How to order lamacoid safety signs: a spec checklist
How to order lamacoid signs: signal word, message, pictogram, size, colour pair, thickness and mounting. A spec checklist for engraved safety signs, same day.
Ordering a lamacoid sign is easy when you know what to ask for. Most delays come from missing details: nobody said what size, or whether it's going outside, or what it's mounting to. This checklist covers everything we need to engrave the right sign the first time.
If you'd rather see it than read it, the sign builder lets you pick a signal word, type your message and preview the plate before you send it.
1. Signal word
Start with the header. It tells the reader how serious the hazard is:
- DANGER for hazards that will cause death or serious injury
- WARNING for hazards that could cause death or serious injury
- CAUTION for hazards that could cause minor or moderate injury
- NOTICE for site rules and information not about injury
- Safety instructions (green) for first aid, eyewash and procedures
Not sure which one? Our danger vs warning vs caution guide walks through it. Some signs, like a plain NO SMOKING or FIRE EXTINGUISHER sign, don't need a signal word at all.
2. Message and pictogram
Write the exact text you want on the sign, line by line. Short beats long. Name the hazard, then say what to do:
HIGH VOLTAGE
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
Add a pictogram if you can. A lightning bolt, a hard hat or a hand in rollers reads from across a room and works for people who don't read English well. We have standard pictograms for electrical, PPE, fire, first aid, machine and prohibition signs. If your site uses a specific symbol set, send a sample and we'll match it.
Check spelling and numbers twice. On an engraved sign, what you send is what gets cut. Voltages and clearance distances especially.
3. Size
Pick a size based on where it's going and how far away people will read it. A sign on a breaker panel door gets read from arm's length. A sign on a warehouse wall might be read from across an aisle.
| Size (in) | Size (mm, approx.) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 3 × 5 | 76 × 127 | Equipment, small panels, machine guards |
| 5 × 7 | 127 × 178 | Panel doors, electrical rooms, cabinets |
| 7 × 10 | 178 × 254 | Doors and walls, the most common wall sign size |
| 10 × 14 | 254 × 356 | Large walls, entrances, signs read from a distance |
These are starting points. Lamacoids are cut to order, so if you need 4 × 6 to fit a gap on a cabinet, that's fine. Tell us the space you have and we'll size the text to fill it cleanly. Larger signs are possible too; ask us about your dimensions.
4. Colour pair
A standard lamacoid is two colours: a surface colour and a core colour that shows through wherever it's engraved. The first colour named is the background. The signal word usually decides the colour:
- Yellow / Black for CAUTION and general hazard signs
- Orange / Black for WARNING signs
- Red / White for DANGER and fire equipment
- White / Red for prohibition signs like no smoking
- Blue / White for NOTICE and mandatory PPE signs
- Green / White for first aid, eyewash and AED
If a code, standard or engineer specifies a colour, use that. The safety sign colours guide covers what each colour means under CSA Z321.
5. Thickness
| Thickness | Best for |
|---|---|
| 1/16 in (1.6 mm) | Signs mounted flat to panels, doors and walls. The standard choice. |
| 1/8 in (3.2 mm) | Larger signs, uneven surfaces, hanging signs, anywhere it needs to be stiff |
For most indoor signs up to 7 × 10, 1/16 in is plenty. Go to 1/8 in for bigger signs or anything that might get bumped or flexed.
6. Mounting and environment
Tell us what the sign is mounting to and what the room is like. That decides the mounting method:
- Adhesive backing: clean, smooth, flat, indoor surfaces. Fast to install. Not the right call for heat, oil, moisture or rough surfaces.
- Pre-drilled holes for screws: permanent install on metal panels, doors, block walls and machine guards. Tell us the hole size and position, or we'll put them in the corners.
- Rivets: machinery and high-vibration spots where you don't want the sign coming off.
- Holes plus adhesive: belt and braces for important signs.
If the sign is going outdoors, or into a hot, wet or chemical environment, say so up front. We'll recommend the material and mounting that fits and confirm the spec for your conditions instead of guessing.
7. What to send for a quote
The sign builder asks for all of this, prices it and takes the order. For anything it can't draw, put it in one email and we can usually turn it around the same day:
- Sign text, line by line, with the signal word
- Pictogram, if you want one
- Size in inches or millimetres
- Colour pair
- Thickness (1/16 or 1/8 in)
- Mounting: adhesive, holes (size and position), or rivets
- Indoor or outdoor, and anything unusual about the location
- Quantity of each sign
- When you need it, and whether you're picking up or need it shipped
A photo of an existing sign you want to replace or match is often the fastest way to get the details across. So is a spreadsheet if you're signing a whole building.
Want ideas first? Browse the caution signs, danger signs and PPE signs pages, or order ready-made plates from the shop. For panel tags, breaker ID and nameplates, see the main Llamacoids site.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What sizes do lamacoid safety signs come in?
Common sizes are 3 × 5 in for small equipment signs, 5 × 7 in for panels and doors, 7 × 10 in for general wall signs and 10 × 14 in for signs that need to be read from further away. Lamacoids are cut to order, so custom sizes are available.
What thickness should I order for a lamacoid sign?
1/16 in is standard for signs mounted flat to a panel, door or wall. 1/8 in is stiffer and better for larger signs, signs mounted on uneven surfaces, or hanging signs.
Should I use adhesive or screws to mount a lamacoid sign?
Adhesive works on clean, smooth, flat indoor surfaces. For outdoor, hot, oily or high-vibration locations, order pre-drilled holes and mount with screws or rivets so the sign does not depend on the adhesive.
How fast can Llamacoids make lamacoid safety signs?
Most orders are engraved and ready same day. Llamacoids is in Burlington, Ontario, and ships across Canada.
