes.  There are some compliance signs that are used in the workplace to shield us from hazards or warn us against danger.  Whether OSHA or fire safety inspired compliance signs are very much a part of the sign business and SignWorks has fabricated many different types to meet the needs of our clients.  We often work with contractors to supply ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) signs for new and/or renovated buildings.  Ensuring accessibility to those with disabilities in the form of ADA compliant restroom, tenant identification and facilities signs is something we have had lots of experience with.

Recently we have worked with Shimmick Construction to provide ADA signs for their client San Francisco MUNI and with Blackwell construction on evacuation maps and stairwell signs for Aspire School in Oakland.  Since Aspire school was a motel style outdoor campus, the project involved working closely with the local fire department to ensure compliance with fire safety rules.

Other types of compliance signs include parking restrictions and permitting and those involving traffic and roadway safety.  In fact, the Manual on Uniform Traffic and Control Devices (MUTCD) administered by the Federal Highway Administration provides guidance regarding traffic control signage and road markings.  When revisions are made states have two years in which to comply with the revived or new regulation.

If you have an upcoming project that calls for compliance signs give SignWorks a call at (510) 357-2000.  We can help to ensure that your new signs are in compliance.

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Many sign companies focus their businesses on certain products and SignWorks is no different.  Over the years we have gravitated toward architectural signage or those that required the development of a full scale package for an entire building.  When we were very new in business we were fortunate to develop a relationship with the contractors who were building Souls Restaurant (for Acts Full Gospel Church in Oakland).  Early on we developed a skill for designing and creating full scale logos and lettering for commercial real estate clients charged with rebranding whole buildings.  Before Solyndra’s demise, the company sought SignWorks out to install their 3 ft. powder coated logo/lettering onto the side of their new building in Fremont.

The Swan Way and Atrium building’s demonstrates SignWorks creativity and the project planning expertise necessary to develop a unifying design palate that included developing a building logo, as well as design elements and a color scheme that would tie the exterior and interior tenant signs together.  The result would give the buildings a professional and finished look.  In fact, the Atrium building’s exterior metal plaques (with a SignWorks created building logo design), helped to tie all of the various sign elements together:  from interior tenant identification, to evacuation maps, to facilities and ADA signs.

For architects, building contractors and commercial real estate property managers it is important to know that the sign company they have selected is an experienced provider of architectural graphics, full scale design work, has project management skills and can navigate the associated submittals and permitting processes.  SignWorks would like to hear from you if you or your company has an upcoming architectural graphics or building sign project.  We can be reached at (510) 357-2000.

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