Channel Letters

Face-lit channel letters: how they're built

Front-lit channel letters are hollow metal letters — 304 stainless steel, aluminum, brass, galvanized or mild steel — closed by a translucent acrylic or polycarbonate face. Light comes from inside: LED strip in smaller letters, LED modules in larger ones, against a reflective white interior so the face lights evenly.

Letters run deeper as they get taller, from 4–5cm under 30cm high to 8–20cm over a meter, so the light source sits far enough back to spread. Standard letters go to 1–2m; larger ones are built around an internal keel frame.

Mounting: direct-to-fascia or on a raceway

Channel letters may be installed directly to the building fascia, with each letter mounted individually, or on a raceway — a pre-fabricated metal box that runs the length of the sign and is mounted to the fascia. Your installation type may be determined by city ordinance or the building owner's sign criteria.

Either way, letters fix to concrete, structural beams or columns, not to hollow brick, block, insulation or render alone. Letters on tall buildings mount to a support frame and need structural drawings and wind-load calculations from the local engineer.

Which illuminated letter? Face-lit, halo, acrylic or vacuum-formed

An illuminated letter sign can be lit four ways. Face-lit channel letters shine through the front and are the standard for storefronts and facades. Halo-lit or reverse channel letters throw light back onto the wall from letters set 3–5cm off it. Solid acrylic letters are cut from cast acrylic for interiors and fine strokes down to 1mm. Vacuum-formed letters use a molded face, which suits a logo repeated across many locations.

Where channel letters are used

Face-lit channel letters are the usual build for storefront signs — fascia and facade letters on shops, restaurants and salons — and for building signs, from an office entrance to letters at roof level.

Wholesale channel letters for sign shops

We build to your drawings or your client's artwork. Standard letters up to 2m are produced in 7–15 days and larger ones in 15–25 days; overseas orders ship in factory-built timber crates, ready for your installer. More on how we work for sign companies and resellers.