Bolot Studio creates premium metal prints from your photos using advanced metal printing technology. Each print is made to order in Poland and shipped across Europe.
A house number sign is one of the smallest things on your property and one of the first things every visitor, courier, and neighbour notices. Pick the wrong brand and you end up with a faded plate within five years. Pick the right one and the sign outlives the front door it sits beside.
This guide compares the brands worth considering in 2026. We will not pretend Bolot Studio is the right answer for every facade. We will show you where each brand genuinely shines and where it falls short.
Before naming names, here are the criteria that actually matter for an outdoor sign that has to survive British weather, sit honestly in front of a thousand visitors, and still look intentional ten years from now.
Durability — does it survive rain, frost, and UV without quick fading or warping under normal outdoor use?
Customisation — can you control layout, font, size, and bolt finish?
Design quality — does it look like a craftsperson made it, or like a sticker?
Price — fair value for what you receive, not just the lowest number
Lead time — how long from order to your front wall
Sustainability — recyclable materials, local production, low transport
Brand provenance — who actually makes the sign and where
These seven criteria run through every brand below.
Daniel co-founded Bolot Studio and builds everything you see on the site — the configurator, order system, and the entire tech stack. With 6+ years in e-commerce, his goal is to get you from idea to print in just a few clicks.
Co-founder of Bolot Studio6+ Years E-commerce ExperienceFull-Stack Developer
Best Metal Print Companies 2026: Honest Comparison
Comparing the best metal print companies in 2026. We review Bolot Studio, Bay Photo, Nations Photo Lab, Mpix, and CanvasChamp on quality, price, and shipping.
9 min read
Guides & Tips
Best Displate Alternative: Print Your Own Photos on Metal
Looking for a Displate alternative? Discover personalized metal prints featuring YOUR photos, not pre-made designs. European craftsmanship, decades durability.
Displate is a Warsaw-based metal poster company with a magnetic mounting system and a huge artist marketplace. They recently expanded into home decor and offer custom uploads through "Displate Upload."
Strengths
Magnetic mount is genuinely clever for indoor use
Solid metal substrate with vivid colours
Reliable EU shipping
Weaknesses
Their core product is indoor wall art, not outdoor signage
No layout templates or address-specific design tools
Mounting system is not designed for facades or stone walls
If you want a metal poster for the living room, Displate is excellent. If you want a sign that has to survive five winters by your front door, it is not the brand for the job.
Search "house number sign" on Etsy and you get thousands of results. Some are gorgeous laser-cut wooden plaques from independent makers in Cornwall. Others are cheap 3D-printed plastic that warps in the first heatwave.
Strengths
Genuine creative variety, especially for traditional or whimsical homes
Direct contact with the maker
Often the only source for unusual fonts or shapes
Weaknesses
Quality varies enormously between sellers
Outdoor durability is often overpromised
Returns can be difficult on personalised items
Lead times unpredictable
Etsy is best when you find a specific maker whose portfolio you trust. Treat it like a craft fair, not a department store.
The independent shop on the high street that engraves keys and trophies will usually engrave a brass or stainless steel address plate as well. These plates have been the British default for fifty years.
Strengths
Engraved brass and steel last decades
Local, supports independent business
You can hand-pick the plate in person
Weaknesses
Design language is often dated
Limited fonts, usually serif only
Brass needs polishing to stay bright
No layout flexibility
If your facade is Georgian or Edwardian and you want something that looks like it has been there since 1930, this is the right route.
B&Q, Homebase, and similar retailers sell pre-made stamped aluminium plates with fixed numbers from 1 to 99. Cheap, immediate, checkout-disclosed costs.
Strengths
Cheapest option by a wide margin
Available from local stock
Good enough for rentals or temporary properties
Weaknesses
Generic look, identical on thousands of houses
Stamped finish fades in 2 to 5 years
No customisation beyond the digit choice
Often plastic-coated rather than solid metal
B&Q makes sense for a rental flat or a temporary fix. It does not make sense if you own the home and care how it looks.
These are the high-end British specialists. House Numbers Direct works with architects on listed buildings. Best&Lloyd has been making bronze and brass signs for over a century.
We make customisable address signs in Poland from glossy metal designed for exterior facades. The finish is glossy only, the printed surface is built for outdoor address use, and every sign ships with your choice of mounting included — raised steel standoffs (in black, inox, or gold) with a full anchor kit, or an adhesive fix using included real glue.
