Approach/materials for guerilla street signs (no parking, etc.)

December 26, 2022 12:52 PM

My community has *ahem* a problem with sh!tty parking. Drivers routinely park blocking crosswalks, and unfortunately, we also lack any meaningful enforcement of the rules. I would like some resources for making "guerilla" signage that can be non-destructively attached to existing sign poles, sometimes trees. Signs must be durable and solidly click preview weatherproof.

That is, laminated 8 1/2 X 11" card stock won't do. Inspired in part by the valiant efforts of an art student in Los Angeles, who reimagined the visual design for a confusing array of parking signage in that city.

* I can handle the graphic design, it's sign creation I'm interested in.

I expect there are some projects out there that tackle my exact problem.

posted by 4midori to Grab Bag (9 answers total)

Corrugated plastic sheets and adhesive vinyl lettering will hold up well in bad weather for awhile, and are recyclable once they've outlived their usefulness. If you'd like a specific design, there are companies that will print out vinyl lettering/decals for you, or you could buy adhesive vinyl sheets and make your own.

I don't know of any specific guides for sign-making, but I hope this helps as a place to start.
posted by May Kasahara at 1:01 PM on December 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You can just buy real street signs. They aren’t even that expensive.
posted by rockindata at 1:12 PM on December 26, 2022 [14 favorites]

That same company (and many others) will custom print pretty much anything you want to put on a sign as well.
posted by rockindata at 1:17 PM on December 26, 2022 [2 favorites]

If you don't want to leave records, I know people who've done it with thin sheet metal from McMaster Carr, cardboard stencils, and outdoor glossy spray paint. Not sure about the non-destructive part - it'll depend a lot on what you are attaching it too. Epoxying a bit of perforated rectangular aluminum stock to the back and zip tying it to the pole is one option. Rubber cement is another if you want to place it on a flat surface.
posted by eotvos at 2:25 PM on December 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Not quite what you're planning, but related: Are you aware of "Stop a Douchebag," which uses stickers to serve "written complaints" to bad drivers and parkers?
posted by underthehat at 3:15 PM on December 26, 2022

Don't forget the brackets!
posted by goingonit at 6:19 PM on December 26, 2022

Response by poster: The real street signs look great - though pricey. Would be great to find something equivalent but strong plastic.
posted by 4midori at 7:04 PM on December 26, 2022

In terms of durability, I sometimes, er, partake in similar activities and the StickerYou Removable White Vinyl Labels hold up really well - I, er, might have, um, stuck them to some ridiculous signs my city had up and they held up all year through all kinds of weather. You can basically design whatever you want and have them custom printed in whatever size you want. They're a little pricey but not as much as getting your own actual street signs printed.

You could then stick those onto those corrugated plastic sheets May Kasahara mentions OR you could do some stakeouts for official-ish signs that construction companies use and help yourself to them and put your label overtop, though that will take some time. Often they'll leave them behind during a project. Or, honestly, just take the city's and re-do them and put them back up.
posted by urbanlenny at 7:23 PM on December 26, 2022 [1 favorite]

Your public library may have a Cricut or Silhouette machine, which you can use to cut adhesive vinyl into letters. Use packing tape to lift the letters off their backing and then transfer them to a piece of aluminum from the hardware store.

Pay cash for the vinyl (Orcal brand is great!) at the craft store, and for the metal, to avoid leaving a paper trail.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:19 PM on December 26, 2022