Pretty much anything can be scratched through intentional efforts and with the right tools. While some things will scratch with the slightest bit of effort, others require a purposeful act to make it happen. Our metal prints would fall into the latter category. If you really want to, you'll be able to scratch them. But save for intentional efforts to do so, these prints are as scratch resistant as you're going to find. If by some chance they do scratch ever so slightly, we've found that not only does it not hurt the print (remember, the ink is infused into the metal) unless they are a very big scratch it will be hard to see them unless the lighting hits the scratch perfectly. All of this is to say that we're 100% confident that you'll not only be blown away by our custom metal prints on day one but for years down the road as well.

Though both products are made from rigid aluminum, there are features that set them apart. Metal prints are made from a single .045 inch sheet of specially-coated aluminum, whereas aluminum signs are comprised of two .008 inch sheets with a solid polyethylene core in between, making them 2mm thick. Further, the printing process for creating a metal print involves dye sublimation, which infuses the ink directly into the material. Alternatively, images or designs are printed onto our standard aluminum signs using a four color process that uses UV ink and not infused into the aluminum. Lastly, metal prints can not be double-sided but standard aluminum signs can be.

Uses for the two products also vary drastically. Metal prints are designed and intended to be used for decor purposes both within the home and other locations such as offices, professional settings and more. Standard aluminum signs can be used indoors as well but are often used as the everyday utilitarian (though they still look great!) signage for property signage, exterior business signs and more.

All of our custom metal prints come standard with slightly rounded corners (a .25" radius) to increase safety when handling. We do not currently offer the option to increase the size or cut radius of the rounded corners.

We offer 4 unique finishes for our metal prints: white gloss, white matte, brushed gloss, brushed matte.

White gloss is a white coated aluminum that has a glossy finish that brings out rich colors and has a sheen to it.

White matte is a white coated aluminum that allows for rich colors without having the sheen finish.

Brushed gloss allows the texture of the metal to be visible while retaining the rich, vibrant colors and a sheen finish.

Brushed matte is similar to brushed gloss, only that it has a non-sheen finish.

Our metal prints range in size anywhere from as small as 8"x8" up to 40"x30". All sizes are listed in the design tool when you're creating your metal print.

We do not currently offer frames for metal prints. If you wish to make your own frame to display your metal print, we recommend purchasing a print without any display/mounting options. This can be done on the design tool by making sure that "Print Only" is selected under the "Display Options" dropdown below the editing area.

We offer free shipping on all orders over $99 with the exception of rigid signs that are over 36" in either dimension or any order that requires freight shipping. Most of our metal prints are under the 36"x36" limit, so it's unlikely you will have to worry about additional shipping costs. For the few that are above this threshold, the shipping costs are higher because most couriers, including UPS who we use, require that they be shipped via Freight shipping. Thus, the higher charges unfortunately are out of our control.

Metal prints offer unrivaled quality and clarity for printed images. Because the images are infused into the metal using dye sublimation, your images will be crystal clear. To prevent grainy or distorted images, we highly recommend uploading high-resolution files; such files will provide the best quality metal prints.

The quickest way to determine whether a file is high resolution is to look at the file size. Typically, the larger the file size the better the resolution. Though to truly know whether it will look great on your desired size it is best to open the photo in a program such as Photoshop. Within Photoshop you change the size of your file and see what the resolution is in pixels per inch. It is best that your file have a resolution between 150 and 300 DPI. If all of this is confusing, please don’t hesitate to contact us as we offer free photo retouching and design help.

No, in fact, metal offers one of the best substrates for bringing out colors. Rich, vibrant colors are brought to life on our metal prints, giving you an exceptionally beautiful photo print. We've haven't met a single person that hasn't been blown away by the richness and clarity of custom metal prints.

We do not currently offer color matching. We will do our best to print your image or photo true to your colors but we can't guarantee the colors will exactly match what you see on your monitor. That being said, with tens of thousands of happy, satisfied customers we're extremely confident you'll love your custom metal print.

Our online design tool is where you will upload the photo or image you want on your metal print. The design tool accepts a wide variety of formations, including .AI, .EPS, .PS, .PDF, .JPEG, .JPG, .PNG, .GIF, .BMP, .TIFF, .TIF. For the best quality photo or picture, we recommend using a high resolution JPG picture from a digital camera.

The maximum file size limit for uploading an image is 25MB. For files bigger than 25MB, we recommend reducing the resolution of the file to decrease the file size when placing your order. When doing this, make a note in the customer comments field on the checkout page that you have uploaded a file with a lower resolution and will be uploading a higher resolution file to replace it. Once you complete your order (with the low resolution file), please use upload.signs.com to upload your high-resolution files. As part of this process, you will include your order number and any additional comments about your file.

