AUHow to Put Up a Corflute Sign: Stakes, Fences, Walls and Wind
Short answer: push wire step stakes up into the vertical flutes of a 5mm corflute sign for lawns and garden beds, cable-tie through eyelets for fences and rails, and screw through washers for timber or masonry. Most outdoor problems, such as signs spinning, sagging or blowing over, come from a sign with the flutes running the wrong way, too few fixing points, or a sign that is too big for an exposed spot.
This guide covers what we see go wrong when customers put up the corflute signs we print in Derrimut, and how to avoid it. It applies to real estate boards, election signs, site signs and event signs alike.
Before you order: check thickness and flute direction
Corflute is two thin plastic skins joined by rows of hollow channels called flutes. Those flutes decide how a sign can be mounted.
- Vertical flutes (running top to bottom) are what you need for ground stakes. The stake legs slide up inside the channels.
- Horizontal flutes (running side to side) suit signs hung from eyelets at the top and bottom, or fixed flat to a fence.
Our single-sided corflute signs are produced with either flute orientation, depending on material and production. We can't guarantee vertical flutes on every order. If you're staking signs into the ground, contact us before you order and we'll confirm what's possible for your job. It's much easier to sort this out at the quote stage than after the signs arrive.
Thickness matters too. Our wire step stakes are made for 5mm corflute and aren't a good fit for 3mm or 4mm sheet. 5mm board is also stiffer in the wind. Every sign ordered from our corflute signs page is printed on 5mm board. If you're weighing up the two thicknesses for another job, read our 3mm vs 5mm corflute guide.
Method 1: Ground stakes (lawns, nature strips, garden beds)
This is the standard set-up for front-yard real estate signs, open home signs and election corflutes on private property.
- Check the flutes run vertically. Look at the bottom edge of the sign. You should see the open ends of the channels.
- Slide the sign onto the stake first. Push the top legs of the stake up into two flutes until the sign sits on the cross-bar. Pick channels evenly spaced either side of the centre so the sign doesn't lean.
- Push the stake into the ground with your foot on the step bar, not by pressing on the sign. Pushing on the printed face bends the board and can crease it.
- In hard or dry ground, water the spot first or open a pilot hole with a screwdriver or a spare stake. Forcing a stake into baked clay is the most common way stakes get bent.
- Check it's upright and square to the road, so drivers can read the whole face as they approach.
If a sign spins or slides down the stake, it's usually because the legs are in flutes that are too far apart or too close together. Move it to a better-matched pair of channels. A small piece of tape across the bottom edge can also stop it creeping.
Method 2: Fences, rails and poles (cable ties through eyelets)
For pool fences, site fencing, balcony rails and posts, order your signs with eyelets and use cable ties. Our corflute signs come with clear plastic eyelets, so there's no metal to rust and stain the print. You can choose where they go:
- 4 eyelets, one in each corner: the best all-round choice for fences and anything exposed to wind.
- 2 top corners: fine for hanging indoors or in sheltered spots, but the bottom will flap outdoors.
- 2 centred left and right, or top and bottom: handy for poles and narrow rails.
- 6 across the top and bottom, or down the sides: for larger signs on site fencing.
Use UV-stabilised (outdoor) cable ties. Indoor ties go brittle in the sun and snap. Pull them firm but not so tight that they crush the board around the eyelet. On a sign that will stay up for weeks, check the ties after the first windy day.
No eyelets? You can thread cable ties straight through the flutes from the side of the board. Push the tie into one channel and out of a neighbouring one. It's not as neat as eyelets, but it works on site fencing.
Method 3: Walls and timber (screws, washers or tape)
On timber, brick or rendered walls, screw the sign on through a washer at each corner. The washer spreads the load so the screw head doesn't pull through the plastic. Pre-drill if you can, and keep holes a sensible distance in from the edge. Don't over-tighten: corflute crushes before it cracks, and a crushed corner will tear out in the wind.
Double-sided mounting tape works indoors and on smooth, clean surfaces in sheltered spots. Outdoors on rough or dusty surfaces it tends to let go, so use mechanical fixings there.
If the sign is going to stay on a wall for years rather than weeks, corflute may not be the best material. A printed aluminium panel sign is built for permanent outdoor installs.
Keeping signs up in the wind
Corflute is light, which is why it's so easy to carry and install. It's also why wind is the main thing that brings signs down. What helps:
- Go smaller in exposed spots. A large board on a single stake on a windy corner acts like a sail. Two smaller signs often do the job better than one big one.
- Add fixing points. Four corner eyelets beat two top eyelets, every time.
- Mount low and close to a solid surface. A sign tied flat to a fence handles wind far better than one standing free.
- Match the flute direction to the mount. Vertical flutes for stakes, horizontal for top-and-bottom hanging.
- Weigh down A-frames. Our budget corflute A-frames fold flat and are light by design. Outdoors, put a sandbag or similar weight over the base. For a sign that lives on a footpath every day, a steel-framed A-frame sign is the sturdier choice.
Where you're allowed to put signs
Placement rules are set by whoever controls the land, not by the printer. On private property, get the owner's permission. Footpaths, nature strips and road reserves are usually controlled by your local council or the state road authority, and many councils need a permit for A-frames on footpaths. Election signs also have their own rules near voting centres. If you're campaigning in Victoria, our guide to election signs for the Victorian state election covers the size limits and authorisation wording.
Taking signs down and reusing them
Corflute signs can be reused if they're looked after. Pull stakes straight up rather than levering the sign. Remove cable ties with side cutters instead of tearing the sign off. Wipe signs clean, let them dry, and store them flat, out of direct sun. When a sign has reached the end of its life, polypropylene corflute can be recycled, and there's no need to remove our clear eyelets first.
Quick answers
What is the best way to put up a corflute sign on grass?
Use a wire step stake in a 5mm corflute sign with vertical flutes. Slide the sign onto the stake, then push the stake into the ground with your foot on the step bar.
Can you put a corflute sign on a fence?
Yes. Order the sign with eyelets, ideally in all four corners, and fix it with UV-stabilised cable ties. Without eyelets, thread the ties through the flutes.
Do I need special stakes for corflute signs?
Stakes need to match the board thickness. Ours are designed for 5mm corflute and are sold separately from the printed signs.
Why does my sign keep spinning on the stake?
The stake legs are usually in mismatched flutes, or the flutes run horizontally. Move the sign to a better pair of channels, or ask us about vertical flutes before your next order.
Ready to order?
Set your size and quantity on our corflute signs page for a live price including GST, and add step stakes if you're going into the ground. Every printed order includes a free digital proof to approve before we print. Small quantities are produced in 1 working day after proof approval by 3pm Melbourne time. Larger quantities take longer, and the product page shows the timing for your order. Delivery depends on your address and is calculated at checkout, or you can pick up free from our Derrimut factory.
Written by the Vivid Ads production team, who print and finish corflute signs at our factory in Derrimut, Melbourne.
