What is Vitreous enamel?

Vitreous enamel is a glass-like coating which is fused onto steel at

temperatures of 750-860 degrees C
The enamel will exhibit all of the properties associated with glass including :
•Hardness                                          •Colour Stability
•Scratch & Graffiti Resistance           •Fire Resistance

Vitreous enamel signs need a great deal of care, but by observing a few tips on the care and handling of vitreous enamel, signs can last 40 years or more. Visit our full article on the care and installation of vitreous enamel signs.

(For a more in depth guide  see our full Fire Extinguisher Identification Guide)

Under BS EN 3 operative from the 1st January 1997, all new certified fire extinguishers used in European Union countries must feature red bodies. In line with familiar UK practice, BS 7863 allows manufacturers to affix coloured identification panels on or above the operating instructions covering no more than 5% of the body surface area and visible through a horizontal arc of 180 degrees when the extinguisher is mounted.

The new harmonised European standard on fire extinguishers – BS EN3 –  which came into effect in 1st January 1997, provides a single standard for fire extinguishers across Europe. It replaced the old British Standard BS 5423, which has now been withdrawn.

BS EN3 is the standard now used for the specification, manufacturing and purchase of extinguishers in the UK. An additional standard BS 7863 details the revised colour coding system and supplements BS EN3.

BS EN3 is not retrospective and pre-existing extinguishers do not need to be replaced with extinguishers to this new standard. However, any replacements as a result of damage, wear or un-serviceability or new extinguishers will need to meet this new, later standard.While BSEN3 has now been in place for a number of years Understanding the colours and codes should be part of your regular health and safety training and form part of your new staff induction programme. There are a number of resources such as Fire Extinguisher Colour Guide Code Charts and Fire Extinguisher colour code guide pocket guides that can serve as staff information points and training aids. Fire Extinguisher location panels can aid your routine premises maintenance. As well as providing information on the use of the particular fire extinguisher mounted they also give a visual warning as to when the extinguisher has been used and not replaced.

For a more in depth guide  see our full Fire Extinguisher Identification Guide

Corporate nameplate signs on buildings are often the first impression a  visitor or passer-by may get. These are the main sign advertising opportunities for a company and the main tools for brand building. The type of sign chosen, position and design will all influence how your company is perceived.

Signs can be placed high across the top of buildings to help potential customers that are further away to recognise the company.  The main goal is to get customers inside and keep them coming back to the business.

Use other conspicuous locations for corporate signs at the edge of car parks, roadsides or the entrances to business parks to maximise your audience numbers.

Stocksigns can create signage schemes that are in keeping with the local environment, while getting your message across clearly. Look at other signs, buildings and street furniture in your area, decide whether you want to complement the surrounding area or stand out and make a statement. Choose fonts that reflect your image, the script style font used on this traditional looking sign adds to the hand crafted look. Do you want your sign to advertise your presence? – Clear simple fonts are best. Or do you want to reinforce your brand? – more creative fonts can be used to reflect your brand attributes. Stocksigns can help you get the right balance. The use of colours can also help to accentuate your brand attributes.  Classic gold lettering will give a feel of luxury or authority. Experiment with bright colours for your lettering and different back grounds to achieve different looks. Colours used in conjunction with different font styles will further extend the range of possibilities. Our project managers and design team would be happy to discuss your ideas or for examples and inspiration of corporate signs and how they can influence perception of your brand follow the corporate signage link.

Stocksigns offers over 30, 000 safety signs and information signage as standard of the shelf products in a variety of materials. Before understanding the best installation method for your signs it is best to get an understanding of the different materials used.

Aluminium Signs

Rigid Plastic

Hilume Rigid Photoluminescent PVC (1.3 mm thick) Signs

Self Adhesive Vinyl Signs

Hilume Self Adhesive Photoluminescent Vinyl Signs

Labels

Reflective Safety Signs

Miscellaneous Products
& Signs

Traffic Signs
(Permanent & Temporary)

Polycarbonate Signs

Vitreous Enamel Signs

All standard signs manufactured from Aluminium, polycarbonate or rigid plastic come with pre-drilled holes ready for wall fixing with screws. Although signs 100mm x 100mm or less come with a self adhesive backing for easy quick fixing.

