Signage FAQs | How big do my letters need to be in order for people to read them?

How big do me letters need to be in order for people to read them?

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It depends on two criteria:  how far and how long?  How far is the viewer from the sign, and how long are they going to be viewing it?

 

The general rule of thumb is 1” of height for every 10’ of distance is the minimum you need to make something legible.  If a sign is meant to be read from 40’ away, you will need at least 4” high letters to make words easily readable. 

 

At our facility we have a line on the floor that marks 40’ to a banner on the wall with letters at different heights. Though I can read the 2” and 3” high letters, I would have to squint or focus hard to read words in those heights.

 

How much time someone has to read your sign will also determine how large to make the letters.  If your sign is going to be located 40’ from where it is going to be viewed, but it is only going to be viewed for a few seconds; then 4”high letters are not enough.

 

Pop Quiz:  Which banner is going to have more information:  an 8’H x 28’W (224 SF) banner located 10’ off the ground at an art fair with constant pedestrian traffic, or a 12’H x 40’W (480 SF) banner located on the side of a warehouse facility located 300’ from an expressway?  The 8’x28’ art fair banner has a lot more information—people are closer, and have more time to read it.  The 12’x40’ banner has three things:  the name of the leasing company, “FOR LEASE”, and the phone number.

 

Once you know how far and how long, we can figure how big.  Once we know how big, then we can determine how much information can be used.

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