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Brand 9 SignsSince 1986
Brand 9 Signs 40th Anniversary, 1986 to 2026

HDU sign board · CNC carved · Hand painted

Routed HDU Signs, Carved and Hand Painted

Carved signs cut on a CNC router from high-density urethane (HDU) sign board, 1.5 in thick for one side, then painted by hand in 1 Shot lettering enamel. Unlike wood, HDU never rots, warps or splits outdoors. Looking for a sandblasted sign? This is the same carved HDU sign; Brand 9 carves it on a CNC router rather than sandblasting, for crisper letters. Type your words, set them around a seal or in straight lines, add symbols or upload your logo, and see it carved before you order. Most signs take 7 to 21 days to carve and paint, then ship. V-carved $100 per sq ft, raised letters $130 per sq ft, from $150 per order line, before shipping. Made by Brand 9 Signs, sign makers since 1986, and shipped to your door across the US.

Exact prices before shipping: 1 sign at 24 × 18 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side: $300.00; 1 sign at 36 × 24 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side: $600.00; 1 sign at 24 × 24 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side: $400.00. The price card shows shipping, Florida sales tax and the total before you order.

Price yours →Design one now

From $150 for an 18 × 12 in routed HDU sign

Sign in to keep your designs saved and private, and let Vector learn your style

Round V-carved HDU seal for Keystone Heights Elementary School mounted on a black school gate, painted blue, red and white
Keystone Heights Elementary: a 36 in V-carved HDU seal on the school gate. Hover or tap the sign to see the V-bit detail.

Build & price it

Configure your routed sign

Carving and sides

V-carved cuts only the lettering and art into the face, the faster and lower-priced way. Raised letters have the background routed away around them. One-sided signs are 1.5 in HDU, two-sided signs 2 in.

Size of the sign
in

From 4 × 4 in up to 120 × 60 in. Enter it either way round.

Round, oval, arch-top and other shapes are priced by their width × height box. Choose the shape in Vector Studio.

Quantity
signs

2 or more of the same sign: 5% off. 5 or more: 10% off. 10 or more: 15% off.

Shipping: Shipping is UPS Ground to your door, one box per sign, priced for your ZIP code in the price card and again in the cart before you pay. Signs too large for UPS ship crated by freight to a business address: $450.00 a sign up to 48 × 96 in and $650.00 a sign up to 60 × 120 in.

Why HDU

What HDU is, and why it outlasts wood outdoors

HDU, high-density urethane, is a rigid sign board made for carved signs. It is a closed-cell material: water can’t soak in, so the things that ruin a wood sign outside never start.

  • No rot, no warping. Rain, sprinklers, humidity and salt air don’t swell it, cup it or rot it.
  • No cracks or splits. There is no grain to check in the sun or split along a board joint.
  • No insects. Termites and carpenter bees have nothing to eat.
  • Crisp carving. With no grain, a V-bit cuts every letter the same in every direction, down to fine serifs.
  • A smooth paint surface. 1 Shot enamel goes on even and stays bright, with no grain raising through it.

Nearly 40 years

Brand 9 Signs has carved signs in HDU for nearly 40 years and has never had to replace one because of normal wear.

7 to 10 years

The board lasts; the hand-painted finish is what ages in the sun. Plan to repaint an outdoor HDU sign after about 7 to 10 years.

Two ways to carve it

V-carved or raised letters

Close-up of V-carved serif lettering reading OAKLEAF FARM EST. 1998 painted metallic gold on a deep green HDU sign

V-carved

$100 per sq ft one side · $175 two sides

V-shaped bits cut the lettering and art into the face, each stroke with two angled walls that catch the light. Only the design is cut, so it is the faster way and the lower price.

  • Letters from 1 in tall
  • Script, serif and block lettering
  • Painted inside the carve, face painted the background color
Close-up of cream raised letters reading HARBOR MARINE standing above a navy routed background on an HDU sign

Raised letters

$130 per sq ft one side · $227.50 two sides

The background is routed away around the lettering and art, so they stand 0.5 in proud of the board. Clearing the background takes much longer on the router, so it costs more.

