Wooden vs Plastic Open and Closed Signs: Why Wood Wins

Most shops, cafés, salons and offices are still using a plastic flip card from a pound shop, or a printed paper insert in a clip frame. Neither looks particularly good, and both end up looking worse over time — faded, curled or cracked within a year. A laser-engraved wooden sign costs a little more upfront and lasts for years without fading. Here's why wood wins, and what to look for if you're making the switch.

For a complete breakdown of every format, size and business use case, see our full open and closed signs guide.

What makes a good open and closed sign?

Three things: legibility, durability and appearance. The sign needs to be readable at a glance through a glass door, it needs to last more than a season, and ideally it needs to look like you chose it rather than grabbed the nearest thing at the till.

Laser-engraved oak ticks all three. The text is cut into the wood — it won't fade, peel or rub off. The natural grain of 4mm oak veneered MDF reads as warm and considered rather than corporate and disposable. And because the engraving is permanent, you don't need to replace the sign when the printed insert bleaches out.

Double-sided or single-sided?

For a door or window that customers approach from outside, a double-sided sign is the standard choice — Open visible when you're trading, Closed when you're not, flipped by whoever locks up. One sign, two messages, no separate pieces to lose.

Single-sided signs work where the sign is only ever seen from one direction, or where you want a permanent Closed or Open display rather than something that gets changed daily.

Our open, closed and opening hours signs are available in both formats across four sizes.

Which size should you choose?

Size depends on viewing distance and door type.

• Small (102mm wide) — suited to small interior doors, cupboard signs or spaces where signage needs to be discreet.
• Medium (158mm wide) — the most popular size for café and salon doors. Readable from the pavement through a standard glass door panel.
• Large (225mm wide) — for larger door panels, double-width shop fronts or anywhere the sign needs to compete with visual noise on a busy high street.
• Extra Large (270mm wide) — for wide glazed frontages, large retail units or anywhere legibility at distance is the priority.

If in doubt, go one size up. A sign that's slightly larger than you imagined looks intentional. One that's slightly too small looks like an afterthought.

Can you add your logo or opening hours?

Yes to both. The personalised version lets you add your business name or logo to the sign alongside the Open and Closed wording. This turns a functional object into a branded one — useful if your shop front is part of your identity.

Opening hours signs are a related option for businesses that want to display their trading hours permanently rather than relying on a handwritten card. These are engraved with your specific hours and are available in the same four sizes.

See: Personalised open and closed sign — double-sided oak and opening hours sign — oak.

Who orders these signs?

Independent retailers, salons and barbers, cafés and coffee shops, holiday lets and Airbnb properties, GP and dental surgeries, solicitors and estate agents, yoga studios and gyms. Essentially any business that trades from a premises with a door and wants that door to communicate clearly.

Bulk orders for multi-site businesses are welcome — discounts apply automatically at checkout from 20 units. A small chain of three salons ordering a sign for each site pays less per unit than a single order.

Oak or bamboo?

Oak veneered MDF is the standard material — warm grain, crisp engraving, consistent across bulk orders. FSC-certified Moso bamboo (certificate RINA-COC-001256) is available for businesses with a sustainability procurement requirement. The engraved result on bamboo is slightly lighter in contrast but still clean and legible.

Both are for indoor use only. For external signage exposed to weather, solid oak with an oil or varnish finish is the right specification.

How to order

1. Choose your size and format from the product variants
2. If adding a logo, use the Upload Your Logo button — black and white artwork gives the sharpest result
3. Add any personalisation (business name, specific wording) in the personalisation box
4. Add to basket — bulk discounts apply automatically from 20 units

All items are made to order. Dispatch time is shown at checkout. UK orders via Royal Mail Tracked 24. International via Royal Mail International Tracked.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have custom wording instead of Open and Closed?
Yes — add your preferred wording in the personalisation box. Common alternatives include Open / Sorry We're Closed, Open / Back Soon, and Open / Private.

Do you make signs in other shapes?
The standard open and closed signs are rectangular with rounded corners. Custom shapes are possible for larger orders — contact us to discuss.

Are these signs suitable for outdoor use?
No — oak veneered MDF is for indoor use only. These signs are designed to hang on the inside of a door or window, visible from outside through the glass.

Can I order a matching set of signs for my business?
Yes — browse the signs for business collection for complementary pieces including no smoking signs, toilet signs, QR code signs and opening hours signs that can all be ordered in matching oak.