How to Space Your House Numbers

Adding new modern house numbers to your home is an excellent way to accent the design and details of your beautiful home and make a statement. Attractively displaying your address is the perfect finishing touch to your home’s exterior. However, a sure way to ruin your new look is by spacing them incorrectly or unevenly.

8in Palm Springs numbers, Matte Black

House numbers should have proper spacing, not too close together, but not too far apart, so they are readable and appealing to the eye. When you order Modern House Numbers, we create a drilling template just for your address. We create the perfect spacing, and make sure each digit is level and straight and include this paper template with your order. This is very helpful because it helps you can tape it up and visualize the installation before you begin to drill. When you're ready, you can clearly see exactly where to drill the holes. The template makes it so your numbers will be perfectly spaced. Here are some simple rules to follow:

Place at Least Half an Inch Apart

Example of number spacing guide

A general rule for spacing your house numbers is to keep them at least half an inch apart. That's a general rule, but the spacing could vary by the font style and size of numbers you choose. Spacing affects readability tremendously. Putting numbers too close or too far apart will make your address hard to read and be displeasing to the eye. When installing Modern House Numbers, you should consult our Technical Specifications and online resource guides. We provide the height and width of every number and letter, along with a handy spacing guide to help you determine if the location you've planned for your house numbers is roomy enough for the proper spacing. When you place your order, we'll handle the spacing for you and send you a drilling template to make your installation a breeze.

Stick to Simple, Clean Lines

Numbers and letters in our Palm Springs font style

Home address numbers should be simple and bold. Be cautious choosing cursive, italic, or fussy fonts. While written-out addresses might look beautiful up close, they may be hard to read from the street. For ease of legibility and for the convenience of emergency responders and delivery drivers, we recommend address numerals near the street, and lettering closer to the entry.

Number Height Matters

8in Palm Springs numbers, Matte Brass | Della Hansmann

The height of your address numbers is the key to good visibility and readability. House numbers should be at least four inches high. 6 inch numbers are our most popular, followed by 8-inch modern house numbers. These two sizes always look stunning on the exterior of a home.  You'll want to determine if the installation area is big enough to accomodate the size of numbers that you have selected. You can go with a larger number size when you have space. This makes a bold typographic statement,  and increases their legibility. When calculating if you have enough room for your new numbers, be sure to account for the width of the numbers as well as the spaces in between the digits.

Color of the Numbers

12in SoCal numbers, Brushed Aluminum finish

If you have a white house, you'd like to avoid choosing white house numbers that will blend in with the exterior of your home. Choose a color that will contrast and stand out, making them easy to read. If you use black numbers against a white house, those numbers will pop, making them easy to find. The same is true for a dark exterior. If you have a dark house, choose house numbers in a light or white finish to create contrast. Visitors and emergency responders will love it when they find your address quickly and easily.

5in circle plaques, Matte Black finish

You can also use wall-mounted address plaques to mark your address. Just like with house numbers, you want to create contrast. A black plaque on a white house creates beautiful contrast. Don't forget that plaques are intended to be read at a very close distance. Darker plaques are sometimes harder to read than plaques in a lighter color. If you need your address to be seen from a distance, but want a nice welcoming plaque near your door, consider installing house numbers - at least 5in in height - near the roadway. Then install a wall-mounted plaque close to the entry or garage, where guests can see it up close. This will help them find their way.

Number Height

Visibility guide by number height

The height of your address numbers should depend on your home and it's distance from the road. Most importantly, your house numbers need to be visible from the street and the sidewalk. Consider the viewing distance when choosing where to install your numbers. You want them to be big enough to be seen, and not too crowded to make them easy to read. Consider these rules as a simple guide for number height:

• For a home that is 50 feet or less from the road: choose numbers at least four inches high
• For a home 100 feet or less from the road: six inches tall or more
• For a home 150 feet or less from the road: eight inches high or more
• For a home 200 feet or less from the road: 12 inches tall or more
• For a home 300 feet from the road: 15 inches tall or more

Number Placement

5x16in SoCal Plaque, Brushed Aluminum

There are many beautiful ways to display your house numbers. When you’re deciding where to install your house numbers, keep these things in mind:

• Visibility from the road. Your numbers should be at eye level or higher when viewing them from the street. They should not blocked by landscaping or other site elements.
• Visibility at night. If you have visitors at night or emergency personnel need to find your house in the dark, your address placement can make all the difference. Consider placing your numbers where your porch light will illuminate them after dark. You could even add LED lights to them or add a sconce above that turns on at night. You can use landscape lighting to illuminate numbers placed on a landscape wall, monument sign, boulder, or post.
• Consider placing them beside or above your entryway. This keeps them above eye level and in an optimal spot to be seen from a distance.
• Consider placing them above your garage. This is a great option because they're easily seen, and if you have streetlights, they can often help provide visibility for your house numbers.
• If you're tight on space, or if your house is set a distance from the road, consider two sets of numbers. Once near the street, and one on your home.

We love seeing a beautiful house numbers placed just right on a house and spaced to perfection. You can have stunning address numbers, but if you can't install them correctly, it causes a lot of frustration. That's why we include a drilling template created by our designers for your combination of numbers and font style to help get them straight and level.

House numbers are the cherry on top of a beautiful home design. They are a must, both for practicality and beauty. The spacing of your house numbers, their size, font, and color will determine their usefulness and will reflect your personal style. We want you to have success with your installation. A high-quality installation, made possible with a drilling template, is both beautiful and satisfying, and will make you smile every time you come home.

If you follow our tips, your guests can spot your house with ease. This could be a solution for mail mix-ups and pizza delivery drivers who can't seem to find your home. No one likes a cold pizza! A visible address is all your guests need to know exactly which house on the street is yours.

6" Santa Barbara letters, Matte Black