  • Letters from 1.5 in tall
  • Bold block letters and solid logos read best
  • Letters painted on their faces, the routed field in its own color

V-bit angles

30°, 60°, 90° or 120°: the V follows the width of every stroke

A V-bit cuts each stroke to a point at its center, so a wide stroke carves deeper than a thin one and every letter keeps the same crisp ridge. The bit's angle sets how deep: depth = stroke width ÷ (2 × tan(half the bit angle)). Brand 9 picks the bit for every sign from the width of its strokes, never cutting deeper than 3/4 in; press “See it carved” in Vector Studio to see the bit chosen for your lettering and how deep it goes.

30° V-bit
3/8 in stroke → 0.70 in deep
depth = width × 1.87
60° V-bit
3/8 in stroke → 0.32 in deep
depth = width × 0.87
90° V-bit
3/8 in stroke → 0.19 in deep
depth = width × 0.50
120° V-bit
3/8 in stroke → 0.11 in deep
depth = width × 0.29

Drawn to scale: the copper line is the stroke's width on the face, the blue line the depth of the V. Steeper bits (30°, 60°) cut deeper, darker shadows and suit bold letters with narrow strokes; wider bits (90°, 120°) keep broad strokes and large art shallow. No cut goes deeper than 3/4 in: a stroke too wide for its full V within that depth is carved to a flat floor.

The words can follow the board, too: the round, oval and arch-top designs set the name arched over the top and a line curved under the bottom, the way seals and entrance signs are laid out. Open a round seal design

Quick starts

Start from a shape and size

Each one opens Vector Studio on that board, ready for your words or logo. Prices are for one sign before shipping.

Round seal or logo

V-Carved HDU Sign, one side, 36 × 36 in, 3 colors: $945.00

A school, club, city or company seal with the name carved around the ring. Type the ring text in Vector Studio and it follows the circle.

Design this →Price this size

Business or storefront sign

V-Carved HDU Sign, one side, 48 × 24 in: $800.00

Your name and logo carved into a 4 × 2 ft board with rounded corners, for a wall, a post or a hanging bracket.

Design this →Price this size

House or farm name

V-Carved HDU Sign, one side, 36 × 12 in: $300.00

A family name, farm or street number in carved letters on a long board, for a porch, a gate or a post.

Design this →Price this size

Arch-top entrance sign

Raised Letter HDU Sign, one side, 72 × 24 in: $1,560.00

Raised letters on an arched board, the background routed away, for a community, church or campus entrance.

Design this →Price this size

Oval plaque

V-Carved HDU Sign, one side, 24 × 18 in: $300.00

A dedication, a donor name or a trail marker on an oval plaque.

Design this →Price this size

Two-sided hanging sign

V-Carved HDU Sign, two sides, 24 × 18 in: $525.00

Two 1 in boards, each carved and painted, glued back to back, for a blade bracket over a sidewalk or a post at a drive.

Design this →Price this size

How it is made

From your design to a carved, painted sign

A lettering brush laying glossy red 1 Shot enamel into a V-carved letter R in white HDU
Each color brushed in by hand in 1 Shot lettering enamel.
  1. Design it in Vector StudioChoose the shape and size, type your words in straight lines or around a ring, add symbols or upload your logo, and pick colors from the 1 Shot or Ronan card, or a custom-mixed palette. Vector Studio checks letter heights for the carving you chose.
  2. See it carved, then turn it in 3DThe carved preview shows V-bit grooves or raised letters in light and shadow, so you can judge depth and spacing before you order. Turn it in 3D to see the edge, an angle or the back, and flip a two-sided sign to Side B.
  3. Carved on our CNC router30, 60, 90 and 120 degree V-bits for carving (Brand 9 picks one from the stroke widths, never deeper than 3/4 in); 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 in end mills for clearing the background and cutting the outline.
  4. Painted by handEach color is brushed on by hand in 1 Shot or Ronan lettering enamel, or custom-mixed acrylic polyurethane sign paint: the background first, then the lettering and art.
  5. Packed flat and shippedMost signs take 7 to 21 days from your order to carve and paint. Then one box per sign by UPS Ground, priced for your ZIP; signs too large for UPS ship crated by freight.

