One of the questions we often get asked is, “What exactly are car magnets, and how do they work?” If you’ve ever seen a vehicle with a temporary sign attached to the door or bumper, chances are, it was a car magnet. These handy, removable signs are a fantastic way for businesses, organizations, and individuals to promote their message without the commitment of permanent decals or paint.
Whether you’re a small business owner looking for an affordable advertising solution or just someone who wants to show off a fun message on the go, car magnets offer a flexible, reusable, and effective option. Let’s dive into what makes them such a popular choice.
How Do Car Magnets Work?
Car magnets are exactly what they sound like—thin, flexible magnets designed to adhere to the metal surface of a vehicle. They are typically made from magnetized vinyl that allows them to stay securely in place while driving but can also be removed or repositioned as needed.
Most car magnets are:
Weather-resistant – Designed to withstand sun, rain, and wind without fading or peeling.
Customizable – Available in different sizes, shapes, and colors to suit any brand or personal message.
Non-permanent – Unlike decals, they don’t leave residue or damage your vehicle’s paint.
Easy to install and remove – Just place them on a clean, dry surface, and they’re good to go!
Why Use Car Magnets?
Car magnets are an easy and cost-effective way to get your brand or message noticed. Here’s why they’re a great investment:
1. Affordable Advertising on the Go
If you own a business, your vehicle can double as a moving billboard. Whether you’re driving around town, making deliveries, or parked at a busy location, a car magnet can catch the eyes of potential customers.
2. Perfect for Temporary or Seasonal Promotions
Do you run seasonal specials or limited-time offers? Car magnets allow you to swap out messages whenever you need, without the hassle of permanent graphics.
3. Great for Personal Use
Not everything has to be about business! Show support for your favorite sports team, display a funny slogan, or spread awareness for a cause you care about—all without making a permanent change to your car.
4. Safe for Your Vehicle’s Paint
One of the biggest concerns people have is whether car magnets will damage their vehicle’s paint. The answer? Not if you use them correctly! As long as you regularly clean underneath the magnet and avoid placing it on freshly painted surfaces, your car’s finish will remain in great shape.
How to Properly Use and Maintain Car Magnets
To get the most out of your car magnets, follow these simple care tips:
Clean the surface before applying – Dirt or debris can cause scratches, so wipe down the area first.
Remove and reposition weekly – This prevents uneven fading and ensures no moisture gets trapped underneath.
Store flat when not in use – Keeping your magnets flat helps maintain their shape and prevents curling.
Avoid extreme temperatures – In very hot or cold weather, check for any warping or reduced magnetic hold.
Where to Get High-Quality Car Magnets
Looking for durable, professional-grade car magnets? We offer custom weatherproof, full-color car magnetsdesigned to make your brand stand out. Whether you need a small magnet for personal use or a large set for your business fleet, we’ve got you covered
Car magnets are one of the easiest and most versatile ways to advertise, decorate, or express yourself without any long-term commitment. Whether you’re using them for business or personal reasons, they offer flexibility, affordability, and ease of use.
Have you used car magnets before? Let us know your experience in the comments below!
If you’ve ever driven through a neighborhood or a busy intersection, you have probably noticed an assortment of yard signs. Some promote political candidates, others advertise businesses, and a few offer services like “We Buy Houses.” But have you ever wondered if you can actually put yard signs anywhere? The short answer is no, and understanding where you can and cannot place them can save you from fines and headaches.
At Super Cheap Signs, we specialize in high-quality, affordable yard signs that help businesses, campaigns, and individuals get noticed. But to make the most of your investment, it is important to know where your signs will be most effective and legally placed.
The Truth About Yard Sign Placement
Many people assume they can place yard signs anywhere as long as no one complains, but that is not the case. Sign placement is regulated by a mix of state laws, city ordinances, and even homeowners association rules. While some areas allow signs freely, others impose strict guidelines on where, when, and how long signs can be displayed.
The safest place to put a yard sign is on private property with the owner’s consent. If you own a home, you have the right to place signs in your yard, though some areas may restrict size or quantity. If you are renting, check with your landlord before putting a sign in the yard. Looking for durable, weather-resistant signs?
