George has a valid point.
If you are like me, up until recently the thought of going to a protest with a sign was a foreign concept. I was among the “silent majority” who thought that common sense and the Constitution would prevail and everything would work itself out in time. The George W. Bush and Barack Obama presidencies have shaken me and millions of other Americans out of this lethargic state and we now find ourselves mobilized and motivated to speak our minds. Once I did decide to attend a rally, I realized that I had no idea how to construct a sign. “How hard could it really be?” I thought. Well, after some trial and error, and taking some lessons from the seasoned protesters whose views I oppose, I have a simple system that works for me that I will share with you now.

Materials Needed:

(1) 1” x 2” pine handle at least 4’ long
(2) 20” x 30” foam core poster board
Stapler and staples
Spray adhesive
Double-sided tape
Magnum Sharpie Marker
Materials needed.
Creating Your Sign

Take your foam core poster board and create your layout. Decide what you want to say. Keep the verbiage on your sign simple, bold, and to the point. You may want to sketch it out in pencil first so you can make changes. If you have visual aids to add to the sign you can experiment with their positioning now as well. I like to orient the sign with the 30” dimension vertically and the 20” dimension horizontally.


Once you are satisfied, take your magnum-sized marker and using slow, deliberate strokes, add the lettering to your sign. You can outline the letters if you are so inclined. I just use simple, capital, block lettering and it is very visible, even at great distance.

If you have visual aids, use the spray adhesive to attach them. Spray a small amount of adhesive on both the visual aid and the area you will attach it to. Carefully lay your visual aid in place and apply gentle pressure to secure it. Once you are finished, repeat this process for your second piece of poster board.
Sign with completed layout.
Attaching the Handle

Next, attach your poster board to your handle. Your handle should be approximately 4’ long if you are going to hold it or 8ft long if you want to leave it planted on the ground. Take your double sided tape and apply a strip 30” long from the end that you consider to be the “top.” Press firmly to ensure the tape is bonded to the handle. Repeat for the other side of the handle.
Two-sided tape on handle.
Mark the center of your poster board at the top and bottom for reference. Peel off the protective film from the tape on one side of the handle. Take your first poster board and carefully position the top of it at the top of the handle. Slowly lower it in to place keeping it centered on the handle. Press firmly to ensure the poster board has bonded to the tape.
Attach sign to handle working from top to bottom.
Take your stapler and staple the top and bottom of the poster board to the handle. This additional mechanical fastening will ensure that the board cannot begin to peel from the tape at the ends. An additional staple can be added in the center of the sign if desired. Repeat for the other poster board.
Staple the top and bottom.
Your sign is now ready for action! It is rugged, easy to read, and was cheap to construct. (Mine cost less than 10 bucks total)
Finished sign.

Tips:

• Don’t make your sign too large. If the sign is too big, the wind will make it difficult to hold and the sign may come apart. I find the 20” x 30” size to be comfortable.

• Keep your sign brief and to the point. People need to be able to read and understand your sign as they pass by in moving automobiles. Quotes from the Founding Fathers are admirable but, in most cases, become too small and wordy. My signs have made the news at almost every event that I have attended.
Wordy signs are tough to read.

• Be sure to purchase your 1” x 2” handle with radiused corners. Square corners will be uncomfortable to hold.
Radiused corners are comfortable to hold.

• Reuse your signs. Blank poster board can be applied to your existing sign so it can be reused.
Sign that has been reused.

• Use an 8’ handle if you cannot hold a sign for long period. You can set the base of the handle on the ground and the sign will still be visible.

• A picture is truly worth a thousand words. Incorporate a clear logo or picture to help get your point across. Make sure the picture isn’t too busy or the details will get lost.
A picture is worth 1000 words.

• Bring your leftover sign-building materials to the rally just in case you need to make repairs.

• Be sure to make a poster board for each side. You want 360 degrees of visibility.