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Our correx boards come in four sizes: A3 (297 x 420mm), A2 (420 x 594mm), A1 (594 x 841mm) and A0 (841 x 1189mm). Set your artwork up with 5mm of bleed on every edge, so an A1 file is 604 x 851mm, and keep text and logos at least 10mm inside the trim. Every board is 3mm or 4mm fluted polypropylene, depending on the size and quantity, printed in full colour on one side or both.
The sign rules below are a general summary for England, not legal advice; check with your council for your site.
Correx board sizes
| Size | Finished size | Area | Artwork with 5mm bleed | Safe area (10mm inside trim) | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | 297 x 420mm | 0.125 m² | 307 x 430mm | 277 x 400mm | Windows, gates, arrows |
| A2 | 420 x 594mm | 0.25 m² | 430 x 604mm | 400 x 574mm | Fences, railings, entrances |
| A1 | 594 x 841mm | 0.4996 m² | 604 x 851mm | 574 x 821mm | Property boards, site signs |
| A0 | 841 x 1189mm | 1.0 m² | 851 x 1199mm | 821 x 1169mm | Hoardings, large site signs |
Areas are rounded. Every size works portrait or landscape: turn the page. The artwork size adds 5mm of bleed to every edge; backgrounds run out to the bleed edge, while words and logos stay inside the safe area. Our guide to what bleed is explains why.
Our correx board templates show the trim, bleed and safe area for each size as a preview, PDF and SVG. For a double-sided board, put the front on page 1 and the back on page 2. The A1 correx board page has the full specification for that size.
Photos need at least 100dpi at full size, and 150dpi or more looks sharper at reading distance: at 150dpi an A1 file with bleed is 3567 x 5026 pixels. Our glossary explains dpi. Supply logos and text as vector artwork. Our guide to setting up artwork for print covers PDF export, CMYK and fonts.
What correx is
Correx is fluted polypropylene board: two thin plastic skins joined by ribs, like plastic corrugated cardboard. The channels between the ribs are called flutes. It is rigid for its weight and can be cut, punched or drilled.
Thickness: 3mm or 4mm
Our boards are 3mm or 4mm thick, depending on the size and quantity you order. Both are light to carry and stiff enough to hang flat on a fence or wall. On an exposed site, fix the board at more points.
Which size for which job
For a home for sale or to let, A1 is just inside the 0.5 m² limit for a single board (see the rules below); our page on correx boards for estate agents covers property boards. Building sites often use A1 on the hoarding, with A3 or A2 for directions: see correx boards for trades. For events, A2 suits fences and A3 suits arrows, as our page on correx boards for events shows.
Can correx go outside?
Yes. The board is waterproof, so rain does not soften it. How long the print stays bright depends on the sun and weather it gets, so correx suits temporary signs; replace a long-term sign when it fades. Fix it at several points so it does not flap, keep it off the ground, and fix it flat against a fence or wall where you can.
How to fix a correx board
Our boards are supplied printed, without holes, and we do not supply fixings, so you add them yourself. Need holes? Contact us before you order. The methods below are general guidance.
| Method | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Cable ties | Make a hole near each corner and tie it to a rail or post | Fences, railings, scaffolding |
| Screws with wide washers | Screw into timber; the washer stops the head pulling through | Posts, hoardings |
| Double-sided pads or tape | Stick to a clean, dry, smooth surface | Windows, doors, walls |
| Double-sided board on a post | One board printed both sides, fixed to a post | Roads seen from both directions |
Choose double-sided on the product page for a board that is read from both sides.
Making holes
A hole punch or a sharp drill bit makes a clean hole in correx. Put holes in the corners, in the margin outside the 10mm safe area, so they miss your text. For bigger holes, widen the plain margin in your design to match.
Wire stakes
Wire stakes push into the flutes along one edge, so they only work on an edge where the flutes run up and down. If you plan to stake your boards, contact us before you order.
