Search for engraved bronze plaques and you will find two very different products under one name. One is a solid cast bronze plaque, poured in a foundry, with letters that stand up from the surface. The other is a thin brass or bronze coloured plate with letters cut or lasered into it, often sold for the price of a dinner for two. Both have a place. This page explains how each is made, what each is good for, and why a memorial, a dedication or a marker that has to last outdoors is almost always cast.
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Raised lettering, solid bronze, priced live as you design. Approve a free proof before casting.
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How a cast bronze plaque is made
Your design becomes a pattern with every letter, border and emblem standing proud. The pattern is pressed into casting sand, molten bronze is poured into the mould, and the plaque comes out as one solid piece with the lettering raised about a tenth of an inch above the background. The background is textured and darkened by oxidising, the raised faces are ground and polished bright, and the whole plaque is lacquered. The result is a plaque around a quarter of an inch thick that weighs several pounds, with letters that cannot wear off because they are part of the metal.
How an engraved plaque is made
An engraved plaque starts as a flat sheet, usually brass, aluminium or a bronze coloured alloy a sixteenth of an inch thick or less. A rotary cutter or a laser removes metal to form the letters, and the cut is usually filled with black paint for contrast. It is quick, it allows very fine detail and small type, and it is cheap. The limits show outdoors: the paint fill fades and flakes, the thin sheet dents, and a lacquered brass surface tarnishes unevenly once the coating breaks down.
Side by side
| Cast bronze, raised letters | Engraved plate, cut letters | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Solid bronze, about 1/4 inch thick | Thin sheet of brass, aluminium or coated alloy |
| Lettering | Raised, polished, part of the casting | Cut into the surface, paint filled |
| Outdoor life | Generations; darkens to a brown patina, letters stay legible | A few years before paint fades and the sheet tarnishes |
| Detail | Emblems and motifs in relief, photos as ceramic or etched inserts | Very fine lines and small type possible |
| Best for | Memorials, grave markers, dedications, historical markers, signs | Indoor labels, name tags, trophies, temporary signage |
| Price, 12 x 8 inches | $796.86 in our designer, shipping included | Typically well under $100 |
| Lead time | 3 to 4 weeks after proof approval | Days |
When engraved is fine
Indoors, where there is no weather and no one touches the plaque, an engraved plate does the job: a plaque on a framed painting, a name on an office door, a label inside a trophy cabinet. If you need type smaller than about a quarter of an inch high, or a long paragraph on a small plate, engraving can hold detail that casting cannot.
When cast is the only sensible choice
Anything that marks a life or an event and is meant to stay put. Grave markers and cemetery plaques, which many cemeteries require to be cast bronze on a granite base. Memorial plaques on benches, boulders and walls. Building dedications and historical markers, which are expected to read correctly in fifty years. Signs on buildings, where a plaque is part of the architecture. For these, the extra cost of casting buys a plaque that does not need replacing, and the raised lettering keeps its contrast without paint.
Photos and fine detail on cast bronze
Casting is not limited to lettering. Emblems, crests, flowers, animals and religious symbols are cast in relief from the motif library in our designer or from artwork you upload. A photograph is added as a ceramic picture or an etched insert set into the casting, so you get the durability of cast bronze with a true likeness.
How to order
- Open the free design tool, pick the shape and set the size in inches. The price updates as you go.
- Add the wording, choose a border and background, and add an emblem, motif or photo if you want one.
- Pick the fastening: flat back, concealed lugs with studs, or screws visible from the front.
- Save the design and order it from My Account. We send a written proof, and nothing is cast until you approve it.
Frequently asked questions
Is an engraved bronze plaque the same as a cast bronze plaque?
No. An engraved plaque is a thin sheet with letters cut into it and usually paint filled. A cast bronze plaque is solid metal poured in a mould with the letters raised as part of the casting. Cast bronze is the one that lasts outdoors.
Can cast bronze have engraved or recessed letters?
Raised lettering is standard and is what keeps its contrast outdoors. If a cemetery or a design calls for recessed letters, ask us before you order and we will advise whether the design can be cast that way.
Why does a cast bronze plaque cost more?
It is a solid piece of bronze, several pounds of metal, made as a one off casting from a pattern of your design, then hand finished. An engraved plate is a few ounces of sheet cut by machine. The cast plaque is bought once; the engraved plate is replaced.
How long will a cast bronze plaque last outdoors?
Bronze does not rust. The lacquer slowly weathers and the plaque darkens to brown while the raised letters stay legible, which is why century old bronze plaques are still readable. Our guide on how long bronze memorial plaques last has more detail.
How long does it take?
Allow about 3 to 4 weeks for casting after you approve the free proof, plus 5 to 10 days for delivery anywhere in the USA and worldwide.
Order the kind that lasts
Design a solid cast bronze plaque online, see the price, and approve a free proof before casting.
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