Shapes

Shapes and sizes, 4 × 4 in to 120 × 60 in

Every shape is priced by its width × height box, at least 1 sq ft a sign. A circle is as wide as it is tall. For a sign bigger than 120 × 60 in, order it in sections, each at its own size.

Paint

Hand painted: 1 Shot or Ronan enamel, or custom mixed to match

1 Shot and Ronan One Stroke are the oil-based enamels sign painters use for hand lettering; their stock colors are included in the price. 2 colors are included; up to 6 in all, each color after the first two adding $5 per sq ft on a one-sided sign. For any other color, choose Custom mixed: a brand color or a color palette from 681 in Vector Studio, mixed to match in Matthews acrylic polyurethane sign paint for $50.00 per custom color. The swatches are close to the paint but not exact; the code is what we paint.

1 Shot lettering enamel: 46 colors, included

  • 100L Vermillion
  • 101L Lettering White
  • 102L Fire Red
  • 103L Polar White
  • 104L Bright Red
  • 106L Kool Crimson
  • 108L Maroon
  • 109L Metallic Gold
  • 110L Metallic Copper
  • 111L Metallic Brass
  • 114L Medium Brown
  • 115L Dark Brown
  • 116L Ivory
  • 117L Tan
  • 118L Chamois
  • 120L Coral
  • 124L Orange
  • 130L Primrose Yellow
  • 132L Lemon Yellow
  • 134L Chrome Yellow
  • 141L Sublime Green
  • 142L Emerald Green
  • 143L Process Green
  • 144L Medium Green
  • 148L Dark Green
  • 149L Aqua
  • 150L Blue Green
  • 151L Robin Egg Blue
  • 152L Light Blue
  • 153L Process Blue
  • 154L Peacock Blue
  • 155L Reflex Blue
  • 156L Brilliant Blue
  • 157L Kansas City Teal
  • 158L Dark Blue
  • 160L Violet
  • 161L Proper Purple
  • 162L Purple
  • 163L Magenta
  • 164L Dark Magenta
  • 165L Rubine Red
  • 168L Salmon Pink
  • 191L Imitation Gold
  • 193L Metallic Silver
  • 195L Medium Gray
  • 199L Lettering Black

Ronan One Stroke lettering enamel: 39 colors, included

  • 021 Gloss Black
  • 101 Gloss White
  • 116 Ivory
  • 180 Light Gray
  • 105 Imitation Silver
  • 107 Imitation Gold
  • 109 Metallic Gold
  • 131 Light Yellow
  • 133 Medium Yellow
  • 135 Golden Yellow
  • 129 Process Yellow
  • 125 Bright Orange
  • 1110 Red Orange
  • 1102 Scarlet Red
  • 1104 Cherry Red
  • 106 Carmine
  • 108 Maroon
  • 165 Rubine Red
  • 166 Magenta
  • 162 Purple
  • 164 Process Purple
  • 161 Violet
  • 152 Light Blue
  • 154 Process Blue
  • 156 Brilliant Blue
  • 153 Phthalo Blue
  • 155 Reflex Blue
  • 158 Dark Blue
  • 149 Aqua
  • 157 Teal
  • 150 Blue Green
  • 140 Light Green
  • 143 Process Green
  • 142 Emerald Green
  • 144 Medium Green
  • 148 Dark Green
  • 117 Tan
  • 114 Medium Brown
  • 115 Dark Brown

Custom mixed to match: $50.00 per custom color

Matthews acrylic polyurethane sign paint, mixed to your color. Pick a color-theory palette in Vector Studio (681 palettes), for example the Kamile’s Key Lime palette from Brand 9’s sign in Key West, or type your brand’s hex colors. Already ordered printed signs, a banner or cards from Brand 9? Sign in and pick “Match my order” to paint the carved sign in the same colors.

