How can you be sure that your newly installed sign is stable? Be aware of the different kinds of hardware for mounting traffic signs and choose correctly.
You can invest in a top-of-the-line sign and post, but if it’s not installed correctly, it won’t have a very long life. The sign can flip over, get stolen, or become so unstable that it becomes a hazard to vehicles and pedestrians. Understanding the different kinds of hardware for mounting traffic signs can help prevent all of that.
If the selection of brackets, bolts, spacers, and washers looks intimidatingly vast, that’s because it is. Every sign and situation has its own appropriate mounting hardware, and your sign manufacturer can walk you through your options. Usually, you can buy each piece individually, although they’re also available in boxes of 100.
Brackets
The correct bracket depends on which post you’ll be using to support your sign. There are three kinds, and the brackets for them are very different:
- Round posts
- U-channel posts
- Square posts
If aesthetics matter, you have the choice to select a silver finish or a matte black one that’s created with semi-gloss powder paint.
Washers
These are recommended because the reflective sheeting on a sign is the most essential part. It’s specially engineered to reflect an oncoming vehicle’s headlights back at the driver. Otherwise, the driver might not even see the sign. Washers and spacers can protect this sheeting during installation from twisting bolt heads. Afterward, they can maintain a gap that prevents any rust on the metal from spreading to the sign’s surface.
Bolts
The precise bolt size is essential, as is the technique for tightening bolts. Among the key guidelines are:
- Use tools that minimize contact with the sign face to avoid scratching.
- Just tighten one end of the nut and bolt, preferably from the rear of the sign. Tightening from both sides can transfer stress and result in permanent wrinkles on the surface.
- Never over-tighten the connecting bolts. This can cause specular glare from dimples on the sign.
Vandal Proofing
If you’ll be installing a sign in an area where a lot of people gather, it might be in your best interest to choose anti-theft vandal-poof hardware. These pieces are available for many of the different kinds of hardware for mounting traffic signs and can save you a lot of time, trouble, and money. Signs are often stolen for mischief or for scrap metal profit. Ask your manufacturer about whether vandal-proof traffic sign mounting hardware makes sense for your signage.
At Custom Products Corporation, we can explain your options to you or put together a kit with everything you need. Get in touch with us the next time you need the best quality signs at value prices.
