Dimensional Signs: Uses, Examples, & How They're Made

Dimensional signs allow your business’ message to stand out for your customers. Learn more about how we make them and how you can use them.

Stand Out Using Dimensional Signage

Dimensional signs allow your business’ message to stand out for your customers. Learn more about how we make them and how you can use them.

Does your business’ signage fall a bit flat (pun intended)? We live in a world that is saturated with advertising, but much of the advertising that people see lacks depth. You need to find a way to make your signage stand out. AlphaGraphics Northwest San Antonio creates 3D designs that jump out at customers. Our designers work with businesses all the way from digital graphic design to constructing the physical signage and installation.

Research has suggested that three-dimensional graphics can evoke more emotions from people than flat images. Read on to learn more about how we create dimensional graphics for signs and how you can use them.

Considerations while designing dimensional graphics

A dimensional sign is any type of sign that projects outward in three dimensions. The process of creating a dimensional sign begins with an idea and a design. The sign should match your brand in terms of style, lettering, and color. Your brand may use colors that match certain raw materials, like metal or wood, or it may call for other manufactured textures and shapes.

The location you intend for the sign will also affect the design and the materials that we will use. Will your sign be:

• Inside or outside?
• In an enclosed area or out in the open?
• In a bright or dark area?

These and other questions will influence design decisions. Some materials are highly reflective, so they tend to work best in low-light conditions. Some materials are extremely durable and can stand up to heat, cold, and the elements, making them ideal for signs that will be outside.

Constructing dimensional signs

Once you and the designer have decided on a design, we can begin creating your sign. The process we use will depend on the kind of sign we are making and the materials we will use. There may be a printing element involved, or it may consist entirely of cutting and mounting.

Methods for creating the components of a dimensional sign could include die-cutting, molding, and 3D printing.

Some dimensional signs can be made from a single piece of material, such as a block of wood using a CNC router. This machine uses information from a CAD program to cut the design into the material.

Your options for how to place your dimensional sign are also quite varied. You may want to mount it on a wall, place it on a stand, or hang it from the ceiling. We can help you determine placement and even assist with installation.

How can I use dimensional signs?

Dimensional signs can serve many purposes for a business, such as:

• Wayfinding: Dimensional signage can help people quickly identify where they are or where they need to go. It can help direct people to locations within retail stores, shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals, banks, schools, and more.

• Attracting customers: Businesses can use dimensional signs to draw in potential customers. A dimensional menu, for example, can help attract customers to a restaurant or food truck in a crowded area where businesses must compete quick for people’s attention. They can also be used for city-wide campaigns, such as Downtown Seattle Association #PlayInThePark initiative.

• Branding: Dimensional signs that display a company’s logo or other brand elements can catch customers’ attention and create a memorable experience for them.

Can I use dimensional signs outdoors?

Whether you can use a dimensional sign outdoors or not depends on the type of materials used. Some materials, such as many types of metal, are extremely durable and can stand up to the elements for years. Materials like wood, acrylic, and other plastics are not as durable when exposed to outdoor elements. While you might be able to place signs made from these kinds of materials outdoors temporarily, they may not endure as permanent structures.



Materials like foam are best kept indoors. They offer certain advantages, such as being lightweight and inexpensive, but they are not suited to the barrage of weather conditions - especially water - that they would face outside.

Stand out with AlphaGraphics!

Join our ever-growing list of satisfied businesses that team with us to create outstanding visuals. From start to finish, the creation of your dimensional graphics will be conducted by experienced professionals and state-of-the-art equipment. Get started today!