No two orders at Plaque Store are quite the same, because every plaque we make is a custom plaque. From the wording and font through to the material, size and any logo or image you'd like included, custom plaques let you create something that fits your exact purpose - whether that's a gift, a memorial, a business sign or an award. This guide walks through the choices involved in designing your own custom plaques from start to finish.
What Makes a Plaque "Custom"?
A custom plaque simply means the design is built around you, rather than picked off a shelf. That covers the wording itself, the layout, the typeface, and any artwork such as a logo, crest or motif - as well as practical choices like material and size. Custom plaques can be as simple as a name and date, or as detailed as a full inscription with a company logo and decorative border.
Step 1: Choose Your Wording
Wording is usually the starting point for any custom plaque, and it depends on what the plaque is for. If you're working on a tribute, our guides to memorial plaque wording and memorial plaque wording by relationship offer plenty of inspiration. For a workplace or office sign, take a look at our business plaque wording ideas.
Step 2: Pick a Material and Finish
Custom plaques from Plaque Store are available in brass, stainless steel or aluminium, each giving a different look and feel - warm and traditional, sleek and modern, or lightweight and understated. Our guide to choosing the right material for engraved plaques breaks down the differences, and you can browse the brass, stainless steel and aluminium ranges side by side.
Step 3: Add a Logo, Image or Border
Many custom plaques include more than just text. Logos, crests, borders and even custom artwork can all be engraved alongside your wording, and we'll send a free artwork proof before anything goes into production. Our guide to personalising your plaque with logos, images and borders explains exactly how this works, and our font guide will help you choose lettering to match.
Step 4: Choose a Size
Custom plaques need to suit their setting as much as their wording - a small brass bench plaque calls for shorter, punchier text than a large A4 wall plaque with room for a full inscription. Our plaque size guide will help you match the size to the amount of wording you have in mind.
Popular Uses for Custom Plaques
Custom plaques suit almost any occasion: personalised gifts, house name signs, retirement and leaving gifts, memorial and commemorative plaques, and business signage for offices, clubs and schools. Whatever the occasion, starting with our wall plaques, bench plaques or business plaques collections is a good way to see the range of custom plaques on offer - popular starting points include the stainless steel wall plaque for a modern finish and the aluminium bench plaque for a lightweight, budget-friendly option.
Ready to design your own? Explore our full range of personalised engraved plaques and start building your custom plaque today.