Vacuum formed sign faces are a great way to deliver bold, dimensional signage for your clients — especially when longevity and visual impact are key. Whether you’ve ordered them before or are just getting started, a little planning can make the process faster and more accurate.
Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind when preparing your next vacuum formed sign face order.
1. Plan Within Material Limits
We form acrylic or impact-modified acrylic up to 6′ × 14′, and polycarbonate up to 8′ × 16′ — all in one seamless piece. For oversized jobs, we can build sections using J-joint seams.
🛠️ Tip: If your design is larger than 8′ × 16′, feel free to ask how best to break it into sections. We’ll help you map it out.
2. Leave Room Around the Edges
To ensure proper mounting and clean embossing, we recommend keeping important graphics or lettering at least 1.5″ to 2″ from the edge for FLAT faces, and at least 1.5″ to 2″ from the edge of the TSA (Top Surface Area or Top of Pan) for PAN faces. This is especially helpful for drop-in cabinet installs where flange clearance is needed.
3. Simplify for Clean Embossing
Dimensional letters and logos really shine — but complex details don’t always form well. Bold, clean shapes typically produce the best results.
Not sure if your artwork will emboss cleanly? We’re happy to review it and make suggestions before you finalize your files.
4. Use Vector Artwork
To create tooling and routing files, we’ll need vector-based artwork. If you’re unsure, feel free to send us what you have — we’ll let you know what works best.
✅ Preferred formats: .AI, .EPS, .PDF (with outlined/converted fonts)
📄 Include measurements and any paint notes for faster quoting.
5. Get Ahead on Lead Times
We do our best to turn projects quickly — usually within 8-10 business days for white pans and 3-6 weeks for painted faces/cabinets, depending on complexity and volume. Submitting your files early helps keep things smooth, especially during busy seasons.
✅ Need a Second Set of Eyes?
If you’ve got a layout, concept, or technical drawing but aren’t 100% sure what’s needed — just send it over. We’ll walk through it with you and get you a fast, accurate quote.