Carved signs by Brand 9

Routed and hand-painted signs

Close-up of KEYSTONE HEIGHTS V-carved into white HDU, the letters painted royal blue in gloss enamel below a red carved border line
The ring lettering up close: each letter a V-bit groove with a sharp center line, painted inside, the face left at full height.
Close-up of the KHE emblem carved in HDU: blue and red recessed panels with white letters, trees and feathers left standing
The emblem: blue and red areas carved down, white letters and art left as crisp islands.
Round carved sign for the P-8 Fleet Support Team, Fleet Readiness Center Southeast, a black aircraft over a red globe with white carved lines and lettering
P-8 Fleet Support Team: an emblem carved and painted in four colors.
Route 66 shield-shaped carved sign in white and navy mounted on a teal column in a restaurant
A shield-shaped Route 66 sign on a restaurant column.
Fleet Readiness Center Southeast Det Jacksonville sign with a green, gold and navy emblem on a white carved wood-grain background
Fleet Readiness Center Southeast, Det Jacksonville: an emblem on a carved wood-grain field.
Close-up of a carved sign with gold-painted wings, black feather detail and lettering on a blue background
Close-up of hand-painted gold, black and blue on carved detail.
Light blue rounded HDU sign with Tradewinds West Palm Beach, FL carved into its face in script and capitals, on a dark blue wall
Tradewinds: script and capital lettering carved into a rounded HDU sign.
Black HDU sign with WHITE WABBIT and a white rabbit and mountain graphic standing raised, pink border lines and an Aspen, CO panel
White Wabbit: raised lettering and a rabbit graphic, each color painted by hand.
Maroon shaped sign with scooped corners reading Caden's CANDY SHOP MIAMI, FL in aqua, two aqua border lines, lit from behind with a blue glow on a blue wall
Candy Shop: the scooped-corner shape behind the Cartouche board and the Candy shop designs.
Lime green badge-shaped sign with a notch in each side reading Kamile's KEY LIME in black and 13 Duval St. on a cream panel, mounted on pale blue wood siding
Key Lime: the notched shape behind the Notched badge board and the Key lime design.
Black crest-shaped sign with a pointed crown and a bar across the middle reading WORLD FAMOUS NANA'S GUMBO ROUX in white with two stars, under a lantern on a dark pub front
Gumbo Roux: the crown, bar and point behind the Crest with bar board and the Gumbo roux design.
Cream sign with notched corners and a pointed crown and base reading Ghosted Tavern ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA in black with stars, on a brick wall with amber uplights
St. Augustine tavern: the notched corners and crown behind the Tavern crown board and the tavern designs.
Round Keystone Heights Elementary HDU seal mounted on a gray wall
The 36 in Keystone Heights seal, 1.5 in HDU, on a wall.

Prices

How much do routed HDU signs cost?

Starting prices from Brand 9 Signs for each material at its lowest-cost standard size, before shipping. The price card above prices your exact size, quantity and options.

MaterialStarting orderFrom
V-Carved HDU Sign, one side1 sign at 18 × 12 in$150.00
V-Carved HDU Sign, two sides1 sign at 18 × 12 in$262.50
Raised Letter HDU Sign, one side1 sign at 18 × 12 in$195.00
Raised Letter HDU Sign, two sides1 sign at 18 × 12 in$341.25

Shipping is UPS Ground to your door, one box per sign, priced for your ZIP code in the price card and again in the cart before you pay. Signs too large for UPS ship crated by freight to a business address: $450.00 a sign up to 48 × 96 in and $650.00 a sign up to 60 × 120 in. Carved and hand painted by Brand 9 Signs in 7 to 21 days, then shipped to your door across the US. Prices as of October 23, 2026.

V-Carved HDU Sign, one side: price by size and quantity

Size (W × H)1 sign10 signs25 signs
12 × 12 in$150.00$850.00$85.00 each$2,125.00$85.00 each
18 × 12 in$150.00$1,275.00$127.50 each$3,187.50$127.50 each
24 × 18 in$300.00$2,550.00$255.00 each$6,375.00$255.00 each

Prices before shipping, with no options added. Each price opens the price card at that size and quantity; any other size up to the material maximum is priced the same way.

