Ordering Plaques

Contact Sales (see directory at left) for a quote and help with any questions.

Ordering a plaque is easy.  Here is an outline of the process.

First you need to get a quotation from St. Paul Brass and Aluminum Foundry.  To get a quote, you need to know the size of your plaque and what options you want.  Size is measured in height by width.  

Standard options available include bosses on the back, mounting holes drilled and rosettes.  All of these options are dictated by your choice of mounting methods.  Remember bronze plaques are heavy - about 0.1238 pounds per square inch of surface area.  You need to use strong fasteners and mount them on a substantial structure.  

Typically plaques are either mounted by drilling holes through the face of the plaque then screwing it to the support structure, or they are set into masonry mortar.  If set into mortar we make the plaque with four bosses on the back.  The bosses are drilled and tapped for a 3/8" standard bolt.  The bolt is screwed into the boss prior to setting in the mortar.  It forms a mechanical bond when the mortar sets.  We provide four bolts at no additional charge.  This method provides a clean installation with no fasteners visible from the front.  Click here to see a detail of the mounting boss and bolt.

If you choose to mount your plaque by drilling through the front we will drill and countersink four 1/4" holes near the corners of the plaque.   We will provide four bronze rosettes to cover the screw heads if you desire.  We recommend using #12 flat head wood screws. Large plaques will require more screws.

You also have the option of choosing any bronze or aluminum alloy we pour.  We recommend you use C87500 silicon bronze.  This alloy assures you of the best quality.  It is a member of the same family of alloys from which most great sculpture has been made for centuries.  It permits you to apply a wide range of patinas and ages very gracefully.

Our standard finish is to paint the background with a black lacquer and polish the surface of the letters, borders and two dimensional art to a brushed finish.   You may specify other finishes if you so desire.  Non-standard finishes may add extra cost.

You may incorporate any black and white, two dimensional artwork you wish at no additional cost.  We are able to achieve resolution down to about 1/32nd of an inch.  

We are also able to incorporate bas-relief artwork on your plaque.  We use highly skilled sculptural artists to transform your photograph or drawing into a sculpture in relief on the surface of your plaque.  You may also provide your own wax, wood or composite model for us to use.  There are limitations to this process.  Please call us to discuss your specific project. 

The more information you give us prior to the quotation the more accurate will be the bid we give you.  

If you choose to buy a plaque after you have received your bid we will require a 50% deposit to proceed with your order. Please specify exactly which options you want at the time of ordering. Most plaques are subject to sales tax unless you will be reselling it to another party.  If you feel you are exempt from sales tax you will need to provide us with your tax ID.

We will then  prepare full size artwork for your approval.  We require a signature on the proof before we proceed with casting your plaque.  Once we have an approved proof we will prepare a wooden pattern.  The wooden pattern is then used to make a cavity in a sand mold into which we pour the molten metal to form your plaque.  

When the metal cools we clean and finish your plaque.  We drill and tap holes, paint and polish it. Then it is ready for pickup or shipment.  There is a minimal charge for  shipping and handling.  We require that you pay the outstanding balance for your plaque before we release it to you.

The amount of time the whole process takes can vary depending on the complexity of your order, the approval process, and our current backlog of orders. 

When your plaque is ready you can pay the outstanding balance and pick it up or have it shipped to you.  We're sorry, but unless you are already an established customer of ours we can't offer credit terms on plaques.