I am currently in the pre-build planning stages for a new 14x48" V-shaped, center mount unipole, along an interstate in the northeast region. One question I have is, what color do you guys recommend painting the structure? I don’t really have much of a “brand” for my new company other than the name for the little logo on the apron. I’m interested in learning what color gives the best visibility for the structure, the most resistance to fading/rust, and the least visual ugliness to my neighbors on the ground. Sure, flourescent orange would draw attention, but the public would hate me. What do you all think is best?
What I’ve noticed among the competition in the local markets is this:
Lamar - all dark brown structures with light brown aprons, well kept.
Clear Channel - newer structures are black with dark brown aprons, older structures are black with silver aprons. You can tell that the inner structure of the older ones were originally dark green-ish (1980s?) and never repainted.
CBS - newer structures are a reddish brown with light brown aprons. Older structures are a turquoise color, usually very faded and rusty, aprons falling apart, etc. The local govt. and landowners refer to these as “eyesores.”
Local independents - usually all black structures and aprons. Some very bright and glossy, others faded and dull.
I like the reddish brown of the newer CBS structures but am open to any ideas. My structure will be in an industrial area that is generally wooded except for the viewing area of course.
The answer is dark brown. Not the reddish brown, but a darker “chocolate” brown. I’ve found it works best as it looks like a tree from the ground, a tree from the highway, and does not show rust or dirt. All light colors are lousy. Obnoxious colors only serve to make your landowners, inspectors and city governments mad. Note that both Lamar and CBS, in your example, use brown. The reddish brown bugs me, but I would still prefer it to any other color. Black is a terrible choice – it looks awful from the ground. The key is earth tones on structures to make them blend in better. The advertisement should be the focus, not the structure.
Frank is correct on this, You want to us a color that blends in. But some colors that blend, example light grey I have seen on some signs colors like this can fade easier due to the pigments in the paint. You might want to check with your local paint store like Sherwin Williams, etc. See what paint fades easier in the sun light due to the pigments in the paint. DON’T use cheap paint unless you want to repaint them before very long because they are starting to fade and rust. Make sure you stay on top of the rust, rust makes the metal weak, you dont want that with people climbing on the signs. Also try to keep the birds from building nest on the sign, there waste can cause the metal to rust very quickly due to the acid in it. A little extra work can go a long way in future maint.