Quick facts

Routed HDU signs at a glance: sizes, board and prices

What it is
Carved signs routed on a CNC router from high-density urethane (HDU) sign board and hand painted in 1 Shot lettering enamel: V-carved lettering, or the background routed away so the letters stand raised.
Materials
V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side; V-carved both sides, two 1 in HDU boards back to back; raised letters on 1.5 in HDU, one side; raised letters both sides, two 1 in HDU boards back to back
Sizes
From 4 × 4 in up to 60 × 120 in, entered either way round. Rectangle, rounded corners, circle, oval, arch top or octagon, or a shape from the Brand 9 portfolio (cartouche, notched badge, crest, tavern crown, hex badge, scalloped), all priced by the width × height box.
Options
3 paint colors (+$5.00 per sq ft); 4 paint colors (+$10.00 per sq ft); 5 paint colors (+$15.00 per sq ft); 6 paint colors (+$20.00 per sq ft); 1 custom-mixed paint color (+$50.00 per order); 2 custom-mixed paint colors (+$100.00 per order); 3 custom-mixed paint colors (+$150.00 per order); 4 custom-mixed paint colors (+$200.00 per order); 5 custom-mixed paint colors (+$250.00 per order); 6 custom-mixed paint colors (+$300.00 per order)
Quantity savings
5% off 2 or more of the same design, rising to 15% off 10 or more; larger orders save more
Order minimum
$150.00 to $341.25 per order line
Quantity
1 to 5,000 per order line.
Price breaks
At 24 × 18 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side: 1 sign $300.00; 2 signs $570.00 ($285.00 each); 5 signs $1,350.00 ($270.00 each); 10 signs $2,550.00 ($255.00 each), before shipping.
Turnaround
7 to 21 days to carve and hand paint, depending on the size, the carving and the number of colors, then it ships
Shipping
Shipping is UPS Ground to your door, one box per sign, priced for your ZIP code in the price card and again in the cart before you pay. Signs too large for UPS ship crated by freight to a business address: $450.00 a sign up to 48 × 96 in and $650.00 a sign up to 60 × 120 in.
How to order
Set the size and quantity in the price card to see the price, shipping included, before you order. Design it online in Vector Studio, or upload your logo.
Paint
1 Shot lettering enamel (46 stock colors) or Ronan One Stroke lettering enamel (39 stock colors), oil-based sign enamels, included; or custom mixed to match any color or color palette in Matthews acrylic polyurethane sign paint, $50 per custom color. The background and one lettering color are included; each color after that is priced per sq ft in the price card.
Board
1.5 in HDU for one-sided signs. A two-sided sign is two 1 in HDU boards, each carved and painted, glued back to back (2 in thick), at 75% more than one side.
Why HDU
High-density urethane does not soak up water, so it does not rot, warp, crack or split outdoors like wood. Brand 9 Signs has carved HDU signs for nearly 40 years and has never replaced one because of normal wear; repaint after about 7 to 10 years.
Design
Free in Vector Studio, the online design studio. Design it at true size. Or upload your own file.
Sales tax
Orders shipped outside Florida are not charged Florida sales tax. Orders delivered in Florida include Florida sales tax: 6% state tax plus the surtax of the county it is delivered to (0% to 2%), shown in the cart before you pay.
Returns
Each routed sign is carved and painted to your order, so all sales are final. If an order arrives damaged, Brand 9 files the claim with the carrier and works toward a refund or a remake.
Made by
Brand 9 Signs, a family-owned American sign company making signs since 1986 and shipping them nationwide.

Prices for popular sizes

Prices from Brand 9 Signs before shipping, with no options added. Each price opens the price card with that material, size and quantity filled in.

Size (W × H)MaterialQuantityPrice
12 × 12 inV-Carved HDU Sign, one side1 sign$150.00order minimum
24 × 18 inV-Carved HDU Sign, one side1 sign$300.00
36 × 24 in (3 × 2 ft)V-Carved HDU Sign, one side1 sign$600.00
48 × 24 in (4 × 2 ft)V-Carved HDU Sign, one side1 sign$800.00
72 × 24 in (6 × 2 ft)V-Carved HDU Sign, one side1 sign$1,200.00
36 × 24 in (3 × 2 ft)V-Carved HDU Sign, two sides1 sign$1,050.00
36 × 24 in (3 × 2 ft)Raised Letter HDU Sign, one side1 sign$780.00
48 × 36 in (4 × 3 ft)Raised Letter HDU Sign, two sides1 sign$2,730.00

Shipping is UPS Ground to your door, one box per sign, priced for your ZIP code in the price card and again in the cart before you pay. Signs too large for UPS ship crated by freight to a business address: $450.00 a sign up to 48 × 96 in and $650.00 a sign up to 60 × 120 in. The price card shows your shipping and total before you order.

