Family name on top, house number in the middle, street name underneath: the Hawthorne Oval standard three line plaque is laid out for exactly that. Lines 1 and 3 each hold up to 14 characters at 1.5 inches. Line 2, the center line, holds up to five characters at 3 inches, so the number stays the largest thing on the sign. The photo reads The Miller’s, 743, Market Street in gold on black.

Making three lines work

Fourteen characters fits most surnames with The in front, and most street names with the suffix. If yours is longer, try dropping the suffix or the apostrophe-s. The center line takes characters, not just digits, so a unit letter is fine. Write all three lines out and count them before you order.

Colors on the Hawthorne Oval standard three line plaque

Twelve finishes: Antique Brass, Antique Copper, Black/Gold, Black/Silver, Black/White, Bronze/Gold, Bronze Verdigris, Green/Gold, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Pewter/Silver, Red/Gold, and White/Gold. With three lines of smaller text, contrast helps more than usual, so Black/Gold, Black/White, and Black/Silver are the practical choices. The metallic and colored backgrounds are for a sign that will be seen up close.

Cast in one piece

This oval is cast in the USA from recycled aluminum. It won’t rust, and its all-weather protective coating carries a five-year warranty. Every line of text is cast into the metal when the sign is poured. That permanence is why a Hawthorne Oval standard three line plaque can’t be modified, cancelled, or returned once the order is placed. Proofread the name especially; it’s the line people notice.

If you need only the number, the one-line standard oval uses the same 3-inch characters as the Hawthorne Oval standard three line plaque’s middle line, on a cleaner face. The whole set of staked designs is under lawn address plaques, and if you’re after a name sign without an address, the personalized plaques are worth a look.