Dimensional Cut Letters
When you’re looking to design and create an interior office sign or an exterior building sign you have a number of options. Dimensional cut letters or Flat Cut Out letters (FCO) make great custom interior office signs. Custom interior signs are usually found in lobbies, entrances, or conference rooms inside a business.
These FCO signs work well as exterior signs for businesses, too, when used with spotlights or other forms of external lighting.
Dimensional cut letters signs can be a great low-cost option due to the fact that most are non-illuminated.
Sign Manufacturing
Dimensional cut letter signs can be made from a variety of materials. Acrylic, foam, aluminum and PVC are the most common materials used in the process. In order to determine which material will work best in your situation you must consider a number of factors including:
- Overall size of the letters
- Exact sign application
- Artwork
- The wall or substrate that the letters will be attached
Dimensional cut letters are routed out on a CNC Machine. A CNC Machine can cut just about every material other than metal or steel. While the sign industry typically works with aluminum, acrylic, foam or PVC, signs can be fabricated from metal or steel. These metals are used in some rare instances where clients are trying to achieve a very high-end look. Specialized equipment is required to cut metal or steel and most sign companies would sub contract out the cutting of the material.
As far as the material is concerned, foam is typically used for interior signs while acrylic, aluminum and PVC can be used for both interior and exterior. All of these materials can be finished in a multitude of ways.
In addition to the material used in manufacturing dimensional cut letters it’s also important to consider the size of the letters. A CNC router, depending on the letter font, can cut letters as small as 2 ¾ inches high. Any letters smaller than that would have to be cut with a laser cutter. This adds a little more to the cost but it can be done.
When making a sign with dimensional cut letters the overall letter height should not exceed three inches in height. When letters become larger than three inches they have the tendency to bend or bow due to size and weather factors, including extreme heat or cold. Thus, if you’re looking for larger letters we recommend you upgrade to non-illuminated channel letters. These signs last much longer and the letters do not bend.
Dimensional Cut Letter Sign Installation
There are a variety of options available for mounting dimensional cut letters. Depending on the surface to which the sign is to be attached and letter weight you may use VHB tape for interior, flat, dry wall installations. PVC and foam can be installed with silicone adhesive or double face tape mount. Heavier acrylic dimensional cut letters may require tape and adhesive, such as epoxy on acrylic, to properly secure letters. Heavy letters may even need to be installed by screws or the stud mount method. Aluminum, depending on the thickness of the letters, can be installed with either silicon or screws.
If you’re interested in creating custom interior signs or custom exterior building signs the experts at Custom Sign Manufacturing can help you with your logo and sign design, manufacturing and installation.
Tina Thomas
PTD - Power, Twersky & Derparseghian
“WOW!!! Thank you for delivering a product that represents PTD Business Management so well. The partners are very impressed with the overall product, the quality, and the installation. You answered all of my questions along the way and in the end delivered! A referral is the highest compliment any business may receive. Please know that should the opportunity present itself, I will always recommend Sign of the Times.”
- March 2015