Although it may not seem like a big deal, your commercial sign can make the difference of being discovered or ignored. The font is a representation of your business’ voice and presents the first impression, so it must be clear, clean, and professional. Use this guide to help you pick the right font for your business.

3 Considerations for Commercial Sign Fonts

1. Readability & Legibility

Readability and legibility are often used synonymously, but they’re two different factors that dictate a font’s clarity. Legibility is known as the typeface, which is how the font looks by using character width, weight, and serifs. Readability, or the typeset, is how the individual letters are situated through type size and case as well as line spacing. Although it may look interesting up close, a font with tight spacing will be hard to read on a large sign.

2. Characteristics

Several characteristics are combined to create a font or font type. Font weight is the overall thickness of the font, and typically comes in three weights: light, normal, and bold.

X-height represents the size of lowercase letters against uppercase ones. Medium X-height is mainly used to keep a strict balance between letters and prevents distraction for the reader, which can be useful when customers are passing by quickly.

San-serif fonts are more legible on commercial signs, while serif is better for large-paged texts. Business cards may use a serif version of the sign while stationery and web content use a sans-serif one.

3. Usage

If your commercial sign will be located in an area where passersby will only get a glimpse of it, use a large, clean font. If the sign is displayed in a mall, you can use a dressier, serif font since people are perusing and may be attracted to a fancier-looking text. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you’re trying to convey a message:

• Serif fonts are elegant while sans-serif ones are innovative.
• Bold, angular fonts are masculine while light and rounded ones are feminine.
• Simple fonts are direct, while complex ones show uniqueness.

If you need a commercial sign, work with the design team at Pacific Sign & Graphics in Honolulu, HI. For over 50 years, these professionals have used the latest technologies, such as laser etching, back-lit signage, and sandblasting, to provide clients with the perfect sign for their businesses. Learn more about their services online, or call (808) 848-1771 to schedule a consultation with their design team.