Field notes · Est. 1977

Guides & insights from a working sign shop.

Real pricing, permit walkthroughs, and hard-won field lessons from fifty years fabricating and installing signs across the Pacific Northwest.

Featured

Illuminated channel letter storefront sign at dusk

Guides & Education

Channel Letter Signs: The Complete Buyer's Guide for 2026

Front-lit, halo-lit, or open-face? A complete walkthrough of channel letter construction, LED lighting, mounting methods, permits, and real 2026 pricing.

July 14, 2026 11 min read

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Guides & Education Permits & Compliance Industry Insights

Guides & Education in Southwest Washington

Monument sign at a commercial property entrance

Guides & Education

Monument Signs vs. Pylon Signs: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Both are freestanding. Both mark your property. But the right choice depends on setback, traffic speed, and how far the driver is from your door.

July 4, 2026 8 min

Commercial van with full-color vehicle wrap

Guides & Education

Vehicle Wraps: The Complete Guide to Fleet & Commercial Wraps

A commercial vehicle wrap generates 30,000 to 70,000 impressions a day. Here's how to spec one that lasts eight years and pays for itself in the first six months.

June 19, 2026 10 min

Outdoor LED message center displaying a promotional message

Guides & Education

LED Message Centers: Sizing, Pricing, and Code Compliance

Not every LED sign is equal. Pixel pitch, brightness, and warranty separate the ones still running strong at year ten from the ones dark by year three.

June 11, 2026 8 min

Custom sign fabrication in progress at the ESCO Pacific manufacturing floor

Guides & Education

Inside Sign Manufacturing: From CAD File to Installed Sign

How a custom sign actually gets built — engineering drawings, CNC routing, MIG welding, powder coat, LED assembly, and pre-install QC. The choices at each step that separate a 5-year sign from a 20-year sign.

July 21, 2026 9 min

Custom real estate and business yard signs lined up on a Pacific Northwest street

Guides & Education

Yard Signs That Work: Design, Materials & Durability

Yard signs look simple, but a sign that actually gets read follows specific rules for size, color, material, and stake choice. Here's how to spec yard signs that survive PNW weather.

July 26, 2026 7 min

Custom dimensional business sign fabricated in the ESCO shop

Guides & Education

Custom Business Signs: A Buyer's Guide to Types, Materials & Cost

Custom sign is a broad category — dimensional letters, monuments, pylons, and everything between. Here's how to narrow it down to the sign that actually fits your building and budget.

August 2, 2026 9 min

Storefront sign package on a retail business facade

Guides & Education

Storefront Signs: A Buyer's Guide to Picking the Right Type

Most storefronts need more than one sign type working together. Here's how to build a layered storefront sign package that actually gets people through the door.

August 9, 2026 8 min

Custom interior wall graphic installed in an office lobby

Guides & Education

Interior Wall Graphics Cost: What Actually Drives the Price

Wall graphics look simple to price from the outside — square footage times a rate. In practice, wall condition, vinyl choice, and design complexity move the number more than size does.

August 16, 2026 7 min

Sign designer reviewing a scaled rendering on a desk

Guides & Education

The Sign Design Process: From First Sketch to Production-Ready Art

A good sign design process protects you from an expensive surprise: approving a concept that turns out to be unbuildable, oversized for code, or nothing like the rendering once it's on the wall.

August 23, 2026 8 min

Sign installation crew mounting a sign with a boom truck

Guides & Education

Sign Installation: What to Expect from Site Survey to Power-On

The design gets approved and the sign gets built — but installation is where a great sign either becomes a permanent, secure part of your building or a callback waiting to happen.

August 30, 2026 8 min

Dimensional letters staged next to a flat-cut sign panel in the ESCO shop

Guides & Education

Dimensional Letter Signs vs. Flat-Cut Signs: Cost and Durability Compared

Both put your name on the wall. One casts a shadow and reads premium; the other is faster and cheaper. Here's how to pick correctly the first time.

September 3, 2026 8 min

Custom sign project timeline planning at the ESCO Pacific shop

Guides & Education

How Long Does a Custom Sign Take to Build? A Realistic Timeline

"How long will it take" is the first question on every sign call. Here's the honest week-by-week breakdown, from first sketch to power-on.

September 7, 2026 8 min

Front-lit channel letters glowing on a storefront at night

Guides & Education

Front-Lit vs. Halo-Lit Channel Letters: Which Looks Better at Night?

Same letters, two completely different looks after dark. Here's how front-lit and halo-lit compare on visibility, cost, and brand fit.

September 10, 2026 7 min

Illuminated business sign lit at dusk in Southwest Washington

Guides & Education

How Much Does an Illuminated Business Sign Cost in Washington State?

Illuminated signs span a huge price range — from a small lit cabinet to a six-figure pylon. Here's what actually determines where your project lands.

September 14, 2026 8 min

Non-illuminated dimensional letter building sign on a corporate exterior

Guides & Education

Dimensional Letter Building Signs: Materials, Cost, and Install Time

Not every dimensional sign needs to light up. Here's what a non-illuminated dimensional letter building sign costs, what it's made of, and how it goes up.

September 17, 2026 7 min

Storefront with awning signage next to a building with channel letters

Guides & Education

Awning Signs vs. Channel Letters: Which Storefront Sign Works Better?

Both put your name over the door. One doubles as shelter from the rain; the other is built purely to be seen. Here's how to choose.

September 24, 2026 7 min

Retail storefront sign planning checklist on a clipboard at a jobsite

Guides & Education

Retail Storefront Sign Checklist: What to Decide Before You Call a Sign Company

A faster, more accurate quote starts with answering a handful of questions before you even pick up the phone. Here's the checklist.

