# Help - My Roof Sign Is Huge!



## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

We're making a sign for our roof. We're aiming for the look of an early 1900's factory, with big letters that spell out "Gobblin' Brothers Candy Factory." The plan is pink foam letters, painted like old metal, mounted on some kind of frame with crisscrossed wires, or something similar.

Yesterday we cut out the letters. The four capitals are two feet high, so they're easily read from the street. When we laid everything out, we realized we're looking at a sign easily twelve feet wide. That's if they're stacked in two rows. Yikes.

Does anyone have suggestions for making a frame to hold these letters upright on the roof? How do you attach such a frame to the roof - nail it in under the shingles? How do you make it weatherproof? I'm afraid one windy evening could pull them off and scatter our letters all over the neighborhood. We also have to light it. Backlit would be cool, but I'm afraid that would require very bright, weatherproof lights that we're probably not prepared to buy.

Help me, Haunt Forum! What have I got myself into?


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I'd look at making a PVC framework with angled legs to help keep it upright. IF you happen to have a neighbor (or maybe your own) Soccer goal frame, that would probably work too, and then paint it rusty red and black to look like aged metal. WIthout damaging your roof, I'd look at a bunch of sand bags to anchor it down onto your roof. I'd use LED flashlights aimed up at the letters to illuminate the sign. They're cheap and durable to buy and use, and can give you lots of control on the finished look. If your hardware store doesn't have what you need, you might look at our sponsor, Formufit. they can take care of all of your fitting needs.


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

I don't have any suggestions for you, I just wanted to say that this sounds so cool! I want to see pictures!


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## Kraken (Sep 7, 2012)

Amazing idea.......but I would be REEEEEEEEALLY against nailing into the roof. I realize you could most likely get away with it, but if something happens, I know I personally would not want to have to do a roof repair just for Halloween decorations.

Sand bag idea is the best I could think of too.


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## Sytnathotep (Oct 10, 2011)

Is there any way you could do it without a frame at all? My thoughts would be to glue the foam letters to some heavy tarp, and then somehow tie the corners up like a banner... I don't know if it would work in your situation with really seeing it...


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

I think the problem would then be "What do you tie the tarp corners to?"
The added wind surface of the tarp would make it act like a sail on a boat, and trying to hold that upright, much less taught, would be difficult at best.
If you can use weight and friction to hold a frame on your roof, it would allow you to have the letters/sign up as you wish, and do it without the damage to the roof (or your hide for damaging the roof).
You might add some of that no-slip material made for tablecloths and such, between the frame and the roof. With the sandbags/gravity pushing down, the added grip of the material should help your sign and frame stay where you put them.

If you like the tarp line of thinking better, may I suggest that you use a cargo net rather than a tarp to fasten the letters to? The net would allow you to hold the letters upright, but without all of the wind surface area of a tarp, and it adds more of a cobweb appearance for support rather than the traditional framework.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Pictures of what you have or a concept drawing would be nice especially since you're 4 days out... Don't penetrate your roof with anything.

Is your roof flat or pitched?
paint the entire frame flat black so it disappears into the night.

2x4 frame with blocking located where letters are to screw into. put some cross bracing on the back to give it shear value if you are worried about wind.
2x4 base same dimensions as the sign (for the supports to screw into)
angled 2x4s attached to sign then screwed into the base located appropriately (probably ever 3' or 4' on center)
guy wire the frame to sand bags/tires/anything heavy


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

NOoooo..do not nail it to the roof! I wouldn't even PUT that thing on the roof, as it's gonna become a freaking SAIL with the least bit of wind. I'd put it on the ground. I "get" the aesthetic you are looking for, but ...no way on the roof.


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

Thanks for all the suggestions. So here's where we stand: Two 4' x 6' frames out of fence pickets, with a couple of cross braces. Plastic chicken wire (sorry, "poultry netting") stapled across each one. Whole thing painted black. (It already looks pretty cool, just like this!)

We're wiring the foam letters to the netting. The plan is to hinge some "feet" (plywood, another frame; haven't decided yet) to the bottom of each panel, brace the panels upright and then weigh down the feet. However at this late date we're prioritizing our remaining work. If necessary we can just hang the panels beside the display and save the roof mount for next year.

I may have some photos to show today, if I get a break at work and do some web tasks.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Please post pics of the frame and such too. I want to see how your setup differs from my suggestion.


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

Sounds like a good plan! Can't wait to see pictures!


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

We threw up a blog for our haunt and uploaded some pics: http://gobblinbrotherscandyfactory.wordpress.com/

No photos of the frames there yet, but a couple pics show the letters in progress. Should give you an idea of the size.


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

I just uploaded some pics of the sign in progress. They show one of the frames.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

That's pretty slick looking!


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## nixie (Sep 17, 2008)

It looks great!! The picture with the little one helping out with the paint is darling!


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

There's a picture of the finished sign panels on the Gobblin' Brothers blog. It's cut off at the edges because the whole thing was too big to photograph straight-on in the confines of my garage.


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