How do you calculate mounting hole time?

Divide the number of holes by your drilling rate, then multiply by the allowance factor. With 120 holes at 12 holes/hr and a 10% allowance, base time is 10 hr and adjusted time is 11 hr.

Why add an allowance on top of drill time?

The allowance covers layout marking, clamping, bit changes and repositioning between holes. A 10% factor turns 10 base hours into 11 adjusted hours, which is closer to what the station actually consumes.

What is a good drilling rate for sign mounting holes?

For hand-drilled holes in ACM or 3mm aluminum, 12 to 20 holes/hr is typical once you include marking; CNC or a drill press with a jig can hit 40+ holes/hr on repeat patterns.

Does the allowance change for thick material?

Yes. Thin ACM might justify 8 to 10%, but thick extruded aluminum or stainless standoffs with pilot-and-finish passes often warrant 20 to 30% to reflect slower, more careful work.

How is this different from total install time?

This covers only the hole-making step. Full install also includes lifting, leveling, fastening and cleanup, which you would estimate separately and add to the 11 hr result.

Can I use this for punched or CNC-routed holes?

Yes, as long as you enter the true throughput for that process. A CNC router running a nested hole pattern will have a much higher rate and often a smaller allowance than manual drilling.

Signage, Displays & Architectural Graphics calculator

Mounting Hole Time Calculator

Mounting Hole Time estimates how long it takes to drill or punch the mounting holes that fasten a sign, panel or architectural graphic to its substrate or wall. Sign shop fabricators and installers use it to price install-prep labor and to schedule the drill/CNC station realistically. Raw drill time never tells the whole story, so the calculator layers a setup-and-reposition allowance on top of the base rate. That extra factor is what separates a bid that holds margin from one that eats it in fixture changes and clamp resets.

What this calculator does

Mounting Hole Time estimates how long it takes to drill or punch the mounting holes that fasten a sign, panel or architectural graphic to its substrate or wall.
Use it when mounting hole time in signage, displays and architectural graphics is being added to next week's schedule and you need an honest hours estimate.
It divides the total mounting holes by the drilling rate to get base hours, then multiplies by an allowance factor to add setup, marking and repositioning time.

Formula used

Base mounting hole time time = required work ÷ processing rate
Adjusted time = base time × allowance factor

Inputs explained

Mounting holes to drill:
Drilling rate per hour:
Setup and reposition allowance:

How to use the result

Use it when quoting or scheduling the drilling/punching step for signs, ACM panels, dimensional letters or standoff-mounted graphics before install.
It assumes a steady per-hole rate; mixed hole diameters, thick aluminum extrusions or dull bits can push actual time well past the estimate.

Common questions

How do you calculate mounting hole time? Divide the number of holes by your drilling rate, then multiply by the allowance factor. With 120 holes at 12 holes/hr and a 10% allowance, base time is 10 hr and adjusted time is 11 hr.
Why add an allowance on top of drill time? The allowance covers layout marking, clamping, bit changes and repositioning between holes. A 10% factor turns 10 base hours into 11 adjusted hours, which is closer to what the station actually consumes.
What is a good drilling rate for sign mounting holes? For hand-drilled holes in ACM or 3mm aluminum, 12 to 20 holes/hr is typical once you include marking; CNC or a drill press with a jig can hit 40+ holes/hr on repeat patterns.
Does the allowance change for thick material? Yes. Thin ACM might justify 8 to 10%, but thick extruded aluminum or stainless standoffs with pilot-and-finish passes often warrant 20 to 30% to reflect slower, more careful work.
How is this different from total install time? This covers only the hole-making step. Full install also includes lifting, leveling, fastening and cleanup, which you would estimate separately and add to the 11 hr result.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.