Yes, I Texted the Number on the Sign
A conversation with Landon, the roof-cleaner and sign-painter behind Portland’s most charming DIY advertisements.
Since the beginning of the summer, I’ve literally pulled over to take pictures of these colorful, playful, hand-painted signs nailed to a variety of telephone poles around Portland. They advertise roof cleaning, house washing, and gutter clearing—sometimes just “ROOF CLEAN” in big, blocky letters—all in a riot of vibrant colors and lettering styles that feel totally human, wonky, and great. I felt a real kinship with whoever was making these type and color choices, and spotting the signs became a highlight of my drives around Portland. Every time I shared one on Instagram, folks responded with love and adoration. I even joked in a few replies that I was going to text the number on the sign to find out more.
So I texted the number. That’s how I met Landon.
Landon owns the business and makes the signs. He paints them at night while watching sitcoms, mounts them with serious screws, and takes breaks to swim when it’s too hot to be on a roof. He is also the proud owner of a 100lb German Shepherd and 12 aquariums! Over several days, we had a long and lovely text conversation about work, color, signage, and his process for making these delightful signs.
Here’s our full exchange, which has been lightly edited from our original chat.
KATE:
You mentioned that you run the business… do you also make the signs?
LANDON:
Yep, it’s all me! I own the roof washing business, and I make the signs.
KATE:
When did you start painting these by hand?
LANDON:
Well, technically, I had made some handmade ones in the very beginning, but I just used Sharpie on plain wood, and they didn’t look very good. I’d say I only started taking the hand-painted ones more seriously within the last year or two. I’ve never spent a lot of time drawing or painting, but I’ve always enjoyed doodling various shapes and designs on my schoolwork and some college assignments. I’ve heard it supposedly helps the brain focus in various ways.
Originally, I was making them out of wood, so they were harder to destroy. However, as I started drawing my own signs, I realized I was actually having quite a bit of fun!
KATE:
A few people also want to know: Are your home improvement services as rad as your signs?
LANDON:
Haha. I wouldn’t call myself a general home improvement guy—I’m not fixing plumbing or installing lighting. My background is in roofing. I used to be in a union doing commercial flat roofing. Hot tar. Brutal in the summer. I got heat stroke multiple times.
That’s why I started my own thing. These days, if it’s 90+ degrees out, I’d rather swim than sweat bullets on a roof.
KATE:
Do you always paint on wood?
LANDON:
Yeah! Wood’s just tougher. I sometimes paint both sides depending on the plywood. The nicer, smoother stuff from Home Depot needs to be sealed to hold up outside. Other times I’ll find scraps in free piles or on Craigslist—always double-checking they’re actually free before taking anything!
KATE:
What are the typical sign sizes?
LANDON:
The big ones are 24" x 32". I can get six out of a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood. Most others are 12" x 18", but I use whatever scraps I’ve got! No sense in wasting material. I’ve even made tiny ones just for laughs. There are a few of those around Portland. I think some are on César Chávez near the park.
KATE:
How do you mount the signs so high?
LANDON:
I have a bunch of ladders, including some pretty massive ones from my roofing days. The high-up signs are mounted with 7–8 T-25 Torx screws. The ones lower down get a double plywood backing and some heavy-duty screws. The screws are hardened steel…super strong. I got a big batch from someone who buys out storage units, so I got a deal. Otherwise, they’re about $1 each, which adds up fast.
KATE:
How do you choose where to put them?
LANDON:
As for choosing the locations, some of the factors are places with a lot of vehicle traffic but not much foot traffic. I also try to put them near stoplights or, at the very least, a stop sign. I’ve seen other people put signs in totally random spots, like the middle of a highway, which makes no sense. No one is going to read that driving by at 30 to 50 MPH, and if they do, it’s probably not very safe, haha.
There are lots of other factors I could go into, but some of it is hard to explain. It’s kind of just experience and intuition. For example, I wouldn’t put one right in front of an HOA—they’ll either rip it down or call to complain.
KATE:
I love it when you include drawings (like the suns, water waves, and clouds) with your type. I can tell you're having a great time making these. Do you mostly paint at night? How often do you find yourself making signs? Do you ever make them during the day?
LANDON:
Yeah, I tend to like filling in the empty space on the signs with doodles, shapes, designs, and things like that. Not all of them, of course. Several have a lot of unused space, which I don’t necessarily think is a bad thing. I have no idea if the doodles actually make people more likely to see the signs or call the number, but I just like doing it.
As far as when I do most of my sign painting, it's mostly at night, after work, at home, while watching TV or a movie. I like having something on in the background. I can’t really draw and play video games or read at the same time, so this works best.
KATE:
Ha! That’s how I work too. I do a lot of my drawing while watching TV or movies, but I'm only kind of paying attention. I TOTALLY understand :) What do you like to watch when you paint?
LANDON:
Old sitcoms, mostly. Seinfeld, The Office, Big Bang Theory, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Parks and Rec, It’s Always Sunny, Workaholics, Arrested Development. Stuff I’ve seen before, so I can just glance up and not miss anything.
