Questions
If your question isn't here, email sterncustoms@gmail.com — it's Brody on the other end, not a help desk.
Yes. Dogs are our instant self-serve flow — upload a photo and see a free preview in minutes. We also make trophy signs — the fish, the buck, the bird (that's STERN Game) — and custom pieces: a cat or other pet, more than one pet, you with your dog, memorials, or a whole scene (Custom).
There's no instant preview — we hand-build the artwork from your photo, email you a proof to approve, then cut and ship it. Figure about 2–3 weeks to your door, from $149. Nothing is charged until you approve your proof.
That's the whole point, and it's why the preview is free. We trace your dog's real pose and markings from the photo you send — not a generic breed template. You see exactly what will be cut before you pay a cent.
If it's not right, hit "Not quite right" on your preview and tell us what's off. We'll redo it free. Nothing gets cut until you approve it.
16-gauge steel — about 1/16" thick. Heavy enough to feel substantial and stay flat, light enough to hang on a wall. Every sign is plasma-cut in our shop in Ramsey, Minnesota.
We size it to your actual dog. A Frenchie gets a smaller sign than a Great Dane, so the proportions stay true — we don't stretch every dog to fill the same rectangle. Your preview shows the exact dimensions, and at checkout you can scale it up if you want more presence on the wall.
Raw steel is the bare mill finish — industrial, and it darkens and patinas over time. Painted is a smooth matte coat sealed with a clear coat. You choose at checkout, where you can see what each one does to the price.
Painted signs are sealed and hold up well outdoors. Raw steel will develop real rust outdoors — especially through a Minnesota winter. Some people want exactly that look; if you don't, choose painted for anything that lives outside. Email us if you're unsure and describe where it's going.
Signs are cut to hang flat against the wall. Because every sign is a different shape and weight, tell us where it's going — indoor drywall, a fence, brick, a post — and we'll cut the mounting holes in the right spots and tell you exactly what hardware to use. Just reply to your order email.
Not sure? Ask before you approve and we'll sort it out with you.
Most signs land between about 5 and 11 pounds depending on size. Anything on drywall should hit a stud or use a proper anchor rated above the sign's weight — the weight of your specific sign is on your packing slip.
For a dog sign, your free preview comes back in minutes. Once you approve and pay, your sign is cut, finished and shipped in about 5–7 business days. Every sign is made to order — nothing is sitting on a shelf. Trophy and custom orders are hand-made from your photo instead of an instant preview — figure about 2–3 weeks.
Nothing. Free shipping is built into the price, so what you see is what you pay. We ship across the US and Canada, boxed and tracked.
One dog per sign — that's what keeps the detail sharp. If your photo has two dogs in it we'll automatically focus on the main one, but a single-dog photo always gives the best result. Want two dogs? Order two signs and we'll cut them to hang as a pair.
An everyday phone photo is perfect — no studio needed. What matters:
Often, yes — this matters most for memorial signs, where sometimes there's only one photo left. Send it. The preview is free, so there's no risk in finding out. If we genuinely can't get a good sign out of it, we'll tell you straight.
Only after you see your sign and approve it. The preview costs nothing and carries no obligation.
Every sign is custom-cut for one dog, so we can't resell it — that means we don't take general returns. What we do instead: unlimited free redos before you approve, and if your sign arrives damaged or isn't what you approved, we remake it free. See our full policy.
If you adopted, tell us the shelter or rescue at checkout and we donate 15% of your order to them, and quietly let them know a sign of one of their alumni went out the door. You can add their donation link so the money goes directly to them.