No matter how stunning they may be, your house numbers won’t be seen if they’re too small or obstructed by an oak tree. Use the following tips to find the perfect placement — before the hammer comes out.

Make It Count

Avoid repositioning (and those unfortunate holes) by doing a test run before hanging your house numbers. Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s “Helpful Hardware Man,” suggests tracing the numbers on a piece of paper or cardboard and cutting them out. Then place the numbers in possible locations to see if they are visible to pedestrians and motorists.

Safety in Numbers

While there are no official requirements for the material or size of your numbers (check with your city council for any local ordinances), there is a general rule of thumb: Emergency responders should be able to see the numbers from the street in the middle of the night during a rainstorm. These quick tips will help keep them — or just the pizza guy from passing you by.

Numbers should be at least three to four inches tall.

If the numbers are not lit, make sure they are made of a reflective material and positioned so passing headlights will illuminate them.

Pick a color that contrasts with the color of the house.

Avoid hard-to-read or scripted fonts.

Keep surrounding shrubbery trimmed.

Never place numbers on the front door if a screen or storm door will obscure them.