Public Property Restrictions
Most cities prohibit signs on public property, including sidewalks, medians, utility poles, and parks. Political and business signs placed on medians or along roads often violate local ordinances and are subject to removal. To avoid wasting time and money on signs that will be taken down, make sure you are placing them in approved locations. Our team at Super Cheap Signs can help guide you in choosing the right signage for legal placement.
The right-of-way is the area between the street and private property. This space is typically controlled by the city or state, meaning you cannot place signs there without permission. Many cities allow certain political signs near polling places but regulate their distance from the road or intersections.
Businesses and Commercial Property
If you want to place a yard sign in front of a store or business, you will need the property owner’s permission. However, be aware that zoning laws may still apply, and some commercial areas restrict temporary signage.
Common Yard Sign Restrictions
Even in areas where yard signs are allowed, there are often restrictions. Here are some common ones:
Size Limitations: Many cities cap yard signs at 16 to 24 square feet.
Time Limits: Some ordinances require political signs to be removed within a certain timeframe after an election.
Illumination Rules: Many cities prohibit signs with flashing lights or reflective materials.
Homeowners Association Rules: Homeowners associations can have stricter rules, sometimes banning all yard signs except for real estate listings.
What Happens If You Place a Sign Illegally?
If you put up a yard sign in a restricted area, it will likely be removed by local authorities. In some cases, you may be fined. For businesses, violating sign laws can lead to warnings or even penalties from the city.
How to Ensure Your Signs Stay Up
To avoid the hassle of removed signs or fines, follow these best practices:
Check Local Ordinances: Your city’s website or election office often has guidelines on yard signs.
Get Permission: Whether it is private property or a business, always ask before placing a sign.
Follow Time Limits: If promoting an event or election, remove signs within the allowed timeframe.
Avoid Public Property: Never place signs on medians, parks, or telephone poles.
If you are looking for high-quality, durable yard signs for your business, campaign, or personal event, we offer customizable signs that comply with most local regulations. Check out our yard sign collection today.
Final Thoughts
While yard signs are a great way to promote events, businesses, and campaigns, you cannot just put them anywhere. Knowing where you can legally place signs will keep your message visible without breaking any laws. Always check local regulations and when in doubt, ask for permission.
Have questions about yard sign placement? Let us know in the comments.
One question we get asked a lot here at Super Cheap Signs is, “Are bandit signs legal?” If you’ve ever driven through a bustling city or a quiet suburb, you’ve likely noticed them: small, colorful signs staked into grassy medians or zip-tied to utility poles, offering everything from “We Buy Houses” to “Affordable Roofing Services.” These are commonly known as bandit signs, and while they’re undeniably effective in grabbing attention, they exist in a gray area of legality.
So, are bandit yard signs illegal? The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might think. The legality of these signs often depends on local ordinances, enforcement practices, and how creative you are in navigating the rules. Let’s dive into the fascinating (and often frustrating) world of bandit yard signs.
The Legal Landscape of Bandit Signs
Most cities and counties have ordinances that regulate or outright ban bandit signs, especially in public spaces like medians, utility poles, or sidewalks. In places like Virginia and Maryland, the fines for posting illegal signs can be hefty—$100 per sign in Virginia and up to $500 per sign in Maryland. These ordinances are usually enforced by local transportation departments or code enforcement officers.
But here’s the catch: enforcement is far from consistent. In many cases, enforcement agencies only act if they catch someone in the act of placing the sign or can trace the sign back to its owner. This creates an opportunity for businesses willing to think outside the box.
How Businesses Stay Under the Radar
Entrepreneurs who rely on bandit signs have developed a variety of strategies to minimize their risk of fines or legal troubles. Here are a few commonly used tactics:
1. Rotating Phone Numbers
Savvy marketers often use temporary or unlisted phone numbers on their signs. By rotating numbers regularly, it becomes nearly impossible for enforcement agencies to trace the signs back to a specific business.
2. Operating After Hours
Signs are usually placed after 6:00 p.m. when local transportation or enforcement offices are closed. This reduces the chances of being caught in the act, as most enforcement activities occur during regular business hours.
