General Questions About Noticeboards and Signage

How do I get a price?

Noticeboards

It is now possible to calculate prices for all our standard noticeboards online, using this site. Simply pick the board that you are interested in, click on the “BUY” button and follow the on-screen instructions to build the board to your exact specification. As you choose options, you will see the price change to reflect your choices. The choices that you make at each stage will affect the options that you are offered subsequently, meaning that it is impossible to go wrong! If you change your mind part way through simply skip backwards and forwards between the various sections altering things until you’re happy, then tick the box in Review Configuration. If you are ready  to buy, click the “Add to basket” button or alternatively, if you would like to save the specification to share it with colleagues or compare it with alternatives, click “Save to wishlist”. Saved specifications can be printed or emailed. If you need a formal quotation, simply email your saved specification to us and we will do the rest. In the event of difficulties, or if you have any queries, our sales team are friendly and experienced in gathering all the information needed to provide you with a prompt and accurate quotation. You can call them on 01280 701093 or email them at sales@greenbarnes.co.uk.

Other products

For standard products with published price lists, these are available as pdf downloads at the foot of the relevant page. Also included where relevant are Quotation Request Forms designed to collect the information that we will need in order to provide you with a quotation. These can be printed, completed and returned to us (by email or post). For complex or bespoke items please call us on 01280 701093. Our in-house sales team are friendly and experienced in gathering all the information that they will need to provide you with a prompt and accurate quotation.

What information do you need to provide a quotation?

The more information you give us, the more accurately we are able to quote. For all standard noticeboards you can work out the price yourself by going to the relevant product, clicking on the “BUY” button and following the on-screen instructions to specify the exact board required. For many products there is a “Quotation Request Form” designed to gather all the necessary information. These are available as pdf documents at the foot of the relevant product page.

Don’t forget! The information most commonly missing from requests for pricing are dimensions of the item(s) required and the enquirers contact details.

Do you undertake site visits?

The answer to this will always depend upon a combination of circumstances including the likely job value and the distance involved. If in doubt, please contact us. Whilst in the vast majority of cases a site visit is not necessary, there are always exceptions and if it is practical for us to visit, we will endeavour to do so.

Do you offer an installation service?

All of our products are designed to be simple to install, and all standard products are supplied with installation instructions. For this reason, in most cases clients elect to use a local builder/contractor for their installation. However, in response to popular demand we now offer a complete supply and install service using one of a number of specialist sign installation contractors.

Where no local contractor is available or where you simply want the peace of mind of that comes from placing the whole job under one roof, we offer an installation service, including dismantling and disposal of your old signs/notice boards, based on using a 2 man team and van at day rates plus travel costs. For further details please contact our sales team on 01280 701093.

Oak or Man-Made Timber

The choice is yours. Our ranges of Oak and Man-made Timber (MmT) notice boards are directly comparable. If the job demands a traditional wooden board, a shaped header or a specific colour finish then you will be drawn towards our oak boards. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something that won’t need regular maintenance to maintain it in tip-top condition, then MmT is the answer.

If it is of any assistance, opinion appears pretty evenly divided; we manufacture more or less equal numbers of each. Interestingly and probably contrary to most people’s expectation, MmT boards have been specified for many sensitive locations including conservation areas and National Trust properties.

What is the expected service life of a Greenbarnes oak noticeboard?

We recommend regular maintenance, i.e. cleaning/re-staining approximately every three years under normal conditions. In some, more challenging environments, where boards are subject to salt spray or residue from overhanging trees, more frequent maintenance may be advisable. Given proper maintenance, our oak boards should give many years service. By way of indication of what can be achieved, this image of a board at St Lawrence Church, Chobham was taken in 2016 and shows a board supplied 24 years previously in 1992.

Are your oak boards made from FSC source?

Our boards are generally manufactured in plantation grown European oak supplied from certified, sustainably managed forests. We use this rather than English oak as there is significantly less wastage as plantation grown trees are generally straighter. Full FSC certification requires a complete “chain of custody”, i.e. not only must the source of timber be certified, but certification must be applied at each step of conversion into the product and its transport to your door. Given the scale of our operation we have concluded that this is not a financially practical proposition.

