A1 Pavement Sign with Water Base - Double Sided, Silver, on Wheels

A double sided pavement sign for the footpath outside the door, in a silver aluminium frame on a grey base. The frame sits on two springs above a hollow base you fill with water or sand, so a gust pushes the sign over and it rocks back instead of going down - which is the whole point of a sprung sign rather than a rigid one. It stands 113 cm tall.

Both faces take an A1 poster, 594 x 841 mm. The frame is a snap frame: all four edges flip open from the front, the cover sheet lifts out, the poster goes in and the edges press shut again. The sign never has to be moved or taken apart to change what it says. Posters are not included.

A clear PVC cover sheet comes with the sign, one for each face. It belongs indoors, or outdoors somewhere out of direct sun: in a heatwave the metal frame can sit at around 60 C in Australian conditions, and the PVC curls at that temperature. It also only sheds splashes - it is a cover, not weatherproofing.

For a sign that lives outside, let the poster do the weatherproofing instead. Print on UV-rated, weatherproof synthetic stock. Ordinary paper behind a PVC sheet goes wavy after the first damp morning and fades over a summer, whether the cover is there or not.

Also in black, with a black base, or on one page with both colours.

Questions & Answers

Q: Silver or black?
A: The silver frame and grey base read as lighter and disappear against a painted shopfront or a glass frontage; the black reads as heavier and holds its own against brick or a dark awning. Nothing else differs - same frame, same base, same springs.

Q: Does the base have to be filled?
A: Yes, indoors as well as out. Empty it is a sail outside and top-heavy inside. Water suits most of the year; use sand if the sign lives somewhere that freezes or somewhere you cannot drain it easily.

Q: Do I need the PVC cover sheet?
A: It comes with the sign and it is worth using indoors, or outside somewhere shaded. In full Australian sun it is working against you - the frame gets hot enough to curl it - and it only sheds splashes anyway, so a weatherproof poster does the job better.

Q: What poster should I print?
A: For permanent outdoor use, UV-rated weatherproof synthetic stock. For an indoor sign or a short promotion under cover, ordinary poster paper behind the PVC sheet is fine.

Q: How do I move it once it is full?
A: Use the handle and tip it back onto the wheels, then roll it. Do not drag the base across rough concrete - the underside wears through and starts weeping. To move it properly or pack it away for the season, drain it through the screw cap first.

Q: What about a storm or a heatwave?
A: Bring it inside. A sprung base handles everyday wind; it is not built to stand through a gale, and extreme heat is hard on the cover sheet and the poster.

Lighter options for the same job: an A1 A-board that folds flat for a shop that carries the sign in and out by hand, or a steel sandwich board that takes a corflute insert instead of a poster. The rest are in pavement signs.