FAQ

Routed sign questions, answered

What is a routed HDU sign?
A sign carved on a CNC router from high-density urethane (HDU) sign board, then painted by hand. HDU is a rigid, closed-cell board made for carved signs: it has no grain, carves with crisp edges and does not rot, warp or split like wood. Brand 9 Signs carves your lettering, logo and border into the board, then paints each color by hand in 1 Shot lettering enamel.
How much does a routed sign cost?
You pay by the square foot of the sign’s width × height box, whatever its shape: $100 per sq ft V-carved on one side, $130 per sq ft with the background routed away, at least 1 sq ft a sign. The background and one lettering color are included; each extra color adds a per-sq-ft amount. A 36 × 24 in V-carved sign is 6 sq ft, so it is $600.00 before shipping, or $630.00 in three colors. Each order line has a minimum: $150 V-carved one side, $262.50 two sides, $195 raised one side and $341.25 raised two sides. 2 or more of the same sign: 5% off. 5 or more: 10% off. 10 or more: 15% off.
Is HDU better than wood for an outdoor sign?
Yes. HDU (high-density urethane) is a closed-cell board that does not soak up water, so it does not rot, warp, swell, crack, split or check the way wood does when it sits in rain, sprinklers, sun and humidity, and insects have nothing to eat in it. It has no grain, so letters carve crisp in every direction and paint goes on a smooth, even surface. Brand 9 Signs has carved signs in HDU for nearly 40 years and has never had to replace one because of normal wear.
How long does an HDU sign last?
For decades. In nearly 40 years of carving HDU signs, Brand 9 Signs has never replaced one because of normal wear. The board itself holds up; the hand-painted 1 Shot enamel is what ages in the sun, so plan to have an outdoor sign repainted after about 7 to 10 years.
What is the difference between V-carved and raised letters?
V-carved letters are cut into the face with V-shaped bits, so each stroke has two angled walls that catch the light; only the lettering and artwork are cut, which is why it is the faster and lower-priced way. Raised letters stand 0.5 in proud of the board: the background is routed away around them with flat end mills, which takes much longer on the router. V-carved is $100 per sq ft and raised is $130 per sq ft, one side.
How thick is the sign?
1.5 in HDU for a one-sided sign. A two-sided sign is two 1 in HDU boards, each carved and painted as its own sign, then glued back to back into one 2 in sign, which is why it is 75% more than one side. Two-sided signs are $175 per sq ft V-carved and $227.50 per sq ft raised.
What paint do you use?
Three choices, all brushed on by hand after the board is carved. 1 Shot lettering enamel (46 stock colors) or Ronan One Stroke lettering enamel (39 stock colors), the oil-based enamels sign painters use for hand lettering, are included in the price. Or custom mixed: any color, a brand color or a whole color palette, mixed to match in Matthews acrylic polyurethane sign paint for $50.00 per custom color. The colors on screen are close to the real paint but not exact; the code on your order is what we paint.
Can you paint my sign in my brand colors or a custom color palette?
Yes. In Vector Studio choose Custom mixed, then pick one of 681 color palettes built on color theory (the Signature styles, the printed sign styles, the 9 Style Florida colorways, occasion themes and palettes from Brand 9’s own signs, such as the Kamile’s Key Lime sign in Key West) or type your own hex colors. Signed in, your own Brand 9 orders and your brand kit are listed first, so a carved sign can match the banner, cards or printed signs you already ordered. Each custom color is mixed to match for $50.00 per color on the order, up to 6 colors, on top of the price for the number of colors.
How many colors can I have?
The price includes 2 colors: the background and one lettering color. Up to 6 colors in all, each one after the first two adding $5 per sq ft on a one-sided sign ($8.75 on a two-sided sign). Vector Studio counts the colors in your design and sets the price for you.
What sizes and shapes can I order?
Any size from 4 × 4 in up to 120 × 60 in, entered either way round. Shapes: rectangle, rounded corners, circle, oval, arch top, octagon, cartouche, notched badge, crest with bar, tavern crown, hex badge or scalloped. A shaped sign is priced by its width × height box. For a bigger sign, order it in sections, each at its own size.