3. Creative Sign Placement
Some businesses use telescoping poles to place signs high up on utility poles, where they’re harder to remove. Others use industrial-strength adhesives or two-sided tape to secure signs to metal poles, ensuring they stay up longer.
4. Registered Agents and LLCs
Instead of operating as a sole proprietorship, many businesses form LLCs and designate a registered agent in a location far from the jurisdiction where signs are placed. This creates another layer of separation between the business owner and the signs, making enforcement even more challenging.
What to Say if You’re Confronted by Law Enforcement
If a police officer or enforcement official confronts you about placing a sign, it’s important to stay calm and professional. Here’s a script that many businesses use:
• “Do you have jurisdiction over this matter?”
• “Is this a criminal violation? My lawyer has informed me it’s not.”
• “Thank you for your time. Have a great day.”
Most sign ordinances are civil, not criminal, matters. While an officer may ask you to stop, they typically lack the authority to issue criminal charges related to sign placement.
The Free Speech Debate
One of the most compelling arguments for bandit signs is that they fall under the umbrella of commercial free speech. Court rulings, including the landmark Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015), have struck down sign ordinances that unfairly favor certain types of speech over others. For example, a law allowing political signs but banning commercial ones is likely unconstitutional.
That said, challenging a sign ordinance in court is expensive. Legal experts estimate it could cost upwards of $500,000 to mount a successful case. For most small businesses, the legal battle isn’t worth the cost.
A Smarter Approach to Compliance
For businesses willing to take a stand, organizations like the ACLU and the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression can provide legal support. They may even help with research or connect you to law clinics that reduce the cost of litigation.
But if fighting city hall isn’t in your budget, staying one step ahead of enforcement might be your best bet. By operating strategically, you can keep your business visible without running afoul of the law.
Closing Thoughts
So, are bandit yard signs illegal? In many places, yes—but that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to use. The secret lies in understanding local ordinances, getting creative with your tactics, and knowing when to push back on unfair enforcement.
Love them or hate them, bandit signs are a staple of guerrilla marketing—and for good reason. They’re cheap, effective, and, with the right approach, legal enough to keep your business thriving.
If you’ve had experience with bandit signs or want to share your thoughts, drop a comment below. Let’s keep the conversation going!
Ever wonder what those little metal looking wires are that hold up the yard signs? You know, the yard signs you see on the side of the road? They are called H-wire stakes, more commonly called wire stakes or H-wires and they are made of galvanized steel. There seems to be a variety of different types of H-wires but after just learning what they are, how do you know which to get? Here at Super Cheap Signs, we carry 4 options of wire stakes. We’ll go over the different kinds and what they’re best suited for when it comes to displaying your signs.
The Standard
Standard H-wire
First, we have the Standard H-wire. They consist of 4, 9-gauge steel wires that are welded together to form an “H” shape, just with two lines in the middle instead of one. These are 30 inches tall and 10 inches wide and best suited for signs no bigger than 24”x 24”. These are the most common type of H-wire to see in the wild and are going to be our base of comparison for the other wire stakes we’re about to go over.
Half the size, all the hype!
Half-Size H-wire
Second, we have Half-size H-wires, which are just as they sound. Imagine taking a standard H-wire and cutting it in half. What you’re left with is 2 half size h wires. Nifty, right? These are only 15 inches tall but still 10 inches wide. Great for keeping your signs low to the ground and create the illusion that the signs are just standing upright on their own. These are also great for areas with higher winds than average. Best for smaller signs but can still hold the traditional 18×24 signs as well.
Economy’s booming
Economy H-wire
Third up on our list are Economy H-wires. These are slightly shorter than the standard wire stakes, but still stand tall at 24 inches. These also maintain the same width of 10 inches, as well as 9-gauge steel wire. Being a bit cheaper than the standards, but still offering similar results, economy H-Wires are definitely the more budget friendly option. Plus, if you need something to be displayed lower than the standard but higher than the half size, these are the perfect middle ground.
Don’t worry, these are Heavy-Duty!