All our standard signs  with a product code of either self-adhesive vinyl or Hilume self-adhesive photoluminescent vinyl are exactly that vinyl printed signs with their own peel off adhesive backing for easy fixing even to curved surfaces.

Our Reflective safety signs come with holes for screw fixing unless channel fixing is specified for post mounting at time of ordering. Where as our  Traffic signs are automatically manufactured with channel for mounting onto posts unless the customer specifies they need them to be fixed to a wall and then they are manufactured with pre-drilled holes ready for screw fixing.

Our vitreous enamel signs are all manufactured for screw fixing unless other wise stated.

For  Aluminium signs and  rigid plastic which come as standard with holes we can offer self-adhesive sticky pads and finishing bungs to cover the holes to give a neat and professional finish while maintaining the easy of fixing associated with self-adhesive backing.

For your convenience Stocksigns do have an sign installation service to take the hassle out of installing your signs.

For more information visit www.stocksigns.co.uk

A post mounted sign elevates your signs to give optimum viewing to pedestrians and cars.

When selecting your post height consider other obstructions such as hedges and fences etc. Posts are better sited in flowers beds or soft ground as a third of the post needs to be fixed below ground. However if you don’t have any suitable soft ground posts can be mounted on a base plate. The baseplate is a 10mm thick sheet of galvanised steel. Baseplates can be sprayed to match your sign and or company colours or you can add your own finish around the base i.e. decorative stone work or block paving. Coach bolts can then be used to mount the sign onto a solid surface such as tarmac or concrete etc. Standard posts come in lengths of 1.75m or 3.5m. They come in black, grey galvanised or silver anodised finishes. End caps for the posts will also be required.

Finger posts are ideal directional systems for creating ambiance. They are great for large complexes or towns, giving at a glance guidance and create a traditional village feel. When choosing your post height there are several considerations to make. You will need a minimum of 2.4m between ground level and the bottom of your lowest projected sign. This is to avoid the obvious problem of injury as it is well above the average head height. As with all post mounted structures you will need a third of the total hight of the post or pole to be fixed under ground for stability, so remember to allow for this in choosing your pole height.

Top Tip: When choosing the position of your finger post, ask someone who is unfamiliar with the site to walk the route to ensure they are positioned in the most appropriate location.

Find out more about signs and stocksigns

them very versatile and easy to install. We also offer a range of frosted vinyl window graphics “Glass Highlighting” both standard and custom-made designs. Glass Highlighting can also help you comply with Regulation 14 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. Which requires the marking of windows and glass doors to make them conspicuous.

How to Apply your vinyl signs and graphics

Before applying any self adhesive graphics make sure that the application surface is clean and free from contaminants. To apply your self adhesive graphics, use one of the following methods:

For Small Sizes (up to approximately 20 x 20cm)

1. You will need a squeegee.  ( a small rigid plastic card designed for sign applicating, if you can’t get one a small professional window cleaning one will do or even an old credit card)

2. Remove the backing paper from the face material.

3. Position the sticker/sign on the surface and press in place with finger tips.

4. Apply the sticker to the surface with squeegee, using overlapping strokes. Puncture any air bubbles with a needle and press in place.

For Medium Sizes

1. You will need a squeegee (see above).

2. Remove 3-5cm of the backing paper from one edge of the sticker and fold back.

3. Position the sticker to the surface and press the exposed adhesive area in place with finger tips.

4. Apply the sticker to the surface with squeegee, using overlapping strokes, removing the backing paper little by little with the other hand puncture any air bubbles with a needle and press in place.

Wet Application Method for Large Sizes

1. You will need a squeegee (see above), sponge or cloth, water plus a little liquid detergent (i.e. washing up liquid), agitated to produce foam bubbles.

2. Temperature of the application surface and in the workshop should be 15°C or above.

3. Wet the application surface entirely with foam bubbles.

4. Remove the backing paper, keeping the sticker flat.

5. Apply the sticker to the wet surface and bring into position.

6. Remove any excess foam bubbles from underneath the sticker with a squeegee, using light pressure in overlapping strokes, working from the centre. Dry the sticker with a cloth.

7. Secure the sticker to the surface with a squeegee, using overlapping strokes and firm pressure, paying particular attention to the edges, to ensure a firm bond.

