The Complete Signage Buyer’s Guide
Everything a pub, café, hotel or shop needs to know before buying A-boards, chalkboards, menu holders, poster frames or printed displays — written by the people who build them, in Suffolk.
Buying signage for your business shouldn’t feel like guesswork. There’s a right answer for most of the questions people ask us every day — what size board, wood or plastic, chalk or print — and this guide answers them properly, in one place. Read it start to finish, or jump straight to the section you need.
1. Before you buy: 5 questions to answer first
Every good signage decision starts with the same five questions. Answer these honestly and the rest of this guide gets much easier to apply to your own situation.
Where will it live?
Permanently outdoors, brought in each night, or purely indoors? This alone rules out half the options on the market.
Does the message change daily?
Specials and offers want a chalkboard. Fixed branding, hours or directions want a printed panel.
What’s your footfall like?
Busy high street frontages justify a heavier, premium board. Quiet side streets can use a lighter, more affordable one.
Does it need to match your brand?
If consistency matters, factor in custom paint or print from the start — it’s far easier than retrofitting later.
How long does it need to last?
A board that lives outside every day needs a sturdier build than one brought in overnight — factor this into your budget.
2. A-boards & pavement signs
The A-board is the workhorse of hospitality signage — it’s the first thing that pulls someone off the pavement and through your door. The two decisions that matter most are reversible vs fixed, and chalkboard vs printed.
Reversible vs fixed A-boards
A reversible A-board opens like a book, with a chalkboard or printed panel on each side, so you can change the message without buying a new board. A fixed A-board has a permanent printed panel bonded to a solid frame — sturdier, and better suited to a design you won’t need to update.
| Type | Best for | Typical lifespan | Typical price (UK) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reversible chalkboard | Daily specials, changing offers | 3–5 years | £190–£640 |
| Fixed printed | Permanent branding, directions, opening hours | 4–6 years | £100–£350 |
| Premium black wooden | High street frontages, upmarket venues | 4–6 years | £200–£350 |
| Correx / plastic | Events, short-term or budget use | 1–2 seasons | £30–£90 |
If you’re torn between reversible and fixed, ask yourself how often your offer genuinely changes. If it’s less than once a month, a well-designed fixed board usually looks smarter and lasts longer than a chalkboard you rarely rewrite.
What size A-board do I need?
- A1 (594 × 841mm) — the standard choice for pubs, cafés and shopfronts. Readable across a street, without blocking the pavement.
- A2 (420 × 594mm) — better for narrow pavements, doorways, or when placing two boards side by side.
- A0 (841 × 1189mm) — used for events, car parks and wide frontages where maximum visibility matters more than pavement space.
Browse the full range: All A-boards & pavement signs, or start with reversible chalkboard A-boards and fixed chalkboard A-boards. Need something that doesn’t exist yet? Our bespoke A-boards service builds to your own spec.
3. Chalkboards: framed, unframed & shaped
Beyond the A-board, standalone chalkboards do a lot of quiet work inside a venue — specials above the bar, a welcome message at reception, table numbers, or a feature wall.
Framed vs unframed
A framed chalkboard has a wooden border, giving it a finished look that can hang as a stand-alone feature; an unframed board is a flat writable panel, better suited to being mounted into an existing display, cabinet or wall recess.
Shaped & oval boards
Oval and shaped chalkboards work well where a rectangular board would feel too corporate — think farmhouse pubs, delis, and boutique cafés going for a handcrafted, characterful look.
- Shop all chalkboards
- Framed chalkboards
- Unframed chalkboards
- Oval chalkboards
- Shaped chalkboards
- Chalk pens — liquid chalk pens are rain-resistant and give a bolder line than traditional dry chalk, worth it for anything kept outdoors.
5. Poster frames & mirrors
Aluminium vs wooden frames
Aluminium poster frames are slim, modern and typically snap-open for quick poster changes — a good fit for high-turnover promotions. Wooden poster frames carry more warmth and craft, better suited to venues where the frame itself is part of the décor, not just a functional holder.
| Frame type | Poster changes | Look | Best environment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | Fast, snap-open | Slim, modern | Retail, high-turnover promotions |
| Wooden sliding | Moderate | Warm, characterful | Pubs, restaurants, boutique hotels |
Ornate mirrors, meanwhile, are a popular alternative to a poster frame for feature walls and reception areas where you want visual impact rather than a changeable message.
6. Easels & lecterns
An easel is an angled freestanding frame for displaying a poster, menu, welcome sign or table plan at eye level — common at weddings, receptions and events. A lectern is built for someone to stand behind, typically with a flat or sloped reading shelf, used for guestbooks, speeches or a staffed check-in point.
Planning a wedding or event? See our dedicated wedding signage & displays range, or browse easels and lecterns directly.
7. Printed posters, banners & inserts
Print is where signage meets marketing — posters and banners for promotions, seasonal menus or events, and printed inserts sized to slot straight into your existing menu holders or A-boards.
