Behind the durability of 100 year old enameled signs lies a surprisingly simple concept.
When looking at the beauty of a hand enameled name plate you may think that they are not durable due to the beautiful glass-like surface finish. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, a porcelain enamel sign is durable enough to withstand adverse weather and can be cleaned easily of surface stains up to and including graffiti. The secret is in how an enamel sign is made compared to how other signs are manufactured.
Metal Floating Shelves
When a craftsman is creating a hand stenciled porcelain enamel piece they combine powdered glass with metal oxides. These melt when subjected to heat and adhere to a metal background. A variety of different metal oxides can produce a wide range of colors that are present throughout the entire thickness of the piece. The hand stenciled porcelain enamel pieces are fired at 800 degrees which leaves a surface that is extremely hardy and difficult to damage. After the enamel sign or other enameled item is cooled the craftsman is left with a durable metal backed piece with a smooth, thick porcelain enamel coating.
A house number or address plaque takes a lot more punishment than many people may think. Weather conditions can chill these signs and bombard them with snow and rain. Sunlight and heat in warmer weather can bake a sign and items such as house numbers, address plaques and name plates will begin to break down over time. If the details have been painted on they will begin to fade and wear away. Only porcelain enamel can withstand these damaging forces without fading, chipping or being damaged in any way. If you still do not believe how durable these signs can be you may find it interesting to learn that many of the enamel signs you see on the exterior of homes and other buildings may actually be well over one hundred years old.
Caring for enamel signs is not difficult. After being installed they are generally impervious to weather. It may not require any more cleaning or care than any other external surface of your home. If you do find that graffiti has become a problem a porcelain enamel sign can be cleaned using solvent and it will return to its original beautiful appearance.