• Standard mounting with keyhole hardware - standard unless another option selected

Hold or tape the enclosed template and mark the screw locations. Drive the screws into the wall but leave them out a little so they can engage the keyhole mounting brackets. If you choose to use adhesive, which is highly recommended for exterior or exposed locations, either silicone or construction adhesive is likely to be suitable. Be certain that whatever you use is compatible with your surface. After a trial fit, put some adhesive in the keyhole bracket holes, or stronger yet, put adhesive on the wall within the borders of the sign. The keyholes and screws will hold the sign while the glue sets making a permanent installation.

• Mounting using screws

• If you choose to mount using the T-30 deck screw option, we will supply 3-inch deck screws (4-inches long for 2 inch thick signs) with a Star-Drive head, and we will pre-drill the holes in your plaque.  Let us know if your situation requires different length screws. You will need a T-30 size Star Driver, and a drill bit to make a hole in your wall. Size of this hole is left to you. Dense wood requires a larger hole to just engage the screw threads, while foam insulation board (not recommended) would require a smaller hole. Although not always necessary, you could add a little silicone or construction adhesive to the holes before final setting of the screws.
  
  The screw heads are metal coated to match your sign. Avoid letting the Star Drive bit slip. This is best accomplished by having a large enough pilot hole drilled into your wall material. The screw should turn easily with a hand screwdriver when you are mounting your sign. Remember, Just Barely Snug, and No More!
  
  Some care is required. Your plaque is made of High Density Sign Board, which has many of the strength characteristics of soft wood such as pine. It can be dented or even break if forced. The metal coating adds a thin layer of hard material, but the plaque can be dented through the metal. Your plaque is light- weight and does not require much mechanical strength to hold it. Screws should not be over-tightened. Just a light contact with the plaque is sufficient and will avoid bending and the possibility of cracking.

• Mounting using stand-offs - This method often used on irregular surfaces such as stone or decorative blocks.
  

  
  We mount fittings on the back of your sign that will accept the included screw rods (4" or 6" anchor screws). You will require a drill bit suitable for the material the plaque will be mounted to, and silicone adhesive, construction adhesive, epoxy, or appropriate concrete material to fill the holes. The holes should be made oversize so positioning the sign can be done without forcing the screws and stressing the sign. You will also require a method of cutting the screw rods (hacksaw or bolt cutter)
  
  Mark the location of the holes and then drill the holes.  Attach the screw rods to the sign and do a trial fit. The rods should fits easily into the holes. This is the time to determine if the holes need to be deeper, or the screw rods cut shorter. This is also the time to determine the method you will use to hold the plaque in position while the concrete, epoxy, or adhesive sets.
  
  Screw the rods into the pads using a little adhesive if you like. Careful on the depth! Go only as deep as the threads on the pads which is 1/2 inch. Put a suitable amount of silicone adhesive, epoxy, or concrete into the holes and gently and evenly push the sign into place. Support while the silicone or concrete sets.
  
  Caution is required in two areas. One, you will have to turn the screw rods into the mounting pads and you must be aware that they only can go in about 1/2 inch. There is no stopper and further turning could result in the rod pushing though the front of the sign. Two, the sign base material is high density sign board which has many of the strength characteristics of softwood. It can be dented, and could crack if forced. You will most likely be supporting the sign while the adhesive or concrete holding your anchor screws sets, so make a plan, and use care and padding.

• Mounting Using Ground Stake - For displaying your plaque on a stake driven into the ground or your stake embedded in concrete.
  

• Decorative Chain
  

We install decorative chain onto the sign for you. The chain is installed on the top. Some of our smaller "mini" plaques will also have keyhole style hangers in the back for that option should you choose to use them. This is a great option if your sign is hung out of the direct wind and not in windy areas and you like to change them out. Like...perhaps when guests arrive you use a Please remove shoe sign and when they are not around and you don't want solicitors you hang a mini No Solicitor sign in its place.

• Fence Mount
  

Appropriate U-Bolts are installed to the back of your sign making it possible to install on your existing fence or similar structure. To do this, we need some accurate information from you. Using the photo below as an example of the most simple mount of a smaller size plaque to a single vertical on a fence/post/structure, all we require is the dimensions of that element both width and depth. The reason is, we need to select and install a suitably sized "U" bolt into the sign back.


So that is the simplest method. Now let's talk about a larger sign that will span more than 1 vertical member. As above, we need to know the dimensions of the members (so we can install appropriately sized "U" bolts). But since we are going to mount to more than 1 member, we also need to know the spacing. Now this is critical, the spacing dimensions that you give us need to be "center to center" and not the space between the members. So, to summarize, give us the width and depth of the members that you plan on mounting to, and the "center to center" spacing of those members.


So Far, we have been discussing the fence mount in terms of using the vertical architectural elements of your fence or equivalent structure. Everything said holds true if we utilize your horizontal elements. Since everything we do is custom, we can even utilize both the vertical and horizontal elements to help you place your plaque where you want it. Probably more than any other mounting method, the fence mount requires the greatest degree of accuracy in both measurement and installation of the mounting hardware.


Things get in the way. Meaning that existing decorative elements, varying dimensions, assumptions, and unique situations could cause surprises when you sign arrives. So talk to us, take photos, take photos with a cardboard version of your future sign, and think about how it will work. We can't be at your site, but we can work it out together with good information and planning.


If you have questions, take a photo of your fence or other structure and email it to us. Then we can call you to discuss ideas and options. We will complete your sign and make our installations based upon the dimensions you give us, so while we are happy to discuss dimensions with you, we need to have it in writing from you.


As with all mounting methods, only tighten the sign to the fence just enough to hold it securely. That means "snug" rather than "tight"

• No Mounting Hardware

• Replace a Brick with a Plaque
  

The description on many of the Custom Plaques and Signs made atlas Plaques and Signs state that they may be used as a brick replacement. What we mean is that an existing brick can be removed and a house number or other plaque can be inserted into the hole. Of course, the mason could insert your plaque during construction, but that sounds too easy.

Decide where you will want the and get dimensions of the hole you will fill with the plaque. Most of the time with a replacement, you will chip out the mortar and use a larger plaque than the brick it replaces as in our photo below. In this case order the plaque just a little smaller than the hole to allow some room for hole irregularities and a little adhesive. As a rough guess, order the plaque about 1/8 inch smaller in both height and width (your call). You can, however, measure the brick you are removing get a plaque the same size. This gives a different look and requires that you find a mortar that is a good match to the existing mortar.