September 28, 2026 7 min

Partial vehicle wrap on a work van next to a fully wrapped fleet vehicle

Guides & Education

Partial Wrap vs. Full Wrap: Cost and Coverage Compared

A full wrap turns heads. A partial wrap turns budget-conscious heads. Here's how to decide which one actually earns its cost.

October 1, 2026 7 min

Real estate yard sign with rider panels in a residential front yard

Guides & Education

Real Estate Yard Signs: Rider Panels, Post Types, and What Gets Noticed

A for-sale sign has one job: get the phone to ring. Here's how rider panels, post choice, and layout actually affect whether it works.

October 8, 2026 7 min

Bulk order of political yard signs stacked and ready for pickup

Guides & Education

Bulk Yard Sign Pricing for Political Campaigns and Contractors

Ordering 500 signs isn't the same math as ordering 5. Here's how bulk yard sign pricing actually scales, and what to ask before you order.

October 12, 2026 7 min

Guides & Education

Lobby Signs That Make a First Impression: Materials and Design Options

A lobby sign is the first thing a visitor reads once they're already inside. Here's how to make it count without overbuilding the budget.

October 15, 2026 7 min

Office building directory and wayfinding sign in a lobby

Guides & Education

Office Directory & Wayfinding Signs: Planning a System That Works

A good wayfinding system is invisible when it works — visitors just find where they're going. Here's how to plan one that actually does.

October 19, 2026 8 min

Vinyl wall graphic mural installed in an office lobby

Guides & Education

Vinyl Wall Decals vs. Painted Murals: Which Lasts Longer in an Office?

Both can turn a blank wall into a brand statement. Only one comes off cleanly when the lease ends. Here's the real comparison.

October 22, 2026 7 min

Guides & Education

Branded Conference Room & Lobby Graphics That Aren't Just a Logo on a Wall

A centered logo on a blank wall is the default, not the best option. Here's how to make conference room and lobby graphics actually do more.

October 26, 2026 7 min

Sign designer planning a rebrand transition across multiple sign types

Guides & Education

Rebranding? What Happens to Your Signage During a Logo Change

A rebrand touches every sign on your property — inside and out. Here's how to plan the transition without a chaotic mismatched period in between.

November 5, 2026 8 min

Guides & Education

How to Prep Your Logo File for Sign Production

A logo that looks perfect on a screen can be unusable for fabrication. Here's what to send so your sign project doesn't stall on file prep.

November 9, 2026 7 min

Aluminum, acrylic, and PVC sign material samples in the ESCO shop

Guides & Education

Aluminum vs. Acrylic vs. PVC: Choosing Sign Materials for PNW Weather

Rain, UV, temperature swings, and wind — Pacific Northwest weather is a real material test. Here's how the three most common sign materials hold up.

November 12, 2026 8 min

Boom truck installing a sign on a commercial building

Guides & Education

Boom Truck vs. Crane Installation: What Determines Method and Cost

The equipment isn't a client's choice — it's determined by the sign. Here's what actually drives whether your install needs a boom truck or a crane.

November 19, 2026 7 min

Permits & Compliance

Permits & Compliance

Sign Permits in Washington State: A Business Owner's Guide

Every Washington municipality has its own sign code. Here's what actually matters when you're pulling a sign permit — plus the mistakes that turn a two-week job into a two-month job.

July 9, 2026 9 min

ADA-compliant interior office wayfinding signage with tactile letters and Braille

Permits & Compliance

ADA-Compliant Signs & Wayfinding: A Practical Guide for 2026

The ADA rules that actually get flagged on inspection — tactile character height, Braille placement, non-glare finish, mounting height, and how to plan a wayfinding system that reads at a glance.

July 19, 2026 10 min

Commercial sign on a Lewis County business exterior

Permits & Compliance

Commercial Sign Rules in Lewis County: What's Actually Allowed

Lewis County sign rules aren't the same as Chehalis or Centralia's. Here's how to figure out which jurisdiction governs your sign and what to expect.

September 21, 2026 8 min

Outdoor LED message center displaying a static message in compliance with local code

Permits & Compliance

EMC Content Rules: What You Can (and Can't) Display in Washington

An LED sign that's technically capable of video doesn't mean your city will let you run it. Here's what actually gets regulated, and why.

October 29, 2026 7 min

Sign installer confirming permit documentation on site before install

Permits & Compliance

Do You Need a Permit to Install a Sign? Installation-Specific Rules

The sign design permit isn't the whole story. Here's what gets checked specifically at install — and what triggers a separate inspection.

November 23, 2026 7 min

Sign permit drawings for projects across Lewis and Thurston County

Permits & Compliance

How Long Does a Sign Permit Take in Lewis County vs. Thurston County?

Same state, same general sign code framework, different review queues. Here's how to plan a project timeline around two neighboring counties.

November 30, 2026 7 min

Sign variance application documents reviewed at a planning consultation

Permits & Compliance

Sign Variance Requests: When Your Sign Doesn't Meet Code

Sometimes the sign you want simply doesn't fit the code. A variance is the formal path to ask for an exception — here's what that process really involves.

December 3, 2026 7 min

Industry Insights in Southwest Washington

LED sign retrofit in progress with modules exposed

Industry Insights

LED Sign Retrofits vs. Full Replacement: The Real ROI

Modern LEDs cut sign energy use 60–80% and eliminate most service calls. Here's how to know whether your existing cabinet is worth keeping — and when it isn't.

June 27, 2026 7 min

Sign maintenance technician on a boom truck

Industry Insights

The Sign Maintenance Schedule That Doubles Your Sign's Life

Most sign failures are preventable. Here's the schedule our maintenance crew uses, the failure points to watch for, and what neglect actually costs you.

June 4, 2026 6 min