Channel Letter Sign Assessment: 5 Questions To Ask Before You Order

March 10, 2023 customsignhaus

Channel letter signs are some of the best business signs on the market, putting your name up in lights and elevating your brand image above the competition. But with so many different options for lighting, mounting, and materials, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when placing your first order.

But don’t worry—the team at The Custom Sign & Graphics Haus is standing by to simplify your sign research and provide personalized product recommendations for your unique budget, installation space, and marketing needs.

With that in mind, today’s post shares 5 simple questions you can ask to pinpoint the best fit for your business and avoid project delays due to paralysis by analysis.

Read on to learn more, or call (936)-539-4200 to speak directly with our channel letter sign specialists in Conroe, TX.

Top-5 Channel Letter Sign Questions To Ask Before You Order

1. What Channel Letter Sign Style Suits My Brand Image?

Like any business sign, channel letters need to convey your brand’s character and quality at-a-glance. But while much of this will be accomplished during the design phase, your choice of mounting and lighting styles can make or break the brand image you envision.

For example, some people see raceway mounts as somewhat clunky in appearance. While strategic coloring and lighting can help hide excess metal and mounting hardware, raceways simply aren’t for everyone. If you want a sleeker look, wireways might be the right fit, as their smaller housing is easier to hide. Of course, if you want truly seamless architectural integration, so that your channel letters sit right up against your building’s facade, flush-mounting can’t be beat.

In regards to lighting, you will need to choose between:

● Back-lit channel letter signs (Halo), which direct lighting to the back of the signboard to suspend your brand name or logo in a nimbus of light. This shows off your name or logo as a striking silhouette, which works especially well for businesses whose logos are iconic or abstract shapes, where front illumination isn’t needed to make out colors or design details.

● Face-lit channel letter signs, which allow internal lighting to shine through transparent sign faces. This is ideal for businesses whose logos aren’t suited for display as silhouettes, containing multiple colors or details that need to be front-lit to be seen.

Caribou Coffee’s logo would be indistinguishable as a halo-lit silhouette, but face-lit or combined halo/face-lit options work great.

● Front and Reverse lit signs, which are a combination of the previous two signs. They are mounted with spacers to provide the back lit Halo effect plus the front lit faces of the channel letters. This combination creates a stunning sign.

● Open-face channel letter signs leave the sign face exposed to reveal the LED strips inside, which creates a nostalgic neon string-lighting effect that is perfect for classic companies, throwback diners, or other “old-timey” and traditional brands.

For more help finding channel letters that fit your brand image, call The Custom Sign & Graphics Haus at (936)-539-4200 or fill out our online contact form.

2. How Much Installation Space Do I Have To Work With?

Most sizing issues can be overcome during the design phase, but some mounting styles are most suited to smaller installation areas than others.

Raceways aren’t best for small spaces, since the mounting structure takes up extra room and forces your channel letters to protrude off the facade. In contrast, wireways are smaller, using a slim, closed passage to house electrical wires, and they protrude much less.

However, flush mounting is by far the most popular pick for small spaces, since the mounting hardware takes up the least amount of room, and this style affixes your sign directly to the storefront marquee.

3. What Is Allowed At My Current Location?

Before you set your heart on one channel sign type or another, make sure it meets the conditions of your commercial lease or landlord agreement.

For example, some landlords do not allow tenants to install signs that require heavy duty construction or lots of holes being drilled into their rental buildings. If perforation is a problem, you probably will not want to buy flush mounted channel letter signs, as these require multiple holes to be drilled for fasteners. Raceway and wireway options are much less invasive, requiring much less drilling, which reduces potential structural damage and labor time.

Similarly, some landlords and county sign codes prohibit excessive sign protrusion, requiring storefront displays to be mounted relatively flush to the facade. If you are working under similar restrictions, raceways might not be the best choice, as they can protrude 4 inches or more. In this situation, flush mounted or wireway style installations will work best.

4. How Long Will I Be In This Location?

If you foresee a move in your future and you intend to bring your sign with you, wireway-mounted channel letter signs are a great option.

Like raceways, they are minimally invasive and easy to remove and install. And since they do not come with bulky aluminum raceway housing, they are easier to transport, too.

Flush mounted signs offer similar advantages, but they typically aren’t used for short-term applications because they require some extra drilling for fasteners.

5. How Much Maintenance Effort Am I Willing To Make?

As with all signage, regular channel letter sign maintenance and timely repairs will help you maintain an authoritative brand image and get the greatest return on your advertising investment.

But, depending on the design of your building, your choice of channel letter sign could drastically affect how much effort is required for upkeep and repairs.

For example, while wireways have lots of advantages, their sleek, low-protrusion design can complicate maintenance matters, as the whole unit will often need to be removed from the wall when your sign requires servicing.

Likewise, while flush mounted signs look great, seamlessly integrating your channel letters into your building’s architecture, they can be tricky to repair or maintain, depending on how the wiring is run. In some cases, you may need to access the bulkhead.

In contrast, raceway-mounted channel letter signs will be much easier to maintain, since the electrical components are housed within the raceway box, where they can easily be accessed by repair techs.

You should not feel limited to any one sign type, even if you prefer a hands-off approach to maintenance and repair, as we offer full support with long term channel letter sign care for all mounting/illumination styles.