Signs & Large Format Print
Commemorative plaque: obligation or choice
The question comes to us mainly from municipalities, schools and parishes that remember the rules from previous years. Back then the pattern was simple: an information sign during the project, then a permanent commemorative plaque afterwards. In 2021–2027 most programmes provide for one permanent information plaque that stays up through implementation and the durability period. Some regional programmes still speak of "information and commemorative plaques" or have their own templates.
The practical conclusion: if the commemorative plaque arises from funding, its content, size and appearance are set by the programme template. Check your agreement and the beneficiary handbook before designing anything. If it is your own initiative (the opening of a sports hall, a church renovation, thanking a club's sponsors), you have full freedom of form. The signage obligation itself is covered in how long must an EU-funded project sign stay up.
What to make a commemorative plaque from: pros and cons
Dibond with UV print
- Pros: full colour, logos and coats of arms look exactly as in the file, a good price (approx. €35–55 net/m²), weathers well.
- Cons: looks functional, less "ceremonial" than acrylic or engraving.
Clear 3 mm acrylic on stand-offs
- Pros: a glass effect, depth, a prestigious look on a facade or in a lobby. White underprint included.
- Cons: dearer (approx. €43–60 net/m²); outdoors in full sun the location needs some thought.
Laser engraving
- Pros: the text is cut into the material and will not wear off. Looks good on engraving laminates, wood, acrylic.
- Cons: single-colour by nature; a coloured coat of arms or the EU flag needs combining with print.
Dibond with applied 3D letters
- Pros: the most striking: the lettering has relief and casts a shadow.
- Cons: the most expensive for longer texts; only makes sense for a short inscription.
Stone plaques and bronze castings are quoted individually; we often also suggest durable alternatives in Dibond or acrylic that look elegant and cost a fraction of the price. If you want a lasting plaque with a "for generations" feel, Dibond or acrylic with engraving is a good, much cheaper equivalent.
What a commemorative plaque costs: examples
| Option | Size | Calculation | Total approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dibond 3 mm, UV print, drilled | 60 × 40 cm | 0.24 m² × €55 + 4 holes at approx. €0.50 | approx. €15 net (minimum order approx. €24) |
| Acrylic 3 mm on 4 stand-offs | 60 × 40 cm | 0.24 m² × €60 + 4 × approx. €2.35 | approx. €24 net |
| Acrylic 3 mm on 6 stand-offs | 100 × 70 cm | 0.7 m² × €60 + 6 × approx. €2.35 | approx. €56 net |
| Premium Dibond 3 mm, UV print | 120 × 80 cm | 0.96 m² × €65 | approx. €62 net |
Laser engraving is priced separately: surface engraving approx. €0.55 net per dm², deep engraving approx. €1.10 net per dm² of engraved area. We usually engrave just the text, so the area is much smaller than the whole plaque. Facade installation is quoted at the crew rate (approx. €42 net per hour) plus travel; for a single plaque far from Wieluń, shipping it and fitting it yourself is usually more economical.
What to write on a commemorative plaque
For a plaque arising from funding, the content is set by the programme template. For a voluntary plaque, brevity works best:
- the name of the building or undertaking;
- the date of opening, consecration or completion;
- who carried it out and who funded it: with the municipality's coat of arms, programme logos, donors' names;
- perhaps one sentence of thanks.
The most common mistake is too much text on too small a plaque. On a 60 × 40 cm plaque read from 2–3 metres, body text should be at least 1.5–2 cm high. A long list of sponsors looks better on a separate plaque than squeezed in at the bottom.
If the plaque is to carry EU funding logos, even voluntarily, use the current files from the programme website and do not change their colours.
- 24 hexpress printing (UV inks need no drying)
- approx. 3 daysstandard lead time
- up to 14 dayslarge and custom projects with installation
Plus courier delivery. Tell us your date — we plan production around it.
How to order, and be ready before the ceremony
- Fix the ceremony date and count back at least a week from it, plus delivery time. Production takes about 3 working days as standard, but collecting approvals (mayor, parish priest, board, sponsor) takes the longest.
- Send the text, logos as vectors (PDF, AI, SVG) and details of where it will be mounted: rendered wall, brick, post, indoors.
- We will prepare the design in our graphic studio: a simple plaque is approx. €42 net with two rounds of changes.
- Once approved, we print or engrave, drill the holes for the stand-offs and pack it so nothing gets scratched in transit.
- For the unveiling we can add a printed or plain-coloured fabric cover.
If time has run out, with a ready file 24-hour printing is possible. More board products are on the shop signs and company plaques page.