What is the smallest letter you can carve?
1 in tall for V-carved letters and 1.5 in for raised letters. Thin script and hairline strokes need to be bigger than that to carve cleanly; Vector Studio flags text that is too small for the method you picked.
Can you carve my logo?
Yes. Upload it in Vector Studio. Logos carve best as solid shapes in a few flat colors: a vector file (SVG, PDF, AI or EPS) is best, and a clean PNG or JPG is traced into shapes for you. Photos, gradients, shadows and glows cannot be carved, so Vector Studio flattens them to solid colors and shows you the result. Press “See it carved” to view the carving in light and shadow before you add it to your cart.
Can the words follow the shape of the sign?
Yes. In Vector Studio the routed sign designs set the words to the board: arched over the top and curved under the bottom of a round or oval sign, the way school, city, club and community seals are laid out; along the curve of an arch-top sign; or on a gentle arch across a rectangle, rounded or octagon sign. Your own words can be curved the same way: type the top and bottom lines under Curved text and they bend along the edge as you type.
Can you make a shaped sign like a cartouche, crest or tavern sign?
Yes. Vector Studio has six board shapes taken from Brand 9’s own shaped signs: a cartouche with scooped corners, a notched badge, a crest with a crown, a bar and a point, a tavern crown with notched corners, a hex badge and a scalloped plaque. Each one comes with designs that copy the original sign (a candy shop, a key lime shop, a gumbo restaurant, a St. Augustine tavern, a mountain lodge and a lawn care company), and the border rings follow the shape as you type your own words. They are priced like every other shape, by the width × height box.
What V-bit angles do you carve with?
30, 60, 90 and 120 degree V-bits. Brand 9 picks the angle for each sign from the width of its strokes, the steepest bit whose full V still stays within 3/4 in, so you never have to choose one. A V-bit carves each stroke to a sharp V at its center, so the depth follows the width of the stroke: depth = stroke width ÷ (2 × tan(half the bit angle)). A 3/8 in stroke goes about 0.70 in deep with a 30° bit, 0.32 in with a 60° bit, 0.19 in with a 90° bit and 0.11 in with a 120° bit. Steeper bits cut deeper, darker shadows; wider bits keep broad strokes and large art shallow. No cut goes deeper than 3/4 in: a stroke too wide for even the 120° bit to finish within 3/4 in is carved to a flat floor at that depth. Press “See it carved” to see the bit chosen for your design and how deep it cuts.
Can I see the sign from the edge, at an angle or from the back before I order?
Yes. In Vector Studio, press “Turn it in 3D” to see your sign as a solid board: drag to turn it, or jump to the front, a 45° angle, the edge or the back. The edge shows the board’s thickness, 1.5 in for a one-sided sign and 2 in for a two-sided sign, and the 1/4 in chamfer. The edge is painted to match the outer edge of the face, and the back of a one-sided sign is painted the same color. On a two-sided sign, Flip turns it over to Side B, carved and painted from its own design. Morning, noon, evening and night light show how the carving catches the light as the sign turns.
Do you make sandblasted signs?
Brand 9 Signs makes the signs people call sandblasted signs: HDU signs with the lettering and art carved in or standing proud, hand painted in 1 Shot lettering enamel. Brand 9 no longer sandblasts; it carves them on a CNC router, which cuts crisper letters, sharp V-carved strokes and clean edges in the same high-density urethane sign board. Design and price yours online in Vector Studio.
How does a routed sign ship?
Shipping is UPS Ground to your door, one box per sign, priced for your ZIP code in the price card and again in the cart before you pay. Signs too large for UPS ship crated by freight to a business address: $450.00 a sign up to 48 × 96 in and $650.00 a sign up to 60 × 120 in. Each sign is packed flat with corner guards.
How long does a routed sign take?
Most routed signs take 7 to 21 days to carve and hand paint, depending on the size, the carving and the number of colors; then the sign ships by UPS Ground, or by freight when it is too large for UPS. The clock starts when you order.
Can I have it installed?
Signs ordered online ship to your door across the US. In Northeast Florida, Brand 9 Signs’ own crews also install signs; call (904) 272-3395 to add installation to a routed sign.
