Eye-catching laser cut signage for events and awards

When you’re running a big event, you want everything to be perfect. You also want things to be a little special, a little different. 

One way to do that is with custom laser cut signage for your event. You can also create some memorable laser cut awards. 

Need inspiration? Check out some of these ideas. 

Floating rail signs for your green wall 

Of everything we sell, the floating rail sign is the most popular signage for events. It’s the best way to add your logo to a green wall and create photo opportunities for VIPs, or even a backdrop where everybody gets to pose as they come in. 

The logo in a floating sign is usually made from opaque black or white acrylic, or timber. It’s mounted on a clear acrylic rail which doesn’t show up in the photos. The end result is a photo with the people, the logo and a mass of plants and flowers in the green wall. This example shows a green wall set up for the official opening of Elara Shopping Village in Marsden Park. (You can see it in use on the Stockland website.) 

Table signs

Table signs can hold menus or the order of ceremonies. They are often made in two parts. There’s a timber block base with a slot cut into it. There’s also a clear acrylic foldover – that’s a piece of acrylic which has been heated and folded back on itself to form a sleeve. This foldover goes into the slot in the base. The menu inside is visible, but protected. 

Additionally, large table signs can be helpful for people trying to find their assigned seating. 

By the way, the feature image for this post shows table signs with the names and logos of companies sponsoring a charity dinner. 

Engraved menu cards, place cards and name tags.

We also offer engraved menu cards and seating cards. 

These can be made of wood, with the writing laser engraved onto them, or they can be made from dual layer acrylic. In this case, the top layer gets stripped away and a contrasting colour shows through to form the design.

Another option is cutting onto stainless steel. These name tags were used at a Di Jone internal conference. The QR codes linked to staff profiles for team members. Tags for non-employees attending the conference opened each person’s LinkedIn profile.

Other signage and options for events 

For some events, the green wall photo opportunity isn’t quite so relevant. You may want signage which is more about welcoming people or adding to the setting and atmosphere within the venue. 

The Afghan Community Support Association of NSW have a function centre where they or others can hold events. Here’s one of the signs they’ve hung: 

 Here’s an example of a welcome sign for a wedding. Beautiful signs can make a wonderful memento after the event as well. 

 On the subject of mementos, check out these stationery box giveaways we cut for OUTsurance, parent company of Youi. 

Custom laser cut awards 

 Many gala events include an award ceremony. For maximum impact not just at the event but afterwards, it’s great if the awards are unique. 

What’s going to suit your event and your awards? 

Timber or Acrylic? 

Most awards are made from 12mm plywood, sustainably logged and FSC certified. You want a timber with a good clean grain and no knots. We recommend timbers like Tasmanian oak or American walnut, depending on your colour preference.  

One client supplied their own timber – weathered old fence posts. We planed each piece to uncover the raw timber, cut at a specified angle and engraved award details on two sides. The end result was distinctive and different. 

 Another client supplied relatively small blocks, but wanted engraving on all four sides. 

 You can see both these examples in the images above. 

 We’re happy to advise on options and what’s best for any client. 

 Acrylic awards tend to be clear with the details engraved on each award. 

What details should you add to your awards? 

Individually engraved awards are absolutely the way to go. 

The name and year of the award – and the name of the person or company receiving it – are different for each award. Providing that customisation is part of our service. 

You may want to add additional details, including: 

• The name or logo of the organization presenting the awards 
• The logo of any sponsors. This could be the same for all the awards you present at an event, or businesses may sponsor individual awards. 

Sponsor Plaques 

Charities and sporting associations may want to consider plaques for sponsors as well. 

One netball club we worked for gave all the premium sponsors an A4 engraved plaque. Silver sponsors received an A5 size and so on. These gifts are a way of saying thank you to the sponsor. They’re also great for display and for keeping you top of mind with that sponsor. 

Tips for laser cut signage at events 

So you’ve decided laser cut signage can add that special something at your event. Make sure you plan properly to realise your vision. 

Allow time to get your signs cut 

Our standard terms allow for 10 business days from approval of the digital proof to delivery. For straightforward orders we may be able to deliver within a couple of days, but try to avoid this. You’ll have enough other stresses around the event already! 

The following factors can also affect lead time: 

• If you’re not entirely sure what you want, we can discuss options, but allow time for that. 
• If you want a non-standard material or finish, that may require a special order, which can take a couple of weeks. 
• While size and complexity of design are not usually an issue for cutting time, anything oversize or extremely complex can present challenges. 
• We’ll need image files in a suitable format. Jpeg and png files are great for the web, but don’t work for laser cutting. Send vector, EPS or Adobe Illustrator files to avoid delays. 

Bigger is not always better 

Laser cutting machines have a maximum size. Going above 1200 mm wide makes the project more complicated. 

It’s also rarely necessary. Usually, you don’t want signage at an event to be overpowering. If you’re ordering a floating rail sign for your green wall, you want to ensure the entire sign appears in all photos. 

Oversize signs are also more fragile. They’re made from more than one original piece of material, so have natural weak points. This is a risk not just at the event but also for delivery – especially interstate. 

Special effects and finishes 

Metallic and mirror acrylics can look great, but allow time to order the materials and budget for a higher cost. 

Summing up, there are a whole range of options to create unique, distinctive laser-cut signage for your events. The photos on this page showcase some of the signs and awards we’ve created over the years. We hope they’re inspirational. And if you have ideas of your own, we’d love to chat and work out how to create the finished products for you.