Take a look through our list of frequently asked questions and expert Sign Shop answers. If this page still doesn’t answer your questions, feel free to shoot us an e-mail or give us a call. We’re happy to help!
We accept orders anywhere between 2 and 6 weeks before your desired due date. Orders submitted with less than 10 business days notice are not guaranteed. If we can accommodate your order, it will be subject to a rush fee as described on our Price List. Orders submitted more than six weeks in advance will be canceled and you will be asked to submit again within the appropriate timeframe.
We can do that! Our staff is made up of Graphic Designers who would love to design your sign at no extra cost. Please send us any content, colors, or inspiration for the design when you submit your order form via email. If you do not wish to take advantage of this service, you must submit your own file to our exact specifications.
Most of our signs are 24×32” and vector files are strongly preferred as this ensures high print quality. If you are choosing to submit a raster-based file instead and the file includes a bleed, please include crop marks and a .25” bleed on all sides. For all signs, please only submit PDF files.
A-frames are 24”h x 32”w (horizontal) and the top 2” of the design must be free of text or logos so that we have room to punch holes that attach the sign to the frame.
Bases are 32”h x 24”w (vertical) and the bottom 3” of the design must be free of text or logos so that we have room to punch holes that attach the sign to the base.
Easels are 24×32” and typically vertical orientation, but we can make them horizontal at your request.
Signicades are not commonly used, but if you have received permission to use this sign type for your event, the dimensions are 24”w x 36”h (vertical).
A $35 artwork fee applies when you submit your own design that does not fit our specifications and we need to manage your file before we can begin production. To avoid this, either submit your design following the exact specifications above, or let us design a sign for you.
All orders require a six-digit budget number up front, and the amount will be automatically deducted at the end of the next month. More details are included with each order, but please feel free to visit the Payment page. Note that we do not provide receipts for nameplates.
Absolutely! Make sure to indicate this on your order form. The frames/bases/stands belong to us, but once we pull them back in off campus, the sign itself is yours if you’d like it. Please do not remove any a-frames or bases from campus. Let us collect them and then either store or deliver them to you. We happily store signs in our inventory that are used at least annually. Signs that sit in our inventory for more than a year may be thrown away.
The Sign Shop does not provide the easel stand on which to place the sign. You are welcome to use your own or borrow one from Building Services. To request an easel stand(s) from them, please submit a Facilities Work Request via myNortheastern. Choose Category>Event Setup and Type>Other. Please provide the date/time/location of your event and number of easel stands needed in the description.
We do! Our expert Tony handles all of our deliveries, setups, and pickups. We’ll place the signs for an agreed upon duration based on your order form. For event signs, we pick them back up the next (business) morning after your event. Note that we are only open Monday – Friday excluding University Holidays. If you request signs to go out/in on the weekend, they will be addressed on the nearest business day.
No. Please do not attach balloons as they then deflate and create a large tangled mess for us to deal with. We are often using that sign frame for another event immediately after yours and this action prevents us from providing a quick turnaround for the next customer. If we find that balloons have been attached, you will be charged a $50 fee per order. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Unfortunately, this is out of anyone’s control and we are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged signs. We will be happy to make a replacement upon request, but you are responsible for the associated cost.
Our signs are made of a durable material that can withstand the elements. However, in times where there are extremely high winds or excessive snowfall, we will remove all outdoor signs from campus. This is for the safety of our community to avoid any injuries or interference with snow removal. As soon as it is safe to put your signs back out, we will.
Nameplates are typically 9” wide and sit on the wall directly underneath a 1.5×9” room number. Contrary to popular belief, nameplates are not engraved, nor do we move the plates themselves. Your nameplate is simple vinyl lettering applied to a plate on the wall so it can be edited at any time. The height of a nameplate is dictated by the number of lines of text that need to fit. If your text is too long to fit on the existing plate, we will replace it with a larger one. The smallest plate is 1.5” tall and go up in increments of 1.5” until we reach the largest plate size of 9”x9”. Requests that are too lengthy must be abbreviated or condensed, no exceptions.
Our staff responds to each nameplate request in ~10 business days. We service every room of every building on campus and cannot be everywhere every day. Sometimes you get lucky and submit an order a day or two before we plan to visit your building, but please plan for your order to take 2 weeks from the date you submitted it.
Please do not move the plate off of the wall. This causes damage to the wall and will incur a $50 patch/paint fee. Instead, please place TWO work requests. One for “removal only” at your old office, and another for “Your Name” to be installed at your new office. Be sure to answer all questions accurately for each space to avoid delays and extra cost.
Occupants are not allowed to remove plates from the wall as this will incur a $50 patch/paint fee, so please do not take your nameplate with you. If you would like one as memorabilia, we’d be happy to make you a commemorative deskplate for $9 ($14 including a wooden holder.)
Yes! Our rolls of material are 12” wide and can be spliced together, so we can accommodate many orders in-house. If your request is too large and/or you prefer one solid piece, we can coordinate the installation with one of our preferred vendors. Please include a photo and dimensions of the glass when you submit your work request using Signs > Miscellaneous > Frosted Window Treatments.
Our staff is made up of talented designers, but we do not have the capacity to take on logo requests. If this is for a department or group on campus, please reach out to [email protected] to receive copies of your approved logo.
Absolutely! Our team works very closely with Marketing and we are in full-swing transition mode updating signs to reflect the new brand. In some cases we can keep your signs the same and simply update your logo. In other cases, it may be best to take this opportunity to refresh your signs and have new ones created. Please submit your order as usual and mention the need for your new logo in the body of your email. Our staff can help determine which option is best for you and your signs moving forward.
