Porcelain Enamel Signs - Old Fashioned

The truth about the sustainability of enamel signs is surprising.

If you are trying to find environmentally friendly ways to add beauty to your home you may be at a loss as to how to accomplish this. Many of the methods of making signs are harmful to the environment and require the use of plastics or paints that can become a hazard to our health and a disposal issue for the areas where they are created. They may then be treated with other toxic chemicals that are designed to prevent weather damage or fading from occurring. Unfortunately, these rarely work for an extended period of time and it is not uncommon for signs to require replacing after only a few months or years. This can generate a potentially large amount of toxic or hazardous waste that needs to be dealt with.

As a result, many people are looking for a type of sign that uses more environmentally friendly materials and which does not need replacing for many years. There has been a renewed interest in many traditional manufacturing techniques and one that is really getting a lot of interest is the creation of hand-stenciled enamel signs.

The creation of enameled address numbers, door signs and house plaques is actually one that is very environmentally friendly. It uses 100% recyclable materials which means that the manufacturing process will not add to landfill issues the way painting a sign or using other sign manufacturing techniques can. To create an enamel sign, powdered glass is colored with metal oxides and then applied to a backing made of iron or another suitable metal.

After the glass mixture is applied by hand, the piece is fired at approximately 800 degrees. This causes the powdered glass to melt but does not damage the backing material. After the sign has been through the firing stage it results in a smooth, glossy surface that is very hard to damage.

This means that unlike other types of signs porcelain enamel signs will last for many years. Regardless of whether they are being affected by weather or graffiti an enamel sign will maintain a shiny, lustrous, colorful exterior. Many examples of enamel signs are well over 100 years of age. This also means that they are much greener than other sign manufacturing techniques. Because you are not ordering and installing a new sign each year you are not continuing to contribute to overly full landfills and issues with toxic waste.

If you want an environmentally friendly way to add elegance and beauty to the exterior of your home you need to check out the selection of hand-stenciled enamel signs, house plaques and house numbers from Ramsign.