Hand-Painted Signs or Vinyl? What’s the Difference?
If you’re a business owner in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, or anywhere in the UK, you may have asked: “Should I invest in a hand-painted sign, or is vinyl enough?”
While vinyl signs can be quick and cheap, hand-painted signs offer lasting quality, unique character, and authenticity. In this article, I’ll show why traditional signwriting is making a comeback, how it compares to vinyl, and what benefits it can bring to your business.
Before and after of a front shop. To the left, the old sign where you can see the vinyl peeling off. To the right, the fresh hand painted sign on matt background with gloos shadows, outlined letters and 3D effect adding unique character and personality. Work done by signwriter Lidia for a wellknown record shop in Spain.
Hand-Painted Signs Offer Unique Character and Style
Every hand painted sign is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. The brushstrokes, subtle textures, and custom lettering bring life and personality to your shopfront.
Vinyl signs, while neat and uniform, are limited to templates and fonts. They lack the warmth and individuality of a hand-painted design.
““A hand-painted sign doesn’t just tell people your business name, it tells them you care about quality and detail.”
In the second line of this sign you read in Spanish “F*cking Dry” For sure the owner of that business didn’t want to say that. Some of the vinyl letters peeled off. Originally it used to say “Dry fruits”
Vinyl vs Hand-Painted Signs: Durability and Longevity
““While vinyl signs die, hand painted signs age”
Vinyl signs peel, fade, and crack over time, especially in rainy, windy climates like Ireland or the UK, and lets not talk about warm weather like in spain! A sign that looks perfect today may start lifting in just a couple of months or years.
Hand written signs, using quality paint and traditional techniques, age gracefully. Some historic shopfronts and pub signs in Belfast, Dublin, and London have lasted decades, retaining their charm and impact.
Above, old gilded and hand painted sign with more than 80 years which you can still read perfectly at Termas da Curia, Portugal
How Handwritten Signs Add Value to Your Business
Yes, vinyl is cheaper upfront, but what does your sign say about your brand? In the long term a vinyl sign will weather and deteriorate. There you will be with a sign missing parts or full letters, so it won’t communicate correctly your message. So, think twice, are vinyl signs really cheap?
A hand-painted sign instantly communicates quality, care, and authenticity. Whether it’s a boutique, café, or heritage pub, the right sign helps customers trust and connect with your business.
For premium projects, gilded glass with gold leaf or hand-painted details create a luxurious, historic feel.
No matter how old a hand made sign turns, you will always have the original message for your audience. You won’t have missing letters.
Creative Possibilities with Traditional Signwriting
With a brush, the creative options are endless: custom lettering, textures, shadows, highlights, and gold leaf effects. Vinyl cannot replicate the depth, richness, or skill of traditional hand-painted techniques.
The images below are a great example of what you can achieve with signwriting, signs full of personality and traditional style.
Supporting the Craft: Why Traditional Signwriting Matters
Choosing hand-painted signs supports a craft that nearly disappeared when vinyl became popular in the 1980s. Today, there’s a resurgence of signwriting as business owners seek authenticity and heritage in their branding.
Many of my clients are highend brands that look for quality and luxury signs or small business that create and sell products hand made, therefore they want their signs to reflect the core values of their enterprise.
Each stroke tells a story, carries history, and shows skill, and that story is visible to everyone who walks past your shop.
Hand-Painted Signs vs Vinyl: Which Should You Choose?
If you want a quick, temporary solution, vinyl may suffice. But for authentic, unique, long-lasting signage that elevates your business, hand-painted signs are worth the investment.
Judge by yourself. Simply look at the images bellow. The first picture it’s an old vinyl sign, can you read the name of that business?. On the other hand, the sign on the second picture might have around 80 years. It is hand painted and you can see it at the hotel Curia Palace in Portugal. Yes, the sign is old, but you can read perfectly the sign today.
Learn More or See Examples
Curious to see how traditional signwriting and gilding can transform a space? Take a look at my Portfolio to see real projects across Ireland and the UK.
If you’d like to learn these techniques yourself, my online course Fundamentals of Brush Control is designed to help beginners gain confidence and skill with brush lettering.
Special thanks to my fellow signwriters from Spain Lidia, Ira Senatos, Breno Fortes, Nico Barrios and Joan Quiros who facilitated some of the pictures to complete this article.
🎨 Let’s Keep the Craft Alive!
If you love traditional signwriting as much as I do, let’s stay in touch:
💡 Follow me on Instagram for a peek into my studio and daily work.
📺 Check out my YouTube channel for tutorials and behind-the-scenes videos.
📩 Or get in touch to bring a custom sign or gold leaf piece to life for your business.
🌟 Let’s keep the tradition of signwriting alive together!
With lot of love,
Joha Muñe
