We enjoy working with organizations that bring positive change to their communities. Lancaster Christian Academy (LCA), a Christian school based in Smyrna, TN, is one of those notable institutions. We’ve been fortunate to work with LCA for the past three years on their custom signage projects. Let’s take a look at the custom dimensional sign we created for their newest Murfreesboro, Tennessee location!

LCA was founded in 1997 with the objective of providing an excellent education in a nurturing, Christian environment. Today, LCA represents over 700 students (from 6 weeks of age to 12th grade) who receive instruction in LCA’s Early Learning Center and Academy in Smyrna. The school is opening a new Early Learning Center in Murfreesboro which will expand the school’s overall enrollment by an additional 200 students. We were hired to design and fabricate the logo sign for the new facility’s main lobby.

Here are the steps we took to create the beautiful, new dimensional sign:

Design

Our graphic designer worked with LCA’s interior designer to create the sign’s layout. She explained that the new building’s lobby has similar, yet softer colors than the buildings in Smyrna, so the new sign needed a slightly different color scheme. Here’s a photo of one of the original logo signs we fabricated for the Smyrna location.

This is one of the original custom signs we created for LCA's main facility in Smyrna.

We sent the interior designer vinyl color samples, so she could compare them to the flooring and paint in the new building. Once the design and color samples were approved, our graphic designer then created the layout in a proof format. He used the same background outline as the LCA dimensional signs in the Smyrna buildings. Instead of using the bold colors in the background with white text like the original signs, the new sign’s design included a brushed metal background and dimensional serif letters in softer colors.

Our graphic designer created this proof to show LCA's interior designer and staff how the completed dimensional sign would look after fabrication.

Fabrication

Once the design and colors were approved, we began fabricating the custom sign. We started by cutting the 36” x 26.7” background shape from ¼” thick clear acrylic using the router tool on our new digital flatbed cutter.

We used the router tool on our flatbed cutter to cut the clear acrylic backer for the new custom sign.

We then adhered faux brushed metal to a ¼” piece of black acrylic and cut it into the same shape as the clear acrylic backer. This surface was bonded to the clear acrylic backer.

To create the dimensional letters, we “sandwiched” the colored vinyl between two layers of ⅛” clear acrylic. We cut the letters out of the sandwiched acrylic using our laser cutter. The sandwiching method created a soft color effect. To learn more about this method, read this blog article.

The colorful, dimensional letters were cut with our laser cutter for high precision. The paper on the surface was used to protect the acrylic during the cutting process.

We then adhered the dimensional letters to the brushed metal surface. We used a template to ensure the letters were lined up accurately.

Our installers placed the colorful, dimensional letters on the brushed metal surface using a yellow template to ensure correct placement.

And here’s the completed dimensional sign! We love the effect of the colored vinyl between the layers of clear acrylic and the dimensional look they create. As you can see, the colors are a little softer than the Smyrna signs. They will match the new Murfreesboro location perfectly!

Check out this fun, new custom sign! It will look great in the colorful lobby at Lancaster Christian Academy's newest Early Learning Center in Murfreesboro, TN!

Here's a closer look at the dimensional acrylic letters. This look is created by sandwiching colored vinyl between clear acrylic. Pretty cool effect, don't you think?

We’ve enjoyed our partnership with LCA as we’ve watched them expand to new locations over the years. We have no doubt the school will continue to grow as they positively impact the children and families they serve. To learn more about Lancaster Christian Academy, visit their website at: www.lancasterchristianacademy.org.

Are you a new business owner who needs new custom signage? Or is your organization or company opening a new location where new signs are needed? We can help! We specialize in: custom dimensional signage, elevator graphics, vinyl window graphics, wall murals, and architectural displays.

We serve all of Middle Tennessee, including Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Murfreesboro, Spring Hill and more. Give us a call at 615-595-6564 or click on the link below. We look forward to hearing from you!