“Please pardon me, but you have a little something on your outdoor metal sign …”

Have you ever seen somebody beautifully put together, with hair, clothing and makeup converging for a beautiful polished look? However, when that image of grace and beauty turns around and lo and behold, the subject has a piece of broccoli in her teeth? Suddenly all you can see is that spot and the polished person may as well be wearing a clown suit at that point!

Not only have we all witnessed a similar situation, we’ve all been there ourselves, one way or another. The experience is humiliating because our efforts to look sophisticated are defeated by a trivial but distracting intruder. Unfortunately, sometimes metal signs outdoors suffer the same embarrassment with ugly rust. You’ve likely seen it before yourself and like the person above, you can’t focus on the writing on the sign with that bit of rust creeping in. That’s kind of sad because the owner of that outdoor metal sign invested some of his advertisement budget to get just the right look.

What he got with his metal sign was the wrong kind of attention.

Don’t People Make Mistakes? And Don’t Outdoor Metal Signs Naturally Rust Over Time?

Of course people make mistakes – that’s why it’s better to not take it too seriously when someone points out your accident because chances are, it’s happened to them, also. We are absolutely not alone in our lack of perfection. However, metal signs used outdoors are most often made of an aluminum-based material which is naturally coated in aluminum oxide that prevents rusting. So, if aluminum is a natural enemy to rust, then how does rust get on these outdoor metal signs?

A custom metal sign is made-to-order in sign shops such as ours and guaranteed to last for years. However, some sign makers go to all the trouble of using quality materials and then falter by using hardware that doesn’t resist rust.

Sadly, this happens much too often; just look around any commercial business area. In fact, some metal signs outdoorshave so much rusty hardware that it is difficult to read them. Rusty runoff from such weather-exposed hardware can send horrible reddish-orange streaks racing across any type of sign. And once your metal outdoor signage has been stained with rust, good luck getting it off. It usually is there forever.

Fortunately, there are sign shops, including ours, who put just as much of themselves into the details of sign building as the bigger picture of the metal outdoor sign itself.

How Can I Keep My Metal Sign for Outdoors A Polished, Attractive Surface?

The answer to avoiding rusty hardware in your outdoor metal sign is both simple and inexpensive. Simply get the sign shop’s guarantee that your custom outdoor metal signage will be installed with hardware made of galvanized or stainless steel.

Yes, it’s that easy.

And yes, it’s inexpensive.

Galvanized and stainless steel hardware costs only around $5 more than non rust-resistant zinc plated hardware. So why wouldn’t you spend a little more to be absolutely sure your outdoor metal sign looks its best for years to come? Wouldn’t you pay $5 more to ensure that your wedding dress never get a blemish?

Oops – Napkin, Please! There’s Already A Spot On My Outdoor Metal Sign!

Unfortunately, you can probably only keep the rust on your outdoor metal signage from getting worse at this point. Mild, soapy water or a car cleaner is a good choice for attempting rust removal. Use a soft cloth. The most important thing to remember about cleaning your outdoor metal sign is never to use anything scratchy on your sign.

Once you’ve tried to clean your metal outdoor sign, waste no time replacing the hardware, doing so one piece at a time for the safety of the sign. Sure, this is a hassle, but it’s more cost-effective than replacing your entire outdoor metal sign.

A second option is to coat the existing hardware in a rust-proof liquid. Priming and coating each piece of your hardware in this protective liquid can help seal your hardware against damaging rust.

So while you may not be able to get rid of the spot of ketchup from your wedding dress, you can keep the glass of red wine from completely doing it in!

The Best Way To Remove A Ketchup Stain Is Not To Get One At All

It is too simple to prevent ugly, distracting rust from ruining the appearance and professionalism of your metal outdoor sign. Remember to request galvanized or stainless steel in the production and installation of your metal outdoor custom sign and your sign is guaranteed to forever and a day be the belle of the ball!