- Printed posters — vibrant, short-run or one-off, sized to your frame.
- Printed banners — durable, indoor or outdoor, built for repeated use.
- Pre-designed banners — a faster route if you don’t need a bespoke design.
- Bar & restaurant signs and notices — allergen notices, table service signs, opening hours.
- Printed inserts — replacement panels sized to fit your existing boards.
Concerned about waste from regular reprints? Read about our eco-friendly large format printing.
8. Wooden pub games
Slightly outside the “signage” category, but worth a mention if you’re furnishing a beer garden or events space: classic wooden pub games and cornhole boards add a reason for customers to stay longer, which is its own kind of marketing.
Classic wooden games · Cornhole boards · Everything you need to know about cornhole
9. Materials, finishes & sustainability
Timber quality is the single biggest driver of how long outdoor signage actually lasts. Look for FSC-certified timber, which guarantees the wood comes from responsibly managed forests, and ask whether the finish is rated for continuous outdoor exposure or intended for occasional/indoor use only.
- Painted finishes — widest colour choice, easiest to custom-match to a brand colour.
- Stained/oiled finishes (e.g. dark oak) — shows off the timber grain, a natural look that suits traditional pubs and cafés.
- Black wooden finishes — a popular premium choice for high street frontages, reads as modern without losing the craft of real wood.
Read more in our wooden display products guide and sustainability commitments.
10. Branding it to match your business
Signage that doesn’t match your brand colours does half the job. Most manufacturers, Majisign included, offer:
- Custom paint matching to a specific RAL or Pantone reference, so your A-board frame matches your logo exactly rather than “close enough.”
- Free logo personalisation on printed panels as standard on most products — there’s rarely a reason to leave a board unbranded.
- Free design consultation if you’re not sure how to translate your brand into a physical sign.
See custom paint colours · Book a free design consultation · Artwork guide for preparing your own files.
11. What does signage actually cost?
As a rough guide across the categories in this guide:
| Product | Typical price range |
|---|---|
| Fixed wooden A-board | £100 – £360 |
| Reversible chalkboard A-board | £190 – £640 |
| Table talker / small chalkboard | £8 – £41 |
| Wooden poster frame | £14 – £72 |
| Bespoke / custom colour match | Quoted per project |
Three things move the price most: size, whether the board is reversible or fixed, and whether it needs a custom paint match. Personalisation with your logo is usually included free rather than charged separately — worth confirming with any supplier before you buy.
Need it fast? See our fast turnaround signage and order today, delivered tomorrow options.
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Every venue uses signage a little differently — jump straight to the range built for yours.
12. Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a chalkboard A-board and a printed A-board?
A chalkboard A-board has a writable surface so staff can update the message daily with chalk pens — ideal for specials boards and daily-changing offers. A printed A-board displays a fixed, permanent design, better for consistent branding, opening hours or directional signage that doesn’t need to change.
How long does a wooden A-board last outdoors?
A well-made wooden A-board finished with weatherproof paint or varnish typically lasts 3–5 years of daily outdoor use, longer if it’s brought in overnight or during storms. The chalkboard panels and hinges are usually the first parts to need replacing.
What size A-board should I buy?
A1 (594 × 841mm) is the most common size for pavement signs outside pubs, cafés and shops. A2 suits narrower pavements or side-by-side placement, while A0 is used for events and wider frontages where you need maximum visibility.
Is wood or plastic better for outdoor signage?
FSC-certified timber gives a more premium, on-brand look and can be repainted over time, while correx or plastic boards are lighter and cheaper but fade and crack sooner. For a pub, café or hotel frontage, wood is generally the better long-term investment; for short-term event signage, lightweight plastic can make more sense.
Can I get an A-board or sign made in my brand colours?
Yes — most UK manufacturers, including Majisign, offer custom paint matching to a specific RAL or Pantone reference, plus free personalisation of printed panels with your logo and colours as standard.
How much does a wooden A-board cost?
Typically £100 for a basic fixed pavement sign up to £350–£650 for a premium reversible chalkboard A-board with printed branding, depending on size, finish and personalisation.
What’s the difference between an easel and a lectern for events?
An easel is an angled freestanding frame for displaying a poster, menu or sign at eye level. A lectern is a stand-up presentation surface with a reading shelf, used for speeches, guestbooks or reception check-ins.
How do I keep chalkboard writing from smudging or washing off outside?
Use liquid chalk pens rather than traditional dry chalk for outdoor boards — they’re rain-resistant once dry and give a bolder line, but still wipe off with a damp cloth when you want to change the message.
How quickly can I get signage delivered?
Standard stock signage typically ships within a few working days by courier. Bespoke, personalised or custom-painted signage generally takes 1–3 weeks, since it goes through design approval and production first.
Still not sure which sign is right for you?
Our workshop team in Bury St Edmunds answers questions like these all day. Tell us about your venue and we’ll point you at the right product — no obligation, no hard sell.