You can print your social media pictures or photos of all types onto metal prints. Just remember that you’ll need to make sure they are high quality pictures before doing so to ensure you get a print you love.

As for connecting your accounts to our design tool, we are currently working on creating the capability to connect directly to your Instagram, Snapchat or Facebook account to print your favorite pictures directly onto metal prints, but we do not have this functionality up and running just yet. However, we can still help you upload your favorite photo(s) to print. Contact us and we can help walk you through the process.

Yes, we offer free design services to aid you in designing your perfect metal print, including retouching and enhancing your photo to the best of our ability. If you’re uncertain about printing your photo, please contact us for free help.

Please note that unlike vector-based design files that retouching photos is a much more difficult and limited endeavor. We will do the best we can within certain time limits to enhance your photo if you so request but some images are beyond help due to poor initial image quality.

Yes! While we do not offer any templates nor design tool functionality for making a multi-print collage, we can assist in creating a metal print collage. Contact us to give us an idea of what you're looking for in terms of layout and design, along with the actual files and we can design/arrange your pictures for free. Multi panel metal prints are also possible through our free design services. Just contact us with the file(s) and dimensions you need for your multi-panel display and we'll help design it for you.

All of our products, including our metal prints, are backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. If there’s something wrong with your print, contact us immediately and we will do everything we can to assist you in getting what you’re looking for. Based off our tens of thousands of happy customers you can take our word that you won't’ be disappointed.

The .045 inch aluminum is rigid enough to resist typical force when handled correctly. You should not have to worry about your print bending in everyday situations. Do not place heavy objects on the print during storage, as this could result in damage to it.

If your print is larger than 20” by 20” there will be some flex to your print. In these cases, we highly recommend you select the inset metal frame as a mounting option. This frame will add additional rigidity to your print and allow you to easily mount it without fear of any flexing of the print.

Metal prints are exceptionally versatile in decorative use and can be used in a variety of display situations. The 4 finish options allow metal prints to be used in various lighting, including low-light and brightly lit rooms, without sacrificing image quality. For personal use, we’ve seen metal prints used as artwork in living areas, studies and bedrooms, formal rooms, kitchens, and other rooms in the home. Metal prints are perfect for printing family photos, scenery and landscapes, and even abstract art. Photos or vacations, weddings, and babies are also brought to life using metal prints.

Professional use of metal prints is just as versatile as personal use. These prints are perfect for offices, lobbies, reception areas, waiting areas, conference rooms, and hallways. Art galleries, museums, schools and colleges, restaurants, and government buildings are all ideal locations for displaying metal prints.

In any case, metal prints can be used to showcase panoramic pictures, skylines, company photos, branding and logos, and artwork.

No matter where you choose to display your metal print in a personal or professional environment, you will not be disappointed with the incredible clarity and color of your image.

If you choose not to buy just the print itself (“Print Only” option) there are multiple ways in which you can mount it, these include using a float mount, standoffs and an inset metal frame. Let’s cover each of these briefly.

A float mount is a lightweight gatorboard mount that allows a metal print to float away from the wall ¾ inches. Float mounts allow for hanging on the wall due to the four holes in the gatorboard. These four holes can be used to hang on screws or nails on your rigid surface. Float mounts are ideal for smaller prints. Unless you stand right at the side of your metal print you will not be able to see this float mount behind it.

An inset metal frame is the ideal display option for the largest of metal prints (we recommend this for prints over 20”x20”). The inset metal frame offers a similar functionality as the float mount in which it allows the print to float off the wall. The difference with this mount is that in place of holes or a small sawtooth bracket to hang the print on screws or nails there is a wire for hanging. This wire is just like similar hanging options for a wide variety of standard prints and allows for hanging on a single nail or screw. The inset metal frame will not be visible from the front of your frame.

Standoffs that are ½” in diameter and ¾” in length can be placed in pre-drilled holes in each corner of the print, allowing the print to display away from a wall. Standoffs include drywall anchors and screws to mount your metal print virtually anywhere on a wall. The heads of the standoffs will be visible from the front of your frame. Standoffs are commonly used in professional settings and have great aesthetic appeal.

Photos of these mounting or hanging options are included on this product page above the FAQ section.

These different display options are not included but are available as an optional purchase along with your metal print. You can select a display option from within our design tool under the "Display Options" dropdown.