Pylon Signs Melbourne
If your business sits back from the road, in an industrial estate, or in a strip with no street frontage, a pylon sign is often what gets drivers to turn in. DSS designs, builds and installs pylon signs Melbourne businesses can rely on, from our workshop at 30 New Street, Frankston, for retailers, trades, medical clinics, car yards and multi-tenant sites.
A pylon sign is a freestanding sign on a post or tower. It can be lit or unlit, single or double-sided, and made for one business or for a whole complex. We make the sign, and we can arrange the install.
What is a pylon sign?
A pylon sign (also called a totem sign or freestanding sign) is a tall, upright sign that stands on its own footing rather than being fixed to a building. It is built to be seen from a distance and from a moving car, which is why you see them at car parks, service stations, shopping strips and industrial units.
The common parts are a structural frame or post, a cabinet or panels that carry your branding, and a footing in the ground or on a base plate. Lit versions add LED lighting and a power supply.
Pylon sign types we build
Illuminated pylon signs
An illuminated pylon sign has LED lighting inside the cabinet, so the face glows after dark. This suits businesses that trade at night or through winter evenings. The same lighting thinking applies as for our light boxes, and the full range is covered in our illuminated signs guide.
Non-illuminated pylon and totem signs
If you trade in daylight hours only, or power at the sign position is difficult, an unlit pylon with printed or applied graphics is simpler and cheaper to run. You can add lighting later if the frame is built to take it, so tell us if that is a possibility.
Multi-tenant pylon signs
For a site with several businesses, the pylon can carry swappable panels. When a tenant changes, only that panel is replaced, not the whole sign.
Single-sided or double-sided
Double-sided signs are read from traffic both ways. A single-sided sign is fine where the sign sits side-on to one direction of traffic or against a boundary.
Illuminated pylon sign for Guitar Village in Frankston
Materials and construction
The right build depends on height, wind exposure, and how long the sign needs to last. Typical options are:
- Frame: painted or powder-coated steel or aluminium, fabricated in our workshop. See welding and fabrication.
- Faces: acrylic or flexible face for lit cabinets, or aluminium composite panel (ACM) for unlit signs.
- Graphics: printed vinyl, cut vinyl, or routed and cut-out lettering using our CNC and laser cutting.
- Lighting: LED modules and a power supply sized to the cabinet.
- Extras: 3D logos or 3D lettering fixed to the face for a stronger shape against the sky.
Wind load matters on any tall sign. Tell us the height you have in mind and where it will stand, and we will advise how the frame and footing should be built.
Height, size and what you can fit on a pylon
Taller is not always better. The sign has to be read from the road, but it also has to suit the site and the rules that apply to it. Some practical points:
- Keep the message short. A name, a logo and one line (or a few tenant names) reads from a car. A paragraph does not.
- Use strong contrast between text and background. White or yellow on dark colours is easy to read at distance.
- Make the key text big. Fine detail disappears from 50 metres.
- Think about sight lines. Fences, trees and parked trucks can hide the lower half of a sign.
Council, landlord and permits
Pylon signs are freestanding structures, so they are usually looked at more closely than a sign on a wall. Rules about height, size, position and lighting vary by council and by zone, and many sites also need approval from the landlord or owners corporation. Check these early, before you pay for fabrication.
Tell us the address and any conditions you have been given, and we will work out what we can provide to support your application, such as dimensions and a visual of the sign.
How a pylon sign job runs with DSS
- Send us the address, a photo of where the sign will stand and your logo files, or ask us to help with artwork.
- We talk through height, sides, lighting and whether you need panels that change.
- You approve the design and a quote.
- We build the sign at our Frankston workshop.
- Install is arranged on site through our installation services, including any footing and power work needed.
Pylon signs next to other DSS signage
A pylon sign works best as part of a set. Many businesses pair it with fascia 3D letters on the building, window graphics and A-frames for the footpath. If you are not sure which sign should come first, our signage Melbourne guide walks through how to choose. For signage inside the building, see our reception signs, and our 3D letters guide explains materials, depth and installation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a pylon sign cost?
It depends on height, size, lighting, materials and how much install work is needed, so we quote each job. Send us a photo of the site and a rough idea of what you want and we will give you a price.
Do pylon signs need council approval?
Often they do. Rules depend on your council, the zone and the size of the sign, and landlord approval is usually needed too. Check before you order and we will help with the information you need.
Can a pylon sign be lit?
Yes. LED lighting inside the cabinet is the usual approach. It needs a power supply at the sign, which is worth planning before install.
Can you update the sign later if a tenant or business name changes?
Yes, if it is built with swappable panels or faces. Say so at quote stage so the sign is built that way.
Do you install pylon signs?
We can arrange installation as part of the job. Footings, power and site access all affect how it is done, so we look at those with you up front.
Get a quote for a pylon sign
If you need pylon signs in Melbourne that can be seen from the road, talk to DSS in Frankston. Call 1300 309 735, email dss@dss.net.au, or request a quote with the address and a photo of the spot.