We are happy to supply copies of documentation verifying the sustainable sourcing of the timber on request, and indeed, if you have a particular source of timber that you would like us to use, we would be happy to work with you to this end.

Polycarbonate glazing vs toughened glass – which is better?

It depends upon the circumstances of the individual installation.

Toughened glass is heat-treated and typically has a strength 4 – 6 times that of the equivalent ordinary float glass. When it breaks, it tends to shatter into small pebbles that are relatively innocuous (like an old fashioned car windscreen).

Polycarbonate is a tough plastic material, as used for the production of items such as police riot shields. It will cope with far greater impacts than will toughened glass but, being a plastic material, has a softer surface and is therefore more susceptible to being scratched.

Doesn’t polycarbonate glazing discolour / degrade over time?

There are several different grades of polycarbonate sheet, including versions that are coated for u/v stability one side, both sides or not at all. If you have previously seen yellowing polycarbonate sheet, the chances are that it was the uncoated variety. All polycarbonate glazing used in our notice boards is anti-u/v coated on both sides for maximum longevity.

Can Greenbarnes notice boards be re-glazed in the event of a breakage?

In the vast majority of cases the answer to this is yes. And if you wish to replace toughened glass with polycarbonate (or vice-versa), this is usually possible too. The exceptions to this are AF30, AF58 and A-Multi aluminium boards as the frame corner joints are permanently crimped in the construction process. In these cases, if the glazing is damaged, the solution is to replace the affected door. If you have a query about a specific model, please ask.

What is the difference between fibreboard and self-healing pinboard?

Fibreboard is a soft purpose-made pinboard material composed of recycled newsprint. It is designed to accept pins easily and has excellent pin retention.

Self-healing pinboard is a granular rubber material which has the same easily-pinnable qualities of fibreboard, but has the additional benefit that, when pins are removed, the holes reseal themselves, meaning that notices can be removed and replaced over a prolonged time period without the otherwise inevitable “dart board” effect. Because it is rubber, our self-healing pin board is also suitable for use on unglazed boards where it will be exposed to the elements. It will not deteriorate and will need only an occasional scrub with soapy water to keep it looking like new.

Where can I see examples of your work locally?

There are examples of our work all over the UK. A good starting place to find out what can be seen in your local area is our Recent Project Map where you will find details of up to 1000 recent jobs. This map is updated on a monthly basis as new projects are delivered. We keep the number at around 1000 in order to maintain a reasonable download speed, so every month an equal number of jobs are taken down. If you can’t find anything relevant within a reasonable distance, please call us as we may be able to locate what you’re looking for by digging back a little further.

Please note that the locations on the map are based on delivery addresses and may not represent the exact location of installation. In some instances, installations may be on private property. For this reason, we would always advise checking with us, (we may be able to help) or by a quick look on Google Street, before setting out.

How many keys do I get with my order?

Most notice boards come with two keys as standard. Unless otherwise specified all boards of the same type will be supplied keyed alike, (e.g. 2 boards, 4 identical keys). Spare keys can be ordered with the board or separately at a later date.

Can you make bespoke sizes and designs?

Yes we can.

Although we manufacture most items in a wide range of sizes, we recognise that on occasion there will be no standard item that is just right. For this reason we offer a “bespoke size” service on the vast majority of our products. Similarly, if you can’t see exactly what you are looking for in our standard ranges, please ask. We can often adapt standard technology to suit your exact requirement.

Naturally, due to the additional setting up required to produce one-offs and specials, bespoke items tend to cost a little more than comparable standard items, so it is always worth checking with us first to ensure that you find the most cost-effective solution.

How easy is it to obtain spare parts / new keys?

All of our products are built to last, but we realise that sometimes accidents happen, keys get lost and vandals, (if they are determined), can never be completely defeated. Many items such as keys and a wide range of spares are readily available for same day despatch. We pride ourselves on our record keeping which means that we can quickly call up details of your original order, ensuring that we get the required items to you promptly and with the minimum of fuss.

