LooseLetters.ca

Welcome to our online Store

Canadian crafted letters and personalized signs for your DIY project or we can create to order. Everything is Canadian made. All letters and signs created and finished in our shop in Exeter Ontario. If your are in the Exeter area, feel free to stop by our showroom to design your order, pick from our selection of finished signs or select the pieces to create your own masterpiece.

How it works

RTF --Ready to Finish

You can purchase unfinished letters, shapes and boards and paint your own The unfinished pieces are individually priced so you can create your own custom unique sign. All components are made of premium grade MDF precision cut with a beveled edge. All items are priced individually. Easy to paint yourself. Paint each item individually using Acrylic paints and then glue the painted items together using weldbond Glue. The acrylic paints are flat, if you want the nice shine like ours have apply a satin coat of clear Spray lacquer over the assembled sign.

DIY - Do It Yourself Tips

You Can Paint It!

Supplies

Our products are made from Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF), a wood product that’s perfect for your craft ideas. It has a very smooth surface that can be painted with virtually any type of paint, which makes these materials great for kids craft parties as well as homemade gifts. We use a clear coat lacquer spray to give our signs a nice shine and to help seal the paint, but this step is optional.

Paint brushes – sponge brushes give a smooth finish Paint – acrylic is great but wall paint works too! We find DecoArt® and Delta Creamcoat® acrylic paint brands cover well and can be found at most craft stores and dollar stores. Clear coat lacquer as a spray or brush-on application (optional) Fine-grain sandpaper (optional) White wood glue – Weldbond® glue dries strong and clear, but any brand will work. Just make sure it’s white glue or else any that squeezes out the edges may discolour the paint.

1. 8 or #10 pan head wood screws to hang your sign

Preparing the Pieces Use sandpaper or a nail file with a light touch to smooth any rough edges or corners.

Painting Tips

Paint the letters and shapes before you glue them to ensure your paint stays where you want it. Cover the edges but don’t paint the backsides of letters and shapes you are going to glue onto the board. We paint the entire board including the back for a polished look. When the first coat of paint is completely dry, use fine-grain sandpaper to remove paint bubbles that may have dripped on the backs of the letters and shapes. This will help ensure they lay flat and adhere well to the board.

Acrylic paint dries quickly, usually within 30 minutes. You will need 2 or 3 coats depending on the colours you have chosen.

Finishing Tips

Play around with the arrangement of your letters and symbols on the board to see what you like best. Straight lines create a clean, classic look, while curves and waves add movement and playfulness. Stacked symbols can add impact, especially if they are different colours. For example, a 2″ pink flower placed over a 3″ purple flower looks great on a white board.

Apply glue sparingly. Excess glue will squeeze out the sides when the piece is placed on the board. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure the glue is completely dry before you apply clear coat or hang your sign.

We recommend using a clear coat as well, although it is not necessary. Clear coat gives your sign a professional look and the light it reflects gives depth and dimension to your work of art. You can add sparkle to the letters and shapes using a clear coat with glitter, which can often be found as a spray or brush-on application.

Hanging Your Masterpiece

The boards and all 8″ and 12″ letters have pre-drilled keyholes in the back so you can easily hang your finished sign on a wall or door. If you have a larger letter followed by smaller letters on a board you only have to hang the board portion, not the large letter as well.

Measure the distance between the centres of the keyhole slots on the back. Make small marks on the door or wall the same distance apart. You may want to use a level to ensure your sign will hang straight. Securely fasten screws in the wall so the head of the screw sticks out of the wall approximately 1/8″.

Simply place the round part of the keyhole over the head of the screws and slide the sign down. If the sign does not sit flush to the wall, remove the sign, turn the screw in a little further, and replace the sign.

Send us a photo of your finished creation and we will include it in our Signs Painted By YOU gallery!

Customer Creations

YOU Did It! The Signs Painted By YOU! gallery showcases signs our customers have made using ready-to-finish materials and a little imagination. As you can see, there are no boundaries for the colours and design!

Inspiration from our Gallery

A bit of paint and a little glue…and voilà! A handmade, personalized, and unique sign that’s perfect for someone special. Our DIY Tips & Supplies page tells you everything you’ll need to know. Check out our blog to learn how too add some crystals and paint a few stripes.

With your Permission

When you create a masterpiece of your own, remember to submit a photo to sales@looseletters.ca!

If you have used our Loose Letters for any of your projects, we would love to see photos! We will add your creations to this gallery where you will inspire others.