8. When possible, check and re-squeegee firmly after 24 hours.

*note – With this application method ultimate adhesion of the sticker/sign is reached later than with a dry method. The sticker/sign will obtain ultimate adhesion about 24-48 hours after application.

At Stocksigns we pride ourselves with our green credentials and we are always trying to reduce our impact on the environment and move to more sustainable business practices. We have a policy of continuous improvement and review our manufacturing techniques and materials regularly and ask all our partners and suppliers to do the same.

Planting 50 trees for Stocksigns' 50th Anniversary

Our environmental ethos is carried right through the company with staff organising their own green events from the planting of 50 trees for our 50th anniversary, holding staff plant swaps and even having our own allotments for staff to grow their own fruit and vegetables. There are so many things a company can do to reduce it’s environmental impact, from recycling manufacturing waste to composting in the company garden.

John Newman and his allotment

We would love to hear about any other ideas that other companies have had to help Go Green!

Read more about Stocksigns

Many companies are committed to recycling and purchasing non-toxic supplies, but they still work in buildings whose materials, electrical systems and waste systems were in place long before being “eco” became the business buzz word of the moment and before the economic benefits of being green were truly understood. Different companies will have different factors to consider when improving their green credentials. For example a solicitors firm will have different concerns than a construction site. But one way they can improve their green impact is through replacing their environmentally unfriendly electrical signs with  photoluminescent fire exit signs. Electrical fire safety signs are environmentally unfriendly due to their never-ending demand for electricity. Being lit 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, they also contribute to driving up companies’ fuel costs. Therefore, replacing electrical signs with photoluminescent exit signs brings both an economical and an environmental benefit. Often recognised as best practice in the UK photoluminescent sign systems have also been adopted throughout the EU and USA. This is due in part to the failure of battery-powered back up lighting during the World Trade Center Bombing in 1993, New York City established a city ordinance requiring buildings over 75 feet tall to contain photoluminescent safety systems.

Photoluminescent Fire Signs how do they work?

Photoluminescence occurs when an object absorbs photons (light energy) and then emits them back when the light source is removed i.e. in the dark, creating a noticeable lighting effect. Photoluminescent fire safety signs are designed to absorb photons from ambient light and then re-emit them in darkened conditions. Having an average lifespan of 25 years,  they also save companies money by not using electricity and being maintenance free so there is no need for the costly regular maintenance regimes associated with ensuring the correct functionality of electrical signs. Stocksigns has extended the use of photoluminescent material beyond fire safety signs with many other health and safety signs including hazard signs, prohibition safety signs, chemical safety signs, first aid signs, electrical hazard signs, and mandatory warning signs. We have also created floor signs and tapes to aid your way finding during emergency evacuations.

Photoluminescent Fire Signs – Hilume from Stocksigns

Hilume is a PSPA (Photoluminescent Safety Products Association) Class B performing product which means it is much brighter for longer than the usual PSPA Class A product found in safety signage and is suitable for exterior use.

• Aesthetic Improvement – New white appearance under usual lighting conditions yet still glows brighter when light source is removed.
• Extremely durable – resistant to shrinkage and curl, also the low profile thinner material is less prone to attention from vandals.
• Green Manufacturing – Environmentally friendly material
• Flame retardant – passing all flame, smoke and toxicity tests.
• UV resistant – enabling use both indoor and outdoor

Cost savings with Photoluminescent Signs

Studies show that replacing 100 incandescent exit signs with photoluminescent exit signs can save a company over £2k a year. In addition to their cost effectiveness, eco-friendly fire safety signs are also more reliable than traditional exit signs. Free of light bulbs they are the optimal signage in the event of emergency situations that result from structural shock falling debris (as seen in the New York terrorist attacks). Replacing electrical fire exit signs with eco-friendly photoluminescent exit signs and using other photoluminescent safety signage is a cost effective way to help a companies’ journey to go green. For more information on safety signs or ssafety signs and symbols visit or Stocksigns visit us at www.stocksigns.co.uk

safety signs and general custom made signs

Plaque

Originally uploaded by Stocksigns

We have now created a library of many of our signs including this lovely example of an engraved sign.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stocksigns/

www.stocksigns.co.uk

Stocksigns for all your signage needs