Buyer’s Guide / Plaque Options
Buyer’s GuideEvery cast plaque is built from a handful of choices. Here’s what each one means, what our defaults are, and how to pick what fits your space and your text.
A couple of factors usually decide your plaque size. The first is available space. If the plaque has to fit a predefined area, such as a rock, you don’t have much room to go bigger — and a size limit also limits how much text you can fit.
The smallest letter possible on a cast plaque is .25″ if all letters are uppercase. If you need both upper- and lowercase letters, the minimum height is .375″. Letters and lines also need spacing between them, so the usable text area is usually smaller than you’d expect.
If space isn’t an issue, the only limits are the amount of text and your budget. Plaques are priced by overall size, and adding even a few inches of width or height can raise the price quickly.
Cast plaques are available in two metals. Our alloys are lead- and mercury-free.
| Material | Alloy |
|---|---|
| Aluminum | Alloy 365 |
| Bronze | Alloy NAVY-G-88-8-04 |
Plaque depth is set by plaque size. Depths greater than 1″ are available.
| Depth | Plaque Area |
|---|---|
| 5/16″ | Up to 323 sq in |
| 1/2″ | 324 – 575 sq in |
| 3/4″ | 576 – 1,295 sq in |
| 1″ | 1,296 – 3,600 sq in |
| 1-1/2″ | Over 3,600 sq in |
Plaque area = width × height. Example: 18″ × 24″ = 432 sq in → 1/2″ deep.
Black is the default background for bronze and aluminum plaques. Color is purely preference — they all look beautiful. These four aren’t your only options: if you want red, blue, green, white, or another color, let us know. We offer many stock colors and charge only a nominal fee for a color match.
Stipple is our default texture; again, this is preference. Leatherette usually looks best on a large plaque with lots of background showing. Pebble is a more prominent texture, while Sand is finer and more consistent.
Satin is our default clear coat. Think of these the way you would paint: Satin has a touch of sheen without being shiny. Gloss gives a high sheen, followed closely by Semi-Gloss. For a muted look — sometimes a more artistic one — consider Matte.
Specialty finishes are available for cast and tooled plaques, at an additional charge. A polished finish on a cast plaque adds 50%.
Available in Light, Standard, and Dark. Oxidized finishes vary from order to order.
Available in Polished Bronze, Polished Aluminum, and Polished Brass. Polished Aluminum and Polished Brass are available on tooled plaques only.
Polished returns (edges) are available on plaques 1/4″ and thicker, and not on plaques smaller than 3″ × 2″.
We offer several standard borders. The border finish matches the text finish, and the edge color matches your chosen background color. Additional borders are available.
* Not available on 1/8″ thick tooled plaques.
Single Line and Double Line are the most popular, but No Border and the beveled borders are common too. Inset borders are used mostly on etched plaques. There’s no single best choice — most customers choose by preference, to match other plaques nearby, or to save text space. If space is tight and you have a lot of text, consider a single line border or no border at all.
For an additional fee, you can choose a more decorative border, such as:
Rosettes are included in the plaque price when requested on the order, and come with matching screws. Countersunk screws are required for all rosette types. Rosettes come in four sizes — 1/2″, 3/4″, 1″, and 1-1/2″ — and the sizes available depend on the size of the plaque.
| Style | Aluminum | Bronze | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-1 |  |  | 3/4″, 1″, 1-1/2″ only |
| R-2 |  |  | All sizes |
| R-3 |  |  | All sizes |
| R-4 |  |  | 1″, 1-1/2″ only |
| R-5 |  |  | All sizes — the only style for 1/8″ thick plaques |
| R-6 |  |  | All sizes |
| R-7 |  |  | 1″, 1-1/2″ only |
Black background, Stipple texture, and Satin clear coat. Other stock colors, textures, and clear coats are available; custom color matches and specialty finishes carry an additional charge.
On a cast plaque, .25″ if all letters are uppercase, or .375″ if you use both upper- and lowercase letters.
Depth is set by plaque area: 5/16″ up to 323 sq in, 1/2″ up to 575 sq in, 3/4″ up to 1,295 sq in, 1″ up to 3,600 sq in, and 1-1/2″ above that.
No Border or a Single Line border. Double, inset, and beveled borders take up more of the plaque face.
No. Rosettes are included in the plaque price when requested on the order, and come with screws painted to match your background.
Pick your size, color, texture and border in our quote tool, and we’ll send a free proof before anything is made.
