Wooden vs Plastic Open and Closed Signs: Why Wood Wins

Wooden Open and Closed signs suit most shops, cafés, salons and offices better than plastic flip cards or printed inserts, because the wording is engraved into the wood rather than printed on the surface. Here is what to look for if you are making the switch, and how the sizes and formats compare.

For every format, size and business type, see our buying guide to open closed and opening hours signs.

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 cope with being turned every day, and ideally it should look as though you chose it.

Laser-engraved oak covers all three. The text is cut into the wood, so there is no printed surface to fade, peel or rub off, and the grain of FSC-certified 4mm oak veneered MDF reads as warm rather than disposable. A printed card or plastic flip sign, by contrast, can fade and curl over time.

Double-sided or single-sided?

For a door or window that customers approach from outside, a double-sided sign is the standard choice: Open when you are trading, Closed when you are not, turned 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, such as a We Are Open sign that stays up while you trade.

See our open, closed and opening hours signs for both formats.

Which size should you choose?

Size depends on viewing distance and door type.

• Small (102 × 74mm) — small interior doors, treatment rooms and offices, where the sign is seen at close range.
• Medium (158 × 115mm) — a standard glass door panel, readable from the pavement.
• Large (225 × 164mm) — larger door panels and shop fronts where the sign needs to hold its own.
• Extra Large (270 × 190mm) — wide glazing and large units, where legibility at distance is the priority.

If in doubt, go one size up: a sign slightly larger than you imagined looks intentional.

Can you add your logo or opening hours?

You can add your logo and business name to the personalised Open and Closed sign, which turns a functional object into a branded one. Opening hours are a separate sign: the A5 and A4 opening hours sign and the custom opening hours sign are engraved with your specific hours and logo.

Who these signs suit

Any business that trades from premises with a door and wants that door to communicate clearly: independent retailers, salons and barbers, cafés, holiday lets, surgeries and clinics, offices, studios and gyms.

Oak or bamboo?

Oak signs are made from FSC-certified oak veneered MDF. FSC-certified Moso bamboo (certificate BV-COC-190523) is available in the slim Open and Closed sign and the We Are Open sign, for businesses that want bamboo or have a procurement requirement for it. Both are for indoor use only.

Ordering several

Discounts apply automatically at checkout from 20 units of the same product: 10% off at 20, 15% at 50, 20% at 100, 25% at 250, 30% at 500 and 35% at 1,000. A business fitting several sites with the same sign orders the quantity in one basket.

How to order

1. Choose your size and format on the product page
2. If adding a logo, use the Upload Your Logo button — colour or black and white, we will convert it
3. Add your business name or 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

Are these signs suitable for outdoor use?

No — they are for indoor use only. They are designed to hang on the inside of a glass door or window, visible from outside through the glass.

Can I order a matching set of signs for my business?

Yes — browse the business signs collection for complementary oak signs, including no smoking signs, toilet signs, QR code signs and opening hours signs.

Do you make a sign for a break in the day?

Yes — the Closed for Lunch — Back Soon sign comes with standard or custom wording, such as a return time.