I also like mystery and sci-fi shows, but they’re harder to follow while painting. I recently rewatched Killjoys. I already knew the plot, so I didn’t have to rewind much.
KATE:
Where do you physically make these signs?
LANDON:
For the background painting, I sometimes do it on a bright, sunny day so the paint dries nicely and quickly. I don’t really have a set time when I make signs. The bigger challenge is finding where to make them. I don’t have a proper shop or garage or anything like that, so I just make them here and there.
I paint them at my parents' house in Oregon City sometimes because they have a large property and let me work out there. Although painting outdoors can be frustrating, often loose dust, debris, and even insects land in the paint. The insects especially irritate me. You can’t really see them from a distance, but it still grosses me out. I don’t want a bunch of dead bugs stuck in my signs.
KATE:
How often do you find time to make them?
LANDON:
It depends. I’ve had stretches where I paint signs for 10 hours a day for three or four days in a row, and then I’m wrecked. Serious knots in my back.
KATE:
Do you seal the signs? What are some of your favorite pens?
LANDON:
Generally yes, especially if it’s one I spent more time on and feel more proud of. I don’t always seal them, though, for a few different reasons. One reason is that I’m just in a hurry to get some signs out there and I don’t feel like taking the extra time and expense to clear coat them. And honestly, they hold up fairly well outdoors without any sealing.
I’d say the bigger reason I seal and clear coat my signs is to prevent them from rubbing off on each other or getting scratched up by my various work tools.
I prefer water-based paint markers. I’ve used many different types and brands, and it took me a while to figure out what I like best. I went back and forth between water and oil-based several times. Even though oil-based markers have some advantages, I still greatly prefer the water-based ones. Oil-based can be a pain to work with. The ink takes much longer to cure, so layering is difficult and time-consuming. It often gives you a sticky feeling when you try to go over existing lines.
Water-based markers are much brighter and more visible from a distance, which is important in a roadside sign. They also write more smoothly and flow more easily, while oil-based ones tend to feel sticky and inconsistent.
I’m also still learning what to use for clear coats. A lot of times, the clear coats react badly with the paint underneath, either by bubbling, melting the underlying paint, or washing away the drawn-on lines. There’s quite a bit more to painting than I realized.
KATE:
Do they ever get stolen or damaged?
LANDON:
Oh yeah. All the time. It’s part of the game. It was actually pretty discouraging at times, especially in my earlier years, but with time and experience, I’ve learned to be more resilient and to persevere.
KATE:
What’s a typical day like for you?
LANDON:
I usually wake up at about 10 a.m. (I’m not much of a morning person) and check my phone for messages and whatnot. Then I take my dog, Crash, out to go to the bathroom. He’s a 100-pound German Shepherd.
It takes my brain a while to perk up, so I like to watch some YouTube videos while I slowly wake up. I watch all kinds of things. I’m interested in aquariums, knives, skateboarding, rock collecting, and writing.
Then I’ll either head off to work or to the river, depending on how hot it is and what I’ve discussed or scheduled with customers. After I finish work for the day, I spend some time in the neighborhood knocking on doors, putting up flyers, and installing signs nearby.
Then I head home, take my dog out again to exercise and go to the bathroom, tend to all my aquariums (I have about 12), and then either read, browse the internet, watch TV, or work on drawing and painting more signs.
KATE:
Where’s your go-to swim spot?
LANDON:
I usually swim in either the Clackamas or the Wilson River. On the Clackamas, I go to a popular spot called High Rocks, as well as a few other places I’ve been frequenting since I was a kid. A lot of the time, I just go to my parents' house, which is right on the Clackamas, and swim there with my dog.
On the Wilson River, I’ll go to Jones Creek and the Footbridge Trailhead, but not as often since it’s about an hour drive.
KATE:
What have you learned about yourself from doing this?
LANDON:
I don’t know if there’s been some big personal growth thing. But I’ve learned that I really like doodling, drawing, and coloring. It’s just fun. And honestly, that’s enough for me. Wish I had a better answer for you on this one.
KATE:
No, that’s a great answer. Art doesn’t have to be complicated or deep. It’s wonderful when it’s fun.
KATE:
Thank you so much, Landon. This has been such a treat.
LANDON:
You’re welcome, and thanks for the appreciation. Really! 😊
POSTSCRIPT:
If you want one of Landon’s signs and you're local, shoot him a text! His number is on his signs! He’s open to selling them, and he’s also open to custom orders. And if you need your roof cleaned, patio washed, or gutters gutted, Landon is your guy.
In a world where everything is starting to look and sound the same, Landon’s signs feel like the antidote. Human, scrappy, and full of color.
If you like his signs, leave him some love in the comments. I know he would love it, and so would I!
Now I have to decide which of his signs I want to hang in my home!
As always, thanks for reading :)
🪧‼️☀️☁️ KBB
This post and your exchange with Landon are reminding me of the humanity that’s often within reach- we just have to reach for it.
Big thanks to you both for showing us what’s possible when we follow what’s fun. Those actions have a different texture in our lives and people paying close attention can feel that difference. Love both of your work!!
I love everything about this post. I love Landon's signs, I love that you text interviewed him and I love that this has given me the inspiration I need to doodle more 💥