Heavy-Duty wire stake
Finally, we have our Heavy-Duty H-wires. These are as the name implies, heavy-duty and meant for places where the ground is tougher than your grandpa. But seriously, the base of these are made from 3-gauge steel wire which is considerably thicker than the 9-gauge the rest are solely made of. They still have the 9-gauge wires too, just on the top of them so that the signs can still fit. They’re the common choice for displaying signs with sizes like 24×32, 24×36, and 24×48. They can be used for signs as big as 4’x4’, as long as you use two at a time. We recommend using U-channel posts for signs 4’ or taller but this article is about wire stakes, so we’ll come back to that later. Either way, having some heavy duty H-Wires will definitely help your signs stand up to the elements, no pun intended.
The Choice is Yours!
The Choice is Yours With all these options, now you have a better idea on what would work best for your specific needs. When in doubt the standard size is going to be the safe bet. They’re the standard for a reason, right? If you have any further questions, check out our accessories page. Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 512-833-9900 and as always, we look forward to keeping on providing you with more sign knowledge in the future.
TLDR: So… What kind of H-wires are there?
Standard H-wires: Tried, true, and versatile; as a standard should be
Half-Size H-wires: As the name implies, half of a standard and cheaper too
Economy H-wires: Slightly shorter than the standard but perfectly budget friendly
Heavy-Duty H-wires: Thicker at the base and a meant for tough ground and tougher elements
When it comes to reaching an audience, posters are one of the most fruitful and surefire means of capturing someone’s attention. All you need to make a powerful visual impression is a tactful design and clean layout that is memorable but does not cost a fortune. No matter what your business objectives, custom posters are an effective means of promoting your cause while simultaneously imparting a little aesthetic flair. If that idea sounds enticing, here are some more reasons why economically priced custom posters are a must.
Posters Are Cost Effective
Whether your goal is to market a business or decorate your home, posters are extremely cost-effective. Compared to print ads, posters will save you a lot of money and, in the case of marketing your business, could potentially result in more exposure.
Compared to print ads, posters are a decidedly more economic solution. Typical print ads can range anywhere from $500 to over $15,000, which is much more expensive than an ostentatiously large poster with high-quality graphics. On top of that, keep in mind that a print ad will restrict your audience to those who read or subscribe to those particular publications. On the other hand, a cleverly placed poster will incur no such restrictions.
First Impressions Are Everything
While posters are certainly convenient for your budget, they are also an excellent means of generating positive first impressions from prospective customers. This is why high-quality materials and extensive color options are so important. Fortunately, quality is easy to find at Super Cheap Signs. In addition to providing photo-quality, large format printing, they offer the option to customize your entire poster. You can even upload custom designs for inclusion wherever you see fit. Whether you want to create something completely new or riff on an old idea, their team of experts is ready to help you every step of the way.
Posters Are Flexible
One of the most convenient aspects of posters is their seemingly endless range of possible shapes and sizes. So whether your goal is to create hundreds of smaller promotional posters for a particular ad campaign, or several larger posters for branding purposes, the inherently flexible capabilities therein should give you peace of mind in knowing that your options are wide open. Additionally, posters are convenient because they can be customized to suit your audience’s desires and expectations. For example, you can incorporate a QR or coupon codes to engage tech-savvy consumers. Beyond that, posters give you plenty of room to play around with customized sizes.
Posters Promote Visibility
Posters are a marketing savant’s dream because they can be hung just about anywhere. From coffee shops to bookstores to banks, posters can add some needed depth to just about any setting. When hanging your posters, try to think as strategically as possible. You will want to ensure they are spread out in locations where people’s eyes frequent, as opposed to cluttered together in a corner somewhere. However, be sure to check with your local laws and regulations prior to hanging anything, as there may be some rule particular to your location that escapes the scope of this article.
Posters Are a Great Way to Gain Exposure
This may seem obvious, but the mere act of hanging a poster in a walkway or public location means that someone is bound to see it. As mentioned, this directly contrasts with print ads, which are only available to a specific subsection of the population. Additionally, placing a poster in a high traffic area is a great way to capture engagement and attract prospective customers. If you are planning to use your posters for a prolonged period of time, you could even opt to frame or laminate them to ensure their longevity.