What does a notice board cost?

Somewhere between £76 for a basic A4 wall-mounted menu case a £8k+ for the largest bespoke top of the range, double-sided, high specification poster case with state of the art LED edge lighting in stainless finish.

Honours Boards

How do we update our honours board?

The vast majority of honours boards that we manufacture use computer-cut vinyl lettering. This means that, as well as ensuring perfect consistency of lettering from one year to the next, there is no need to return boards to us for updating. Send us details of the new inscriptions that are needed and we will respond with the appropriate lines of text, pre-cut and spaced on a carrier sheet, ready to be added to the board, together with full instructions as to how to go about it. Updates are usually despatched within 1-2 weeks of receipt of order.

Artwork

In what formats can you accept artwork?

We can accept files in any of the following formats: aibmpepsjpgpdfpsd and tiff. Please remember when sending files that the resolution, (amount of detail contained), needs to sufficient for the intended purpose. For example a photographic image that is intended to be viewed close to will need to be of at least 300 dots per inch resolution when reproduced at the finished size. Also, where text is used, please ensure this has been turned into outlines or that the fonts used are supplied with the artwork.

Images taken from the internet or intended for use on screen will generally not be of good enough quality to produce satisfactory results. Remember, it is in your interest to provide us with the best quality information that you can.

To download our in-depth guide to artwork requirements, please click here.

If you are still unsure whether what you have will produce acceptable results, please call us to discuss the matter.

If you are unable to provide suitable artwork, we can arrange to produce it for you as a separate chargeable item.

Ordering, Terms and Delivery

How long from order to delivery?

In most cases we quote 4 – 6 weeks for items which are manufactured to order including most of our notice boards, signage, honours boards and cabinets. Some simple items are available more quickly and items such as text updates to honours boards are generally available in 1-2 weeks. If delivery dates are critical, please let us know this when ordering, as we will do our utmost to accommodate you, but we will not promise you a date that we feel unable to deliver just to secure an order. Items such as replacement keys can frequently be posted out to you the same day.

What are your payment terms?

For local authorities, schools, churches, charities and regular customers with an account we offer 30 day credit terms. For all other customers we request payment on a pro-forma basis.

Do you offer any discounts?

Discounts are available on a sliding scale for orders above a certain value and will depend upon a number of factors. For details please ask.

How are items delivered?

This varies depending depends upon the product in question. For items which can be specified and bought online, please see the information on the “Buying” tab of the product concerned.

As a general rule, as soon as your order is ready, we will contact you by phone or email to arrange a convenient day, when someone will be there to receive it. In cases where no single item exceeds 35kg we use an overnight carrier, meaning that we despatch an item one day and it arrives with you the following day, (with the exception of some offshore islands and the more remote parts of Scotland which may take longer). For consignments containing one or more items weighing more than 35kg we use a 2-man delivery service. For deliveries within a close radius of our factory, or for whole vehicle consignments, we may elect to use a dedicated courier. In all cases the carrier will require a signature; for insurance reasons items cannot be left without. We recognise that in locations such as churches which are not permanently staffed this can present difficulties and to mitigate this we are sometimes (but not always) able to arrange for a timed delivery on request and for a small additional charge. If this is of interest please ask us for details when placing an order.

Some products such as internal noticeboards, some poster cases, snap frames and some street furniture items will be shipped directly from a 3rd party supplier.

Instances of damage in transit are extremely rare, but should always be regarded as a possibility. For this reason it is essential that all items are checked carefully on delivery and the delivery note signed as “RECEIVED DAMAGED“. Even if you are not intending to install the product for some time it should be unpacked and checked thoroughly without delay and any damage notified to us by telephone immediately. We have a very limited time in which to lodge a claim with the carrier, and any delay in this process will almost certainly result in your claim being rejected. In the event of a problem please provide us with as much photographic evidence as practically possible (including photos taken before unwrapping if damage to the packaging is evident). Please also retain all packaging in case it is needed for returning the item to us.