How much does a 36 × 24 in carved HDU sign cost?
From Brand 9 Signs, 1 sign at 36 × 24 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side, costs $600.00 before shipping. The same size in V-carved both sides, two 1 in HDU boards back to back, $1,050.00; in raised letters on 1.5 in HDU, one side, $780.00. Shipping is priced for your ZIP code in the price card. Other sizes, quantities and options are priced the same way in the price card.
How much does a 24 × 18 in routed HDU sign cost?
From Brand 9 Signs, 1 sign at 24 × 18 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side, costs $300.00 before shipping. Shipping is priced for your ZIP code in the price card. Other sizes, quantities and options are priced the same way in the price card.
How much does a 24 × 24 in routed HDU sign cost?
From Brand 9 Signs, 1 sign at 24 × 24 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side, costs $400.00 before shipping. Shipping is priced for your ZIP code in the price card. Other sizes, quantities and options are priced the same way in the price card.
Can I order a routed sign in a custom size?
Yes. Enter any width and height in the price card, up to 120 × 60 in (10 × 5 ft), entered either way round. The price follows the area, by the square foot, so a custom size costs no more than a listed one of the same area.
Where can I order routed HDU signs online?
From Brand 9 Signs at brand9signs.com/shop/routed-signs/. Choose the carving, sides, size and paint colors in the price card, design it online in Vector Studio or upload your logo, and see the price, shipping included, before you order. Shipping is UPS Ground to your door, one box per sign, priced for your ZIP code in the price card and again in the cart before you pay. Signs too large for UPS ship crated by freight to a business address: $450.00 a sign up to 48 × 96 in and $650.00 a sign up to 60 × 120 in. Brand 9 Signs has made signs since 1986 and ships them to customers across the United States.
Is there a bulk discount on routed HDU signs?
Yes. The price of each drops as the quantity grows. At 24 × 18 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side: 1 sign $300.00; 2 signs $570.00 ($285.00 each); 5 signs $1,350.00 ($270.00 each); 10 signs $2,550.00 ($255.00 each), before shipping. The price card takes 5% off 2 or more of the same design, rising to 15% off 10 or more; larger orders save more. Other sizes and quantities are priced the same way in the price card.
How much more do double-sided routed HDU signs cost?
At 24 × 18 in, V-carved 1.5 in HDU, one side, 1 sign: single-sided $300.00, double-sided $525.00, before shipping. The price card prices both for any size and quantity.
Do I pay sales tax on routed HDU signs shipped outside Florida?
No Florida sales tax is charged on orders shipped outside Florida. Orders delivered in Florida include Florida sales tax: 6% state tax plus the surtax of the county it is delivered to (0% to 2%), shown in the cart before you pay.
Can I return routed HDU signs?
Each routed sign is carved and painted to your order, so all sales are final. If an order arrives damaged, Brand 9 files the claim with the carrier and works toward a refund or a remake. The full policy is on the Shipping and Returns page.

Who makes it

Brand 9 Signs: American sign makers since 1986

A family-owned sign company for 40 years, with more than 250 community sign projects across Florida and work for federal agencies as a registered US government contractor. The team that builds monuments and wayfinding for master-planned communities makes the signs you order here, and ships them to customers across the United States, with many products also shipping to Canada.

About Brand 9Case studiesGoogle reviews

  • 1986Founded, still family-owned
  • 250+Community sign projects
  • US gov.Registered contractor, CAGE 0VVG2
  • NationwideShips across the US from 1970 Solomon Street, Orange Park, FL 32073 · (904) 272-3395

Brand 9 custom signs

Need it installed, or signs for a whole property?

Monuments, wayfinding, building, lobby and dimensional signs are designed, built and installed by our own crews. Which way fits your sign?

Book a site walkSee case studies

Need help with the layout?

Tell us where the sign goes and what it says, and we’ll recommend the size, carving and colors. We call back within 15 minutes during business hours.

Call (904) 272-3395