Posters and Marketing
Even in today’s increasingly digital world, posters still remain one of the most intuitive ways to market a business. Expounding on the reasons listed above, posters are:
Affordable
Versatile
Portable
Flexible
Engaging
Using posters for marketing purposes is an economical way to amplify your brand’s visibility and gives you a strategic leg up on the competition, especially if they are ignoring posters in favor of social media advertising (though this is still important in its own way). In terms of affordability, posters are economic enough to suit just about any budget. Even if you just need to test some ideas, purchasing some custom posters in bulk and running an A/B test for font colors, sizes, designs, and image content is a cost-effective solution.
As far as portability is concerned, posters are very easy to install and transfer from location to location. Even better, some posters can be used repeatedly no matter the timeframe. This also speaks to their versatility, which makes it easy to reconfigure in accordance with the needs of your target audience.
When it comes to capturing engagement, a seasoned marketer could have a field day with just about any poster format. Combining psychological techniques, branding techniques, color theory, and tactful language is a surefire way to engage your target audience and drive engagement. To this extent, posters are available in an astonishing range of sizes, all of which can be customized to fit your aesthetic inclinations.
Finally, posters can be strategically placed just about anywhere you can think of, including indoors and outdoors. This makes them an ideal means of driving traffic. In fact, several recent studies show that calculated poster placement can drive targeted engagement of specific products. So be sure to do your research and place your posters as strategically as possible.
Around the Clock Marketing
Unlike commercials or print ads, most posters are visible 24 hours per day (though this obviously varies in accordance with where they are located). Consequently, they are not limited by budgetary or spending constraints. This means that people will always have a chance to familiarize themselves with your businesses. How’s that for around the clock marketing?
Science Has Spoken
One of the biggest hurdles in advertising and marketing is getting an idea to stick in someone’s mind. However, before an idea can be incepted, you need to make sure your subject is paying attention. A 2013 study published by the Health Information and Libraries Journal discovered that posters are the primary means of relaying information in academic and public health industries. Further, it shows that posters can effectively condition attitudes and influence behaviors. This insight has been incorporated into the medical and dental industries to great success.
The aforementioned success isn’t just applicable to health industries. Posters have been used to successfully convey and instill information across a variety of professions. As an entrepreneur, you likely do not have a lot of time on your hands but have critical information that you need to convey. In this situation, many people would opt for a slideshow presentation or a PowerPoint.
However, that basically just gives your employees and colleagues a break from their daily tasks and in no way ensures they are retaining any of the information presented. Instead, research shows that whipping up and displaying a custom poster that succinctly conveys the information is a much better means of promoting active learning. Additionally, an effective poster will inspire viewers to ask questions. In the context of a meeting or presentation, this will likely result in a meaningful discussion that will illuminate everyone’s understanding of a particular topic. Needless to say, this is much more effective than the passive experience facilitated by slide shows, PowerPoints, and worst of all: presentations with no visual aids whatsoever.
Super Cheap Signs Is Your Best Source for Custom Posters
Taking the above information even further, while the information conveyed in slideshows and Power Points vanishes from sight the second the next slide occupies the screen, posters remain present until you physically move them. When combined with high-quality material, such as the Postermax paper used by Super Cheap Signs, posters appear authoritative and are likely to inspire positive comments.
If you are on the market for economically priced custom posters, Super Cheap Signs has everything you need. In addition to providing a wide variety of templates, they also offer complete customization, which is a great way to convey more specific messages. Even better, they accept custom images, meaning you can incorporate your own art and custom graphics into your poster. They also offer discounts if you choose to order in bulk quantities, which ultimately saves you time, effort, and money.
All of their posters are made with high-quality Postermax paper, feature one-sided print, and are strong enough for any indoor use. They also offer an array of poster and sign accessories, including wireframes, stakes, spin handles, flyer boxes, suction cups, and more. No matter the application, the seasoned professionals comprising their team are more than ready to assist with all of your poster-related needs.
