Interpretative Panels

Welcome to Shelley Signs. We are a leading supplier of external signs and panels with particular expertise in Interpretative Panels. For a chat about the options phone Robert Shelley on 01743 460996 or to request more details complete this Enquiry Form

Shelley Signs offer a full service for Interpretative Panels – please follow these links for more information about our in-house design,  submitting your own artwork, Framing Options, materials and general guidance about Interpretive Boards.   Guidance on maps and popular styles can be found at the Maps link.

Also known as Interpretive, Interpretation signs, panels, boards

Overview

Interpretative panels are to be found in open spaces, nature reserves, parks and museums, these are also known as interpretative signs, displays and boards. The interpretative panels, signs, displays and boards are used to display information regarding the site and are not only to educate the visitor but help influence their behaviour to their surroundings and make them want to either spend more time during their visit or return at a later date.

The designing and writing of an effective interpretative panel is not an easy feat and a large number of our clients choose to attend specialised courses to assist them with their techniques. The most popular courses are held by John Verka and Susan Cross, John Verka hosts a course at Plas Tan y Bwlch and Susan Cross hosts a course at Losehill Hall in the Peak District called Perky Panels and Lively Leaflets.

Technical Specification

The framing and mounting of a client’s interpretation is one of the final stages to be completed, although the decision of which type of frame or mounting and the material which is to be used should be given a lot of thought to during the initial design stage.

There is a wide variety of frames and mounts that are available in a wide range of materials, we can offer frames such as lectern frames, vertical posts, mounted structures and also cairn mounted to name but a few of the popular choices. Most of our clients choose between frames and mountings in either oak that is supplied to us by Forestry Stewardship Council suppliers or sandblasted timber frames using cedar that is sourced usually from Stokesay Estate which is located on the Shropshire/Herefordshire border. It is important to ensure your interpretation board is mounted or framed to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

Shelley signs recently purchased a brand new printer, the Mimaki Jf 1631 flat end printer, our new printer not only offers our client excellent quality printing with a fantastic colour reproduction and colour fastness but as the printer does not use solvent, and does not print images on paper or vinyl there is hardly any wastage and there is no VOC’s, making this printer environmentally friendly.

We can offer our clients a wide range of materials that can be used in the production of outdoor interpretative panels and signs, these range from Polycarbonate, self-adhesive vinyl, Dibond and High Impact Acrylic ad Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP, G.R.P). Given the choice we would recommend our clients choose GRP as it makes the interpretative panel very robust and hard-wearing, protecting it from natural and human forces. If the unfortunate does happen and the panel is subject to an act of vandalism or graffiti the surface of the panel is easy to clean and since the graphics are encapsulated in the GRP they will not fade no matter how many times the surface is cleaned.

Case Study

Shelley Sign recently produced two entrance signs for Bath City Council at their Botanical Gardens. The artwork was supplied to us by Bath City Council and from this, we created and produced two beautiful interpretative panels in GRP.