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Business Management

Best Commercial Freestanding Signs of 2013

Great American Signs gets the nod

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FIRST PLACE

Fabricator
Gary Johnson
Great American Sign Co.
Basking Ridge, NJ
(908) 630-9120
www.greatamericansign.net
Designer
Gary Johnson
Client
Bedminster Community Garden

Perhaps you’ve seen this sign before. It also earned the top honor in last year’s United States Sign Council competition, which was featured in our December issue. Also, Johnson wrote about his shop and techniques for ST’s February issue (see page 62). He designed the sign for a community garden. Johnson said local officials loved the concept, but could only afford one-third of his initial quote. His solution: “I didn’t want to compromise the sign just to stay within budget, so I called it charity and put two conditions on the deal. There would be no deadlines, and the sign would be fabricated as I saw fit, with no further reviews.” The result attests that the signs were well worth the wait.
After having designed the sign using SA Intl.’s EnRoute® 5 3-D software, he routed the sign on his Gerber Dimension 200 CNC router using 30-lb. PrecisionBoard® HDU. The body copy entails a white, acrylic panel that’s painted black and V-carved. Johnson shaped the lawyer from scrap Precision Board as a base before topping it with Abracadabra sculpting epoxy. He also shaped the surrounding garden with the epoxy before handpainting it with Sherwin-Williams latex coatings.

SECOND PLACE

Fabricator
Sawatzky’s Imagination Corp.
Chilliwack, BC, Canada
(604) 823-2216
www.imaginationcorporation.com
Designer
Dan Sawatzky
Client
Lark Rise Horse House

Sawatzky, whose unconventional, fanciful designs have earned him several contest awards, developed this sign for the owners of an event facility, who wished to emphasize Lark Rise’s rolling hills and picturesque views. He created the design files with SA Intl.’s EnRoute 5 3-D software. Using his four-axis MultiCam 3000 CNC router, Sawatzky fashioned the rustic sign from Coastal Enterprises’ 30-lb. PrecisionBoard HDU, and secured it over a welded-steel frame. The horse’s head, the bottom post section and the sign were fabricated as separate pieces and bonded together with Coastal Enterprises’ PB-Bond 240 glue. Sawatzky primed the panels with FSC-88WB, Coastal Enterprises’ water-based primer, and handpainted the sign with an array of custom-mixed glazes created with Modern Masters acrylic paint, and adorned the letters with 23k goldleaf.

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THIRD PLACE

Fabricators
Wood & Wood Sign Systems Inc.
Waitsfield, VT
(802) 496-3000
www.woodandwoodsigns.com

Fred Spencer
Mountainview Industries
Fayston, VT
(802) 496-2426
Designer
Sparky Potter
Wood & Wood Sign Systems Inc.
Client
King Arthur Flour

Based in Norwich, VT, King Arthur Flour is reportedly the oldest flour company in the U.S. It recently invested in a $10 million facility and wanted signage to reflect the company’s enduring brand. Because of Vermont’s setback requirements for roadside signage, Potter focused on copy legibility via a large, handpainted version of the iconic logo. His design incorporates stonework and landscaping to enhance the project’s curb appeal. The main sign panel, which measures 49 in. wide, is fabricated with 1.5-in.-thick laminated MDO, supplied by Atlantic Plywood, with edges coated with two layers of West System epoxy. Wood & Wood artist Stella Hovis painted the main logo artwork with Benjamin Moore acrylic-latex paint. The lower panel, made from ¾-in.-thick MDO, was painted with the acrylic latex and features an aluminum drip cap to prevent water from penetrating the MDO. The post and beam, made from pressure-treated pine, were sanded and coated with Cabot semi-transparent stain. Mountainview Industries provided the metal brackets, guy rods and double-gooseneck lighting.
 

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