Ordering plaques in large quantities requires attention to detail and proper planning. Whether you are in need of a group of interpretive plaques installed in a series, award plaques or way-finding signage, there are a few things we’d like to suggest, right off the bat:

TIPS FROM THE PLAQUE-MAKERS

#1 Plan Ahead

In the age of one-click purchases, many of our clients do not expect custom plaques to take the time they do to produce. We use traditional mold-making processes and bronze pouring techniques to ensure your plaque is created at the highest quality.  Each one of our projects is designed to our client’s liking, and after the order is finalized, the designs go through pattern-making, casting and finishing processes before shipment. Our plaques are made by skilled artisans that value their craft and are proud of the Masterwork product.  

For single plaque orders and smaller quantities, we typically require four weeks to produce and deliver the work. For certain projects, we can expedite this manufacturing time to two weeks for an additional fee. If the bulk order is over 25 plaques, manufacturing time is usually around 6 weeks. For orders of 100+, we tend to ship out in installments, and manufacturing time is determined by the size of each plaque and the overall quantity.

#2 Consider Storage

For large quantity orders and plaques that are over 4ft in size, storage can become an issue. When you start to plan the content of your plaque, also start to consider a secure storage area where the plaques can be received and held. Masterwork Plaques does not provide storage once the plaques have been manufactured in order to maintain an orderly shop environment.

#3 Order a Sample Plaque

Better safe than sorry, we always say. If time allows, we suggest ordering a single plaque before proceeding with a large order. We can produce a sample plaque in two weeks, which gives our customers the opportunity to review the final product before 100, 500, 1000 plaques arrive at their door. Sample plaques give our customers the option to review a plaque in person and make any appropriate changes to the design, which prevents issues in the final order.

We also have samples in house that can be sent to clients with tighter schedules. Our pre-made samples are 6” x 4” and can give you a tangible idea of the finish quality and background textures you are planning to use in your final order.

#4 Invest in a High Quality Metal

Masterwork Plaques is all about quality. We create our custom signage at competitive prices, and we always suggest that our clients create their plaques from the best materials they can afford. While bronze and stainless steel are a little more costly than other metals, they last a whole lot longer, and the investment pays off over time.  Our customer relations team can work with you to determine the highest quality product that fits within your budget.

Common Types of Plaques Ordered in Large Quantities: 

Walks of Fame

Honoree Plaques | Star Plaques | Permanent Sidewalk Medallions | Tribute Trails

Walks of fame (similar to the Hollywood Stars in Los Angeles) are typically large quantity orders that are installed underfoot, commemorating specific individuals. These plaques are created using one base design, with interchanging honoree names. 

Interpretive Plaques

Way-finding Plaques | Illustrative plaques | Historical Markers | Timeline Insets

Interpretive plaques are informative text plaques or illustrated markers that often lead the viewer through a park or building while telling a story. The plaques can show the passing of time from piece to piece, or depict unique events that took place at the specific site where these plaques are installed.

Bulk Orders

Award Plaques | Donor Plaques | Corporate Signage | Building Plaques

Bulk order projects are large quantity orders of one plaque design, and often are produced in the largest numbers. Many clients will be interested in ordering hundreds of plaques for a building or a group award, and it is imperative that each plaque looks consistent.

Masterwork Plaques offers discounted pricing for bulk and quantity plaque orders.

For a custom quote on any of these types of projects, fill out a quote request form or give us a call at (718) 283-4109 if you would like to discuss your unique quantity plaque project in more detail.

MASTERWORK PLAQUE SAMPLE DESIGNS

After many requests from our customers, we now carry a variety of metal plaque samples in house for our customers to review.  Because we create custom bronze, aluminum, stainless, brass and zinc plaques using both casting and etching techniques, the amount of choices our client’s have to choose from can be overwhelming.

While we have many examples of past plaque projects on our website, we now have fifteen sample plaques ready to ship, in convenient 6” x 4” sizes, which now gives our clients a more tactile way to decide between different plaque background textures, finishes and mounting techniques. We also carry a four different water-jet cut letters with prismatic, polished, satin and random orbital finishes, so our clients can review individual letter options in person as well.

 HOW TO ASK FOR A PLAQUE SAMPLE

If you are interested in ordering a plaque from our studio, fill out a quote request form on our website, and our designers can start by suggesting the appropriate material for your project based on the size of the plaque, complexity of designs, and where your project will be installed. 

Our designers typically send images of past projects along with their initial quotes, but if you would like to review a sample in person before proceeding with an order, we can send one of the options above to an address of your choice.  If you prefer to create your own plaque sample, we can typically create a custom sample in about 2-3 weeks for a small fee.

Once the sample is sent to your home, and you have determined the best materials for your project, we ask that you return the sample to our studio so that we can continue to send samples to future clients.

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” –Martin Luther King, Jr.

On Monday January 18th, Masterwork Plaques decided to honor MLK Day with an afternoon of service.  Our design department took the afternoon to volunteer at the neighborhood animal shelter, located just down the street from our studio.  BARC is a no-kill shelter for dogs and cats that highly encourages volunteers to dog-walk in the mornings and evenings, or volunteer their time in the cat loft.  In the cat loft, participants can help socialize the animals in addition to help clean the facilities and distribute food at the end of the day. 

Our employees have volunteered with the dog-walking program in the past, but for the holiday decided to spend the afternoon helping out in the cat lofts, where we met a few furry friends!

(For more information on the etched brass plaque above, and our other sample plaques, check out our pinterest page.)