And if you have pictures of yourself, your friends, or your kids painting and assembling their works of art and don’t mind if we post the photos online, please send them to Sales@LooseLetters.ca.

Please note: By sending your photos to us, you acknowledge they will be available online for anyone to view, copy, and use.

Ready to Ship

WE MADE THIS SIGN FOR YOU! This unique sign will look great in your home. This larger sign will fill a door or look great on the wall over a bed or dresser. Be sure to check the dimensions shown in the photos with the rules. The rulers show both inches and centimetres. We have over 1000 name signs in stock and ready to ship! We have a diverse selection of names in stock. Challenge us to see if we have yours!

READY TO SHIP! You can purchase this finished sign, or you can purchase the unfinished pieces and paint it yourself. Either way your order will be shipped within 2 business days. If this sign is sold out, don't worry, we can make one like it just for you. Select the Love the Colours Customization option and order the same name (it will take up to 4 weeks for a custom order).

Signs are Canadian made in Exeter Ontario by Michael. Components are mdf painted with premium acrylic paint and coated with a clear lacquer. Purchase finished signs from our inventory of over 1000 names The price for Finished Signs is the total of the letters boards and shapes plus $18.00 for painting and $2.00 for sparkles. Ask if you don’t See your name, you may be surprised and the names we have!

Custom Signs

We can Custom Finish your Name We will create your name, in your style, with your choice of shapes and colours. We have a system to generate images of what your layout can look like. We can create the layouts in the showroom or we can email them to you. We custom finish your name in your Colours. Not finding your name? Tell us the Style and colours you like and we will make your sign - just for you! We have a program to create a layout for your approval. When you approve the layout we will then paint and assemble your sign. SPECS --Measurements

• 26" wide
• 12" tall
• 1.04 kg
• Crystal glitter
• ready to hang

If you want a different name, or different colours, you can have that as well. Custom orders take up to 4 weeks to complete and ship. A short time to wait, for something that will last a lifetime.

Before adding to the cart, make your selection from the customize menu above.

Notes for Custom Orders: If you choose to have us customize your sign for you, we will send you a layout of your choices for your approval before me make your perfect sign. We will make changes to the layout, free of charge, until you are happy with your order. Be sure to include your customization instructions in the comments box in your shopping cart before you check out!

If you want a different name, or different colours, you can have that as well. Custom orders take up to 4 weeks to complete and ship. A short time to wait, for something that will last a lifetime.

Before adding to the cart, choose how you want your sign, from the menu above.

Notes for Custom Orders: If you choose to have us customize your sign for you, we will send you a layout of your choices for your approval before me make your perfect sign. We will make changes to the layout, free of charge, until you are happy with your order. Be sure to include your customization instructions in the comments box in your shopping cart before you check out!

CUSTOMIZATION GUIDE

Style Guide

Examples of Our Most Popular Design Styles

• Style "8-2" Our most popular: 8" first letter followed by 2" letters on a 3-1/2" tall board
• Style "8-3" Just a little Bigger: 8" first letter followed by 3" letters on 5-1/2" tall board
• Style "12-3" Big for the Wall: 12" first letter followed by 3" letters.
• Style "2on12" Unique idea: 2" letters on a 12" first letter
• Style "3" Clean and simple: 3" letters on a 5-1/2" tall board
• Style 3-2
• Style 12-2
• Style 8" letters have pre-drilled keyholes in the backs so they can hang flush against a wall
• Style 12" letters have pre-drilled keyholes in the backs so they can hang flush against a wall

Of course, with Loose Letters you are not limited to these options. If you can glue it, you can do it! Arrange letters in a wave or as if they are bouncing around! 2-3 lines of text can go on tall boards e.g. “Jack’s Room”

When ordering a custom-made sign:

You can specify the style codes you see here in the quote request form. Or you can tell us about your ideas for something different in the Message section of the request form. Other Ideas We’ve listed a few more ideas for you below but the possibilities don’t end here!

Order ready-to-finish materials, drill some holes, and add pegs to create a functional sign to hang your hat on! More Ideas In Our Design Gallery Design Notes Boards come in heights of 3.5″, 5.5″, 9.5″, and 13.5″ and can be up to 39″ long.

Letters and shapes that hang off the edge of the board are most prone to damage if your sign detaches itself from your wall or door.

