Single-Sided vs Double-Sided Street Signs: Which to Order
the right face count for every post.

Published October 22, 2026. Last updated October 22, 2026.

What is the difference between single-sided and double-sided street signs?

The difference between single-sided and double-sided street signs is simply how many faces carry printed artwork. A single-sided street sign has the street name, logo or message on one face and a plain back. A double-sided street sign has artwork on both faces, so a driver sees the sign from either direction. Get Custom Street Signs makes both styles on the same production line with the same reflective sheeting options and the same lettering process.

Because the materials match, the choice is not about durability or readability. It is about where the sign stands and who needs to read it. A blade on a corner post at a two-way intersection is seen coming and going. A sign screwed to a gatehouse wall is only ever seen from the front.

Getting the face count right matters for two reasons. A single-sided blade on a two-way corner leaves half your traffic looking at a blank back. A double-sided sign on a wall prints artwork nobody will see.

How do single-sided and double-sided street signs compare side by side?

Single-sided and double-sided street signs compare most clearly by mounting position, visibility and planning effort. The table below sets out how each style behaves in the situations buyers ask about most often when ordering custom street signs.

Neither column wins everywhere. The right answer comes from walking the property and asking, for each sign position, whether anyone will ever read the back.

When should you choose double-sided street signs?

You should choose double-sided street signs for any free-standing post that drivers, cyclists or pedestrians pass in both directions. That covers almost every intersection on a two-way road in an HOA, a private community, a business park or a campus. Double-sided street name blades from Get Custom Street Signs show the same name to both approaches, so nobody turns around to check where they are.

Double-sided signs also earn their place at entrances. A median post at a divided entry can show the community name and logo to arriving traffic and a different message to departing traffic, such as a thank-you or a reminder about speed. The mockup shows both faces together so you approve the pair as a set.

• Two-way intersections: double-sided blades on every corner post.
• Entrances and medians: double-sided with a branded back face.
• Loop roads driven both ways: double-sided so returning traffic sees the name.
• Trail and path crossings: double-sided where walkers approach from both sides.

When are single-sided street signs the better choice?

Single-sided street signs are the better choice whenever the back of the sign will never face a reader. Wall-mounted signs, fence-mounted signs, gate pillars, parking signs at the head of a space and signs on one-way lanes all fall into this group. Ordering them single-sided from Get Custom Street Signs keeps the artwork, the proof and the sign list simpler.

Single-sided signs are also common for building and amenity identification. A street name or address plaque on the side of a clubhouse, a pool house or a maintenance building is read from the approach only. The same goes for reserved parking signs, visitor signs and loading zone signs facing into the space.

1. Mark every wall, fence and pillar mount as single-sided.
2. Mark parking head signs as single-sided unless the post sits between two rows facing each other.
3. Check one-way lanes on the site map and keep those signs single-sided toward the flow.
4. Flag anything you are unsure about and ask for a recommendation on the quote.

Can one order mix single-sided and double-sided street signs?

One order can mix single-sided and double-sided street signs, and most community sign programs do exactly that. Get Custom Street Signs counts both styles toward the minimum of 12, so a phase with a handful of intersections and a row of wall-mounted building signs ships together in one batch with one approved design.

The clean way to set up a mixed order is a sign list with one row per sign. Each row names the location, the sign type, the exact wording, and whether the sign is single-sided or double-sided. For double-sided signs, add whether the back repeats the front or carries different text or a logo.

That list does three jobs. It gives the quote team everything needed to price the order accurately, it lets the mockup show the right faces for each sign, and it becomes the reference for every future reorder. When a blade is knocked down years later, you replace it with the same face count without guessing.

Does a double-sided sign have to show the same artwork on both faces?

A double-sided street sign does not have to show the same artwork on both faces. Street name blades at intersections usually repeat the name, which is what drivers expect, but entrance signs, campus wayfinding and amenity signs often use the back for something different. Get Custom Street Signs proofs each face separately on the mockup, with unlimited free revisions until both sides are right.

Common back-face choices include the community logo, a welcome or farewell message, a reminder about slow speeds, or a different destination for traffic heading the other way. On wayfinding signs, the back face can point to the next landmark on the route rather than repeating the front.

The one rule to keep is consistency on street name blades. A name blade that reads one way on the front and differently on the back confuses drivers and emergency responders, so keep the spelling, suffix and abbreviation identical on both faces of every street name sign.

How do you get a quote for single-sided and double-sided street signs?

To get a quote for single-sided and double-sided street signs, send Get Custom Street Signs your sign list with the face count marked on every row, plus your logo file and color preferences. A free digital mockup comes back within 24 hours, you pay nothing until you approve it, and standard turnaround is about 2 weeks after approval.

Price depends on the number of signs, the sign types, the reflective sheeting grade, the artwork on each face and the shipping speed. Marking faces accurately is the easiest way to keep a quote tight, because it avoids paying for artwork nobody will see and avoids a second order for blades that should have been printed on both sides.

If you are not sure which style a position needs, describe the spot, such as a corner post on a two-way road or a sign on a gate pillar, and the recommendation comes back with the quote.