Yard Sign Sizes
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Readable at 30 miles per hour. I tested it on my scooter.
Then say how fast the reader is moving. The sign trade rule is one inch of capital height per ten feet, and speed sets the distance.
At 25 mph, with 3 seconds of approach
11 in capitals
That is a reading distance of about 110 ft. On a 12 x 18 in sign it leaves room for roughly 0 lines at that height.
One line, or none. At this speed the sign can carry a name or a phone number, not both. Either step up a size, or accept that it is a one-word sign.
- Finished size
- 12 x 18 in
- Document size with bleed
- 12 1/2 x 18 1/2 in
- Keep text inside
- 1/2 in from every edge
- Pixels at 150 DPI
- 1800 x 2700 px
- Printed as
- Yard Signs
4OVER4 asks for 1/8 in of bleed on standard print and 1/4 in on large format. This page uses the large-format figure because the configurator marks this product as large format.
Corrugated plastic has flutes running one way through the board. The H-stake slides into those flutes, so the flute direction has to match how the sign will stand. Say which way up it goes when you order.
Capital height by speed
| Speed | Approach | Minimum capitals | Lines on an 18 x 24 in sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| On foot | 13 ft | 1.3 in | 8 |
| 15 mph | 66 ft | 6.6 in | 1 |
| 25 mph | 110 ft | 11 in | 1 |
| 35 mph | 154 ft | 15.4 in | 0 |
| 45 mph | 198 ft | 19.8 in | 0 |
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What the Yard Signs configurator says about size
- Sizes
- The configurator offers 3 sizes for this product. Every one of them is listed above, exactly as the configurator lists it.
- Custom size
- This product does not take a custom size. Pick one of the sizes above, or contact us if you have a custom order.
- Large format
- This is a large-format product, so the configurator does not apply the small-press bounds to it.
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Each yard sign size drawn to scale, with the distance a driver can read it from at the letter height you choose.
The standard yard sign is 18 x 24 inches on 4mm corrugated plastic. A driver at 25 mph gets about three seconds, which means capitals around 11 inches tall and two or three words.
The three sizes
18 x 24 inches is the standard yard sign. It is what the stakes and the frames are all built for, and it is what a political or real estate sign is unless it says otherwise.
12 x 18 inches is the small sign, for a tight verge or a window. 24 x 36 inches is the large sign, for a construction site or a main road, and it needs a heavier frame because it catches much more wind.
Readability at driving speed
A sign on a verge is read from a moving car. The same one-inch-per-ten-feet rule applies, but the distance you need is set by speed: a driver at 30 mph covers about 44 feet a second, and has roughly two to three seconds of useful reading time.
That works out at 90 to 130 feet of approach at 30 mph, so 9 to 13 inch capitals. On an 18 x 24 inch sign that is two or three words. A phone number at 3 inch capitals is readable from 30 feet, which is a parked car, not a moving one.
Stock, stakes and the weather
Yard signs print on 4mm corrugated plastic, which has flutes running one way through it. The H-stake slides into those flutes, so the flute direction has to match the way you intend to stand the sign. Vertical flutes for a vertical sign.
Keep the bleed at 0.125 in and the text 0.5 in inside the trim. Print both sides if the sign is on a corner where traffic comes from two directions, and remember the second side is a second setup, not a free copy.
Common questions
Questions about yard sign sizes
What is the standard yard sign size?
18 x 24 inches. It is what stakes, frames and riders are built for. 12 x 18 inches is the small size and 24 x 36 inches is the large one.
How big should the text be on a yard sign?
For a driver at 30 mph, 9 to 13 inch capitals for the main message. For someone on foot or in a parked car, 3 inch capitals read from about 30 feet.
What are yard signs made of?
4mm corrugated plastic, usually called coroplast. It has flutes running through it, and the H-stake slides into those flutes, so the flute direction has to match how the sign will stand.
What yard sign sizes can I order?
12 x 18, 18 x 24 and 24 x 36 inches, plus 24 x 18 inches landscape on the real estate signs. All of them print on 4mm corrugated plastic.
How much bleed does a yard sign need?
0.125 inches on every edge, with the text kept 0.5 inches inside the trim. Corrugated plastic is cut in a stack and moves more than paper does.
Explore more
Where to go next
Banner Sizes
Vinyl banner sizes to scale, plus the letter height that makes them readable.
Retractable Banner Size
Roll-up stand sizes with the printed area and the hidden area both marked.
Poster Sizes
Every poster size we print, from 8 x 10 in mounted to 48 x 96 in large format, drawn to scale.
Sticker Sizes
Every sticker and label size, with the cut line, bleed and safe area drawn.