Letters, Shapes, and Boards

Funky Font Letters in 2-inch and 3-inch sizes are available in the funky font you see here. Cute and playful – each one seems to have its own personality! Formal Font Letters in 8-inch and 12-inch sizes are available in a more sophisticated style. (But they still know how to have fun!) Each of these letters has keyholes drilled in back so you can hang them flush against a wall or door. Boards We carry boards in 48 different sizes so you can arrange your letters and shapes in multiple ways! All boards have 3 keyholes drilled in the back so they can be hung easily and stay secure against a wall or door. Boards that are 3.5 inches tall range from 4-26 inches long (lengths increase by 2-inch increments). All other boards sizes range from 6-39 inches long (lengths increase by 3-inch increments). You can also use a 12-inch letter or horseshoe instead of a board. The 2-inch size letters work for most names. We call this “style 2-on-12.” General Guidelines (not rules!) for Board Sizes Unless you have space restrictions, we will select the board that best fits the letters and shapes arranged the way you want them. These are the ‘usual’ board sizes based on the letter sizes, but we are happy to show you as many variations as you’d like to see. for 2-inch letters: 3.5 inches tall boards that are 3.5″ tall range from 4″-26″ long (lengths increase by 2″ increments) for 3″ letters, or 2″ in a wave: 5.5″ tall for 2 lines of letters/shapes: 9.5″ tall for 3 lines of letters/shapes: 13.5″ tall

Shapes, Accents, and Special Characters

All the items you see below are available in small (2-inch) and large (3-inch) sizes. Try stacking a small star on a large star for a special effect – you can do the same with flowers and hearts!

We can create any type of accent you need using the special characters.

Paint Options

We offer 19 paint colours for you to choose from! You can see the colours in the image at the bottom of this page. You can also view the photo gallery of signs we make to see how the colours coordinate in a variety of combinations. Bright Red, Bright Yellow, Bright Green, Bright Blue, Bright Purple, Bright Pink, Bright Orange Pastel Red(ROSE), Pastel Yellow(LEMON), Pastel Green(MINT), Pastel Blue(SKY), Pastel Purple(MAUVE), Pastel Pink(BLOSSOM), Pastel Orange(PEACH) Black, White, Gold, Silver, Fuchsia

Glitter Options

We offer two types of glitter and you decide exactly where it is applied on your sign. Glitter is available in silver or crystal (multi-colour sparkle that reflects pastel tones) and we only charge $2 per sign for as much glitter as you like.

Disclaimer

We have tried our best to represent the true paint colours here. However, due to variation in screen displays, and between the image and the actual item, these colours are not guaranteed to be the exact same shade as your finished sign. Most likely, they are very close. When ordering a sign, feel free to refer to the colours you see here or in a specific sign in our photo gallery. Please note: The Signs Painted By YOU photo album includes signs our customers have painted and assembled. As such, we are unable to match the colours you see in that photo gallery.

Shipping

We’ll ship any number of signs to the same address within Canada for a flat rate – it doesn’t matter how many signs you order. If you want to get together with your friends and order more, we will be glad to ship them all together. You can even pay for the names separately and still save on the shipping as long as they go in one box to one address.

• Postal Codes beginning with the letters J,K,L,M,N — $18.00 per order
• Postal codes beginning with the letters B,C,E,G,H,P,R,S — $23.00 per order
• Postal codes beginning with the letters A,T,V — $26.00 per order

Signs over 38″ in width — +$10.00 oversize charge per order Air Stage addresses and Addresses Outside of Canada – you will be provided a quote based on package dimensions and destination

Request A Quote

Submit Your Request Use the form below, or send an email including these details to Sales@LooseLetters.ca. You will receive images of a few variations so you can “see” your sign before you commit to the order. We happily send you examples until the design is exactly what you want! Note: You can refer to an image you see in the Signs Painted by Us Gallery if you would like to have the same colours or style. If you don’t receive a reply within 2 days, please check the Spam/Junk folder of your email account in case your quote was directed there.

• What name would you like on the sign?

• Product Type
• Ready-to-Finish Materials (you paint & glue it)Painted Sign (we make it & you hang it)

• Style preference

Look at samples in our Style Guide to find out what these codes mean. 2-inch letters3-inch letters3&28&28&312&212&32-on-128-inch letters12-inch letters

• Would you like glitter?
  • Crystal glitter
  • Silver glitter
  • No thanks
• Instructions

Here's where you can specify your preferences for paint colours, shapes, and design Instructions. Message

• What's your name? (required)

• Your email address (required)

• Your email address again (required double-check)

• Your phone number

• Would you like to receive emails about our upcoming shows and special offers?
  • Yes please!
  • No Thank you!