Sign rules in England
Outdoor advertisements in England are controlled by the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Some temporary signs can go up without applying for consent, because they have deemed consent under Schedule 3. Each class has its own conditions.
| Use | Class | Main limits (summary) |
|---|---|---|
| Sale or letting of the property the board is on | 3A, Schedule 3 | One board, or two boards joined at an angle. Residential: 0.5 m², or 0.6 m² in total for two joined boards. Other uses: 2 m², or 2.3 m² joined. Removed within 14 days after the sale completes or the tenancy is granted. It may say a sale or letting has been agreed, or that the property has been sold or let, subject to contract, but not simply that it has been sold or let |
| Building or similar work on the site | 3C, Schedule 3 | Only while the work is going on. Generally one per road frontage for each project. 2 m² in total where one person is named (3 m² if more than 10m from a highway), with extra area for each extra person named |
| Local events that are not commercial (religious, educational, cultural, political, social or recreational) | 3D, Schedule 3 | Up to 0.6 m². Not up earlier than 28 days before the event starts, and removed within 14 days after it ends |
In all three classes, no letter or symbol may be more than 0.75m high (0.3m in an area of special control), no part of the sign may be more than 4.6m above ground level (3.6m in an area of special control), and the sign may not be lit (Schedule 3, Part 1). For a double-sided sign, only one side counts towards the area (Schedule 3, Part 2, paragraph 1(2)).
Every sign must also meet the standard conditions in Schedule 2. These include the site owner's permission, not obscuring traffic signs or railway signals, and not endangering people using a road or railway.
What the sizes mean in practice
- A1 (0.4996 m²) is just inside the 0.5 m² limit for a single residential board (Class 3A).
- Two A2 boards joined in a V come to 0.499 m², inside the 0.6 m² joined limit; two A1 boards (0.999 m²) are over it (Class 3A).
- A1 is inside the 0.6 m² limit for a local event sign (Class 3D).
Read the full class before you put a board up. The 2007 Regulations apply in England only; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules. Before you fix anything to a lamp-post, road sign or verge, ask your council.
Election boards
Please contact us before you order election boards. Printed election material must carry an imprint, and the Electoral Commission's imprint guidance for candidates explains what it must show.
Designing a board people can read
Use few words in large type, with strong contrast: a name, one message and a phone number. Our artwork guidelines list the file checks. A free automatic check runs when you upload, and the on-screen proof shows the trim, bleed and safe area before you pay.
Prices, VAT and delivery
See live prices for every size, from a single board, on the correx boards page. Correx boards are standard-rated for VAT at 20%, and prices include VAT (how VAT applies to print). Delivery is free to UK mainland addresses; the product page shows the dispatch time.
Questions
What sizes do correx boards come in? We print A3 (297 x 420mm), A2 (420 x 594mm), A1 (594 x 841mm) and A0 (841 x 1189mm), single or double-sided, from one board. With 5mm bleed on every edge, the artwork sizes are 307 x 430mm, 430 x 604mm, 604 x 851mm and 851 x 1199mm. Keep text and logos 10mm inside the trim.
How thick are your correx boards, and can I get 5mm? Our boards are 3mm or 4mm fluted polypropylene, depending on the size and quantity you order. We do not offer 5mm correx. Both thicknesses are light to carry, waterproof, and stiff enough to hang flat on a fence or wall. On a windy or exposed site, fix the board at more points so it does not flap.
Is correx waterproof? Yes. The board does not absorb water, so rain does not soften it. How long the print stays bright outside depends on the sun and weather it gets, so correx is best for temporary signs. For a sign that stays up long term, plan to replace the board when it starts to fade.
How far from the edge should text be on a correx board? At least 10mm inside the trim, which gives a safe area of 574 x 821mm on an A1 board. If you will make holes for cable ties or screws, put them in the margin outside the safe area, and widen that plain margin if your holes are bigger. Backgrounds still run out to the 5mm bleed edge.
Do your boards come with holes or fixings? No. Boards are supplied printed, without holes, and we do not supply fixings, so you add them yourself. Need holes? Contact us before you order. A hole punch or drill makes a clean hole in the board, and cable ties, screws with wide washers or double-sided pads all work, depending on where the board goes.
What size can an estate agent board be? In England, a board for selling or letting a home can be up to 0.5 m², or 0.6 m² for two boards joined at an angle (Class 3A, Schedule 3 to the 2007 Regulations). An A1 board is 0.4996 m², so it fits. It must come down within 14 days after the sale completes or the tenancy is granted.
Can you print election boards? Please contact us before you order election boards. Printed election material must carry an imprint, and the Electoral Commission publishes guidance on what the imprint must show and where it goes. Read it before you finalise your artwork, and get in touch with your sizes and quantities so we can talk it through with you first.
Can I put a correx sign on a lamp-post? Only if your council allows it, so check first. Signs also need the site owner's permission under the standard conditions in Schedule 2 to the 2007 Regulations. Ask the council before you fix anything to a lamp-post, a road sign or a verge.