Strengths
Six layout templates and two sizes
Three fonts and nine number positions
Two mounting methods included in the box — standoff or adhesive
Made for exterior address use with simple care
Handcrafted in Poland, individually inspected
Fast EU shipping and a clear configurator
Weaknesses
Not the cheapest option
We do not sell cast bronze for listed buildings
Single material (glossy metal), so no brass or wood styles
Newer brand, smaller catalogue than B&Q
We are honest: Bolot Studio is not for everyone. If you need cast bronze for a Georgian townhouse or the absolute lowest price, look elsewhere. For most modern and contemporary homes, we believe the balance of customisation, durability, and design is hard to beat.
If your facade is rendered in a single colour, your door is matte black or warm wood, and you want the sign to feel intentional, our glossy metal signs are designed for exactly this aesthetic. Choose the glossy finish, a sans-serif font, and your included mounting kit — standoff or adhesive.
A modern glossy metal sign on a Grade II listed terrace looks wrong. Cast bronze with serif numerals is the right answer here, and House Numbers Direct or Best&Lloyd are the safe bets.
Stone and rough-textured walls need a permanent mechanical fixing, not a surface treatment — so reach for the included standoff option rather than the adhesive fix. The four steel standoffs are anchored into the masonry or stone using the included anchor kit — screw-in anchors for facade and insulation plus standard plugs for brick — and a local installer can pick the right anchor for an unusual stone.
For a housewarming gift, a personalised sign feels far more thoughtful than a candle. Our configurator lets the recipient see the result before you order. A trusted Etsy maker can also work if their style fits the recipient's home.
If you are renting, moving soon, or genuinely need to spend under £25, B&Q is the right answer. Do not pretend it will look architectural, but it will do the job until you upgrade.
We are not trying to win every category. Cast bronze beats us on prestige. B&Q beats us on price. Etsy beats us on the most unusual one-off shapes.
What we offer is a specific balance: a sign that looks intentional on most modern homes, is designed for long outdoor service with simple care, gives you real control over the layout and fixings, and arrives in three days at a price that does not require a heritage budget.
If that balance matches what your facade needs, we have probably built the sign for you. If your home calls for something else, we hope this guide helps you find the right brand instead. Honesty matters more than a sale.
Pro Tip
Before ordering from any brand, take a photo of your facade in daylight and
another at dusk. Most signs look very different at the two times of day, and
this simple check often changes the colour or finish you would have picked.
If you would like to see how a Bolot Studio sign looks on your specific facade, our configurator lets you preview six templates, two sizes, three fonts, and your choice of included mounting (standoff or adhesive) before you commit.
There is no single winner. House Numbers Direct leads on architectural prestige, B&Q wins on price, and Bolot Studio offers the best balance of customisation, durability, and design quality at a mid-premium price. The right brand depends on your facade, budget, and how much you care about personalisation.
If you plan to live in your home for years, yes. A premium glossy metal or stainless steel sign costs £40 to £120 more than a budget stamped plate, but lasts decades outdoors without quick fading or warping under normal outdoor use. Cheap signs often need replacing within 3 to 5 years, so the long-term cost is similar.
Bolot Studio designs its address signs specifically for exterior facades: glossy metal, six layout templates, two sizes, and your choice of mounting included — standoff or adhesive. Different products for different jobs.
Mostly no. Hardware stores like B&Q, OBI, or Leroy Merlin sell pre-made plates with fixed numbers and limited fonts. If you want a specific layout, custom name, or matching style, you need a specialist brand like Bolot Studio, House Numbers Direct, or a skilled Etsy seller.
It depends on materials. Stamped budget plates fade in 2 to 5 years. Engraved brass lasts decades but needs polishing. glossy metal with printed finish, like Bolot Studio uses, is designed for long outdoor service with simple care. Acrylic and 3D-printed plastic from Etsy vary widely, often 3 to 8 years outdoors.
No single brand wins for everyone. House Numbers Direct leads on architectural
prestige, B&Q on price, Etsy on quirky personalisation, and Bolot Studio
offers the best balance of customisation, durability, and design quality at
mid-premium prices. The right choice depends on your facade style, budget, and
how long you want the sign to last.
