Hand-Painted Honours Board Updates & Gold Leaf Lettering
Schools, sports clubs, military units, churches and organisations across the UK trust Seven 9 Signs to update honours boards using traditional signwriting techniques and genuine 23.5ct gold leaf.
Whether you need a single name added to an existing board or several years of updates completed at once, every letter is carefully matched to the original work and completed by hand.
No vinyl. No shortcuts. Just proper craftsmanship.
If your honours board needs updating, we’d love to hear from you.
Hand-Painted Honours Board Updates
Honours boards tell stories. They celebrate achievement, record history and recognise the people who helped shape schools, clubs, organisations and communities.
When it comes time to add a new name, update a date or continue a board that has been carefully maintained for decades, the new lettering should feel like it has always been there.
That’s where traditional signwriting comes in.
At Seven 9 Signs, honours board updates are completed by hand using traditional lettering techniques. Whether the original board features painted lettering, gold leaf gilding or a combination of both, we carefully match the existing style to ensure the update sits naturally alongside the names that came before it.
Many boards have been added to over generations. Our job is to make sure that tradition continues.
Why Choose Hand-Painted Honours Board Updates?
An honours board is more than a list of names. It’s a record of people, achievements and history. Whether it’s hanging in a school hall, clubhouse, church or military building, it deserves to be treated with the same care and attention as the names already on it.
Hand-painted lettering offers a level of craftsmanship that simply can’t be achieved with vinyl.
Every letter is carefully laid out, spaced and painted to suit the board. Existing styles can be matched, gold leaf can be applied where required and the finished work becomes part of the board rather than something added on afterwards.
The aim is always the same. To make the new names look like they have always belonged there.
Gold Leaf Honours Board Updates
Many honours boards feature genuine gold leaf lettering.
When updating gilded honours boards, we use genuine 23.5ct gold leaf and traditional gilding techniques to carefully match the existing work.
Every project begins by studying the board itself. We look at the original lettering style, spacing, layout and proportions before sketching the new lettering by hand. The goal is always to make the new names sit naturally alongside those already on the board.
Once the layout is complete, a water based gilding size is applied before the gold leaf is carefully laid and finished by hand.
Gold leaf catches the light in a way no paint, vinyl or imitation finish ever can. It’s one of the reasons it has been used on honours boards for generations.
Whether we’re adding a single name or updating an entire board, our approach remains the same: respect the original work, match it as closely as possible and create an update that feels like it has always belonged there.
Close up of 23.5ct gold leaf gilded lettering on an honours board.
Typically, honours board lettering is between 12mm and 15mm in height, providing a clear and readable finish while allowing space for years of future additions.
Despite their small size, each letter is carefully gilded by hand using traditional gilding techniques.
Looking for gold leaf honours board lettering?
We’d love to hear from you.
Replacing Peeling Vinyl Lettering
Many honours boards were updated with vinyl lettering during the last few decades.
At first glance it can seem like a quick solution. The problem is that vinyl rarely ages gracefully. Over time it can shrink, crack, lift around the edges or begin to peel away from the board.
We are regularly asked to remove failing vinyl lettering and replace it with traditionally hand-painted lettering or genuine gold leaf.
Not only does this restore the appearance of the board, it often brings it closer to the way it would have been updated originally.
If the names on your honours board are beginning to peel, lift or deteriorate, we’d be happy to discuss the options.
School, Sports Club & Military Honours Board Updates
We regularly update:
- School honours boards
- Grammar school honours boards
- House captain boards
- Sports captain boards
- Chairman boards
- Rugby club honours boards
- Cricket club honours boards
- Golf club honours boards
- Tennis club honours boards
- Military honours boards
- Regimental boards
- Roll of honour boards
- Church boards
- Peal boards
- Memorial boards
If your board isn’t listed above, get in touch. If it carries names and needs updating, there’s a good chance we can help.
Honours Board Updates Across Birmingham, The West Midlands & The UK
We’ve had the pleasure of updating honours boards for schools, clubs and organisations across Birmingham, the West Midlands and throughout the UK, adding everything from a single name through to several years’ worth of updates in one go.
Some boards are updated in our studio, others are updated in situ. No two boards are ever quite the same. Some feature traditional signwriting, others gold leaf and plenty arrive with vinyl lettering that’s beginning to show its age.
Whether we’re adding a single name, matching existing gold leaf or replacing peeling vinyl lettering with traditionally hand-painted work, the approach is always the same: take the time to understand the board, respect the original craftsmanship and create an update that feels like it has always belonged there.
If your honours board needs updating, we’d love to hear from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you update an honours board?
We begin by studying the existing board, its lettering style, spacing and layout. New names are then carefully added by hand using traditional signwriting techniques or genuine 23.5ct gold leaf where required. The aim is always to make the new work sit naturally alongside the original lettering.
Can you match existing honours board lettering?
Yes. Matching existing lettering is one of the most important parts of updating an honours board.
Before any paint or gold leaf is applied, we carefully study the existing lettering style, spacing and layout. The new names are then drawn and painted by hand to sit naturally alongside the original work. The aim isn’t to make the new lettering stand out. It’s to make it feel like it has always been part of the board.
What happens if the existing names are vinyl?
Many honours boards started life with hand-painted lettering or gold leaf before later updates were added using vinyl.
In some cases the vinyl has begun to peel, lift or deteriorate and can be removed before the board is updated using traditional signwriting or gold leaf to match the original work.
In other cases the vinyl remains in good condition and forms part of the board’s history. Where appropriate, we can leave the existing vinyl in place and continue future updates by carefully matching the original lettering style.
Every board is different and the best approach depends on its condition, history and how it has been updated over the years.
Can honours boards be updated in gold leaf?
Yes. We regularly update honours boards using genuine 23.5ct gold leaf and traditional gilding techniques.
Many older honours boards were originally lettered in gold leaf and it’s still one of the most elegant and durable ways to add new names today. The gold catches the light beautifully and gives the board a sense of importance that is difficult to achieve with any other material.
Before any gilding begins, we carefully study the existing lettering style, spacing and layout before sketching the new names by hand. A water based gilding size is then applied and the gold leaf is carefully laid by hand to match the original work as closely as possible.
Whether we’re adding a single name or updating several years at once, the aim is always the same: to create an update that sits naturally alongside the existing lettering and feels like it has always been part of the board.
Do honours boards need to be removed?
Not always. Some boards are worked on in our studio while others are updated on site. The best approach depends on the board, its location and the scope of work required.
Can you create a new honours board?
Yes. Alongside updating existing boards we can also create new honours boards, commemorative boards, roll of honour boards and peal boards.
How much does it cost to update an honours board?
Every board is different. Costs depend on the number of names, the lettering style, whether gold leaf is required and whether the work is carried out on site or in our studio. Get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss your project.
More Than Honours Board Updates
Honours board updates are just one part of what we do.
Alongside traditional honours board signwriting and gold leaf gilding, Seven 9 Signs creates hand-painted signage, shopfront signwriting, window lettering, large scale murals and bespoke commissions for businesses, organisations and communities across the UK.
If you’d like to explore the full range of signwriting services we offer, take a look at our Services page.
Let’s Talk About Your Honours Board
If you are looking to update an honours board, replace peeling vinyl lettering or add new names using traditional signwriting or gold leaf, we would love to hear from you.
Whether you are in Birmingham, the West Midlands or anywhere across the UK, starting the conversation is the best place to begin.
We keep things simple. Give us a call, drop us an email or use the contact form to share a few details about your project. The more we know, the easier it is to guide you in the right direction.
PHONE
07771 914569
ENQUIRY FORM
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We look forward to hearing what you have in mind.