About

Proudly Made in Canada

LooseLetters.ca has manufactured our products in Exeter, Ontario, Canada since 2006. You will not find Loose Letters anywhere else!

building

This is where each and every Loose Letter is made and where all your signs are created! Our production shop is built on land that was home to a livery way back when. Story goes, the livery sold horses to the Queen of England! The building dates back to the 1950’s and was originally the Jone-McNaughton Grass Seed Mill. The building has since been partitioned into office space, production space, and residential apartments. The original wood floors and beams remain throughout.

The design of our letters and boards are the creation of Michael Van Raay.

Michael responds to emails and assists customers with online sales. You can reach him at Sales@LooseLetters.ca.

Yes, the Team Includes a Robot!

Robbie the Robot paints all the individual pieces for your custom-made signs. Robbie picks up trays of letters and boards from a rack and then loads the paint gun with the correct paint colour. His robot arm moves the tray back and forth under the paint gun before placing the tray back on the rack and moving on to the next one. He’s pretty cool.

Service & Quality

We believe our genuine service and the quality of our products sets us apart. We work with you to make your ideas come to life and we are always seeking new ways to arrange your letters so you never feel ‘boxed in’ with your style.

We encourage our customers to take home ready-to-finish items so you can enjoy making these signs as much as we do!

Contact Us

To place an order or get a price for materials, the best way is to send us a quote request. How to Contact Us

Phone: 519-235-3633

If you’d like to call us about something else, you are welcome to ring between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m.

In Person

Address: P.O. Box 1791, 15 John St. East in lovely Exeter, Ontario, Canada N0M 1S7

Exeter is:

• 20 minutes east of Grand Bend
• 40 minutes north of London
• 60 minutes west of Kitchener-Waterloo
• 40 minutes south of Goderich
• 2 hours west of Toronto (towards Grand Bend)
• 2 hours east of Windsor
• 2-1/2 hours from St. Catharines
• 6 hours from Ottawa

If you plan to visit us in Exeter, please call ahead to arrange a date and time. We may be at a show or out getting supplies or paints and don’t want to miss you! This is our production shop and not a retail store, although there is a small showroom where you can see examples of finished signs.

Our New Showroom

LooseLetters.ca now has a showroom in Exeter, Ontario

The showroom is open Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.

The showroom is also available by appointment most afternoons and evenings.

Shows

Also check our Shows page to see if we are in your area. LooseLetters.ca has set up a Showroom in Exeter, Ontario

Other than Exeter, Ontario There are no planned shows at this time.

Visit our Shows page for more details.

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Blog

Oh! The Places We’ll Go…

Kid, You’ll Move Mountains! Be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way!

~from Dr Suess, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Our signs are displayed in interesting places and used in novel ways. Here is a list of just some of the examples we know of…

On the rafters of Grandma’s rustic cabin (with two more names are on the way!) To announce the entrance to “Hunter’s Hens” (5-year-old Hunter’s chicken coop) To identify school classrooms and hallways As wedding guest books (MR & MRS letters) At wedding candy tables For baby shower gifts On bedroom doors (and lots of other doors, for that matter) Above cribs Under Christmas trees As room decor (Live, Love, Laugh… Peace, Love, Joy… Family & Friends…) Over pet beds and food bowls Be sure to send us a picture of where your LooseLetters.ca signs are displayed!

How Many Ways to Spell a Name?

We have sold over 50,000 signs and have found that there are many ways to spell a name.

For example – here are 42 variations of “Megan”

Maeg Maegan Maegin Magan Magin Maigan Maigan Maigen Maiginne Maygen Mayghan Maygin Meagaen Meagan Meaghaen Meaghan Meagin Meagon Meayghan Megaen Megan Megann Meganne Megarn Megern Meggah Meggan Meggin Meggon Meghaen Meghan Meghann Megin Megyn Mehgan Mehgern Meigan Meygan Meygan Meyghan Mhegan Mihgen You can check out http://www.babynamewizard.com/baby-name/girl/meghan for more information about the origin and meaning.

LooseLetters.ca is where I finally found my unusual name spelled the “right” way!

Can You Find Your Name?

We have found the coolest site for unusual name research. http://nameberry.com/lists/category/unusual-names We’ve been in the name sign business long enough to see hundreds of unusual names and unique spellings of more common names. But we are still surprised at every show! If you’re looking for a name that is sure to shock Grandma, these lists include unusual names drawn from history, nature, books, and more. The best part is that LooseLetters.ca carries every name you see here! If it’s spelled with letters and accents, we’ve got it covered.