Yard sign sizes: 18 × 24 in and other standard signs
The standard yard sign is 18 × 24 in, portrait, printed on 4 mm corrugated plastic and held up by a wire H-stake about 10 in wide and 30 in tall. 24 × 18 in is the same sign in landscape, 12 × 18 in suits close-range notices and 24 × 36 in busier roads. The flutes must run vertically so the stake slides into them. Signs are read from a distance, so 100 to 150 ppi at full size is enough: an 18 × 24 in sign is 2700 × 3600 pixels at 150 ppi.
Yard sign sizes: dimensions, bleed and pixels
Bleed is 0.125 in on every side for inch sizes and 3 mm for metric ones. Pixels are rounded to the nearest whole pixel.
| Size | Inches | Millimeters | With bleed | Pixels at 150 ppi (with bleed) | Pixels at 100 ppi (with bleed) | Notes and template |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 × 24 in (portrait, the standard) | 18 × 24 in | 457.2 × 609.6 mm | 18.25 × 24.25 in | 2,700 × 3,600 px 2,738 × 3,638 px | 1,800 × 2,400 px 1,825 × 2,425 px | |
| 24 × 18 in (landscape) | 24 × 18 in | 609.6 × 457.2 mm | 24.25 × 18.25 in | 3,600 × 2,700 px 3,638 × 2,738 px | 2,400 × 1,800 px 2,425 × 1,825 px | Tell the printer: flutes still run vertically |
| 12 × 18 in | 12 × 18 in | 304.8 × 457.2 mm | 12.25 × 18.25 in | 1,800 × 2,700 px 1,838 × 2,738 px | 1,200 × 1,800 px 1,225 × 1,825 px | |
| 24 × 24 in (square) | 24 × 24 in | 609.6 × 609.6 mm | 24.25 × 24.25 in | 3,600 × 3,600 px 3,638 × 3,638 px | 2,400 × 2,400 px 2,425 × 2,425 px | |
| 24 × 36 in | 24 × 36 in | 609.6 × 914.4 mm | 24.25 × 36.25 in | 3,600 × 5,400 px 3,638 × 5,438 px | 2,400 × 3,600 px 2,425 × 3,625 px | Two stakes or a frame |
| 6 × 24 in rider | 24 × 6 in | 609.6 × 152.4 mm | 24.25 × 6.25 in | 3,600 × 900 px 3,638 × 938 px | 2,400 × 600 px 2,425 × 625 px | Added above or below a sign |
Flutes, stakes and two sides
Corrugated plastic has hollow channels, called flutes, running one way. A wire H-stake’s prongs slide up into them from the bottom edge, so on a staked sign the flutes must run vertically, top to bottom as the sign stands. The printer sets that when cutting the sheet, so tell them if the layout is landscape. The standard stake is about 10 in wide and 30 in tall, with roughly 10 in pushed into the ground; a 24 × 36 in sign usually needs two stakes about 12 in apart, or a frame.
Yard signs can be printed on one side or both. Two sides suit corner lots and roads with traffic both ways; set the back up as a second page of the same PDF, the same way up. Keep phone numbers and web addresses out of the bottom inch or so, which sits close to the grass and the stake.
Size, distance and the file
Pick the size from the distance it is read at. A common rule is about 1 in of letter height for every 10 ft of reading distance, closer to 8 ft for drivers: a 3 in headline reads from about 30 ft, which a 12 × 18 in sign can hold, and an 8 in headline from about 80 ft, which needs 24 × 36 in. On an 18 × 24 in sign, that leaves room for a short headline, a name or logo and one way to get in touch.
Make the document the finished size with 0.125 in of bleed on every side (some sign printers ask for 0.25 in or none, so check), keep text at least 0.25 in inside the trim, 0.5 in to be safe, and keep type and logos vector. Photos need 100 to 150 ppi at full size; check one with the DPI calculator. For bigger signs on fences and buildings, see banner sizes.
Questions
- What is the standard yard sign size?
- 18 × 24 in, portrait, on 4 mm corrugated plastic with a wire H-stake. 24 × 18 in landscape, 12 × 18 in, 24 × 24 in and 24 × 36 in are the other common sizes.
- What size is a yard sign in pixels?
- At 150 ppi, an 18 × 24 in sign is 2700 × 3600 pixels, or 2738 × 3638 with 0.125 in of bleed; at 100 ppi, 1800 × 2400. A 24 × 36 in sign is 3600 × 5400 pixels at 150 ppi.
- Which way should the flutes run on a yard sign?
- Vertically, top to bottom as the sign stands, so the H-stake’s prongs slide up into them. On a landscape sign, tell the printer, because the flute direction is set when the sheet is cut.
- How big should the text on a yard sign be?
- About 1 in of letter height for every 10 ft of reading distance, or every 8 ft for people driving past. A 5 in headline reads from about 40 to 50 ft, which suits an 18 × 24 in sign.
If the printer sends the file back
Terms on this page: Bleed, Safe area (safe zone), DPI / PPI (resolution), Vector.
More print sizes, or all of them on one page:
Cards, paper and stationery: Business card · Postcard · Paper · Envelope · Letterhead · Greeting card · Presentation folder
Flyers, brochures and handouts: Flyer · Brochure · Rack card · Door hanger · Menu · Table tent · Bookmark
Stickers, labels and tags: Sticker · Label · Hang tag
Bottle, can and jar labels: Wine label · Beer label · Water bottle label · Candle label · Jar label
Boxes and packaging: Mailer box · Shipping box · Tuck box · Stand-up pouch · Pizza box
Posters, books and calendars: Poster · Book · Calendar
Signs, billboards and vehicles: Banner · Car magnet · Billboard
T-shirts and apparel: T-shirt
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