Channel Letters
Custom Illuminated Letters
Open Face & Halo Effect Illuminated Channel Letters
For most businesses, it is important that customers are able to find your storefront both day and night, in good weather and bad. Illuminated signs are the best choice, but channel letters specifically make a storefront stand out at any time. Channel letters are bold and visible during the day, and their lit faces can be seen from a distance at night, ensuring this sign will never be missed.
At Blue Dot Signs, we create a wide range of different channel letter signs that can be customized to your business. Each sign is fabricated by hand using industry-leading materials and some of the most advanced technology. For our New Jersey customers, we also have the installation, maintenance, and repair services necessary to keep signs functioning year after year. Find out more about our sign services by contacting us today at 908-486-7000 or filling out our online quote form.
Front and Back Lit Channel letters
Channel letters are a popular way to display a business name on the storefront. Both small businesses and large corporations have relied on them for decades because of their easy readability and the options for customization. For many retailers, channel lettering has almost become a standard for storefront signage.
Custom Channel Letter Fabrication with Blue Dot Signs
Channel letters are an illuminated sign created with aluminum casings and acrylic faces. Inside of them are energy-efficient LEDs that provide bright lighting that can be visible from a distance. There are several different types of channel letters, and each will provide a different lighting effect such as:
- Front-Lit Channel Letters - Also known as standard channel letters, these are the most commonly used. They have an aluminum casing on the sides and backing and a colored face. The front face is lit.
- Halo-Lit Letters - Instead of a translucent facing, halo-lit letters use a metal face and have no backing. The light shines on the wall behind each letter, creating a “halo” effect.
- Back-Lit Channel Letter - By combining front-lit and halo-lit letters, we can create a unique effect that makes letters stand out.
- Open Face-Lit Channel Letters - These letters use a clear acrylic facing or no facing so that the internal light source can be seen from a distance. They work well with neon tubing for a more vintage appearance.
The letters themselves are made by molding an aluminum casing into the shape of the letter or graphic in the sign. This casing holds the lights. Unless it is an open face letter, we then cut the shape of the letter from colored acrylic with a 3/16” thickness and install it at the front of the casing. These are held in place with a trim cap. We shape the acrylic facings using a CNC router that translates a text design into exact cuts. This means we can replicate any font, even custom ones, to create your business logo.
We use PMS to choose the colored acrylic that matches the design. With both shaping and coloring, it is also possible to create a channel sign with a simple shape or graphic. LED lights are the modern choice for channel letters because they provide superior brightness and last longer. More classic lighting options are also available for lighted letters, however, such as neon for a "retro" appearance.
In addition to installation and maintenance services, we can also retrofit LEDs on older channel letters for a more modern and energy efficient sign.
The letters themselves are made by molding an aluminum casing into the shape of the letter or graphic in the sign. This casing holds the lights. Unless it is an open face letter, we then cut the shape of the letter from colored acrylic with a 3/16” thickness and install it at the front of the casing. These are held in place with a trim cap. We shape the acrylic facings using a CNC router that translates a text design into exact cuts. This means we can replicate any font, even custom ones, to create your business logo.
We use PMS to choose the colored acrylic that matches the design. With both shaping and coloring, it is also possible to create a channel sign with a simple shape or graphic. LED lights are the modern choice for channel letters because they provide superior brightness and last longer. More classic lighting options are also available for lighted letters, however, such as neon for a "retro" appearance.
In addition to installation and maintenance services, we can also retrofit LEDs on older channel letters for a more modern and energy efficient sign.
Benefits of Illuminated Letters
In order to be effective, most signs need to be eye-catching and easy to read. Few sign types meet these requirements as well as channel letters. Business choose this illuminated sign because it is:
- Visible - Vibrant lights, color, size, and placement draw attention naturally and make channel letters easy to see. This makes them ideal if you need customers to find you on a busy street or from across a parking lot.
- Customizable - Fonts - including custom designs - and colors can be chosen to replicate your business logo or represent your brand.
- Durable - Because they are primarily a form of outdoor signage, channel letters are designed to last in inclement weather conditions for years.
- Cost-Effective - When fitted with LEDs, channel letters require only a small amount of power to run. Combined with their long service life, this is a sign with a fair return on investment.
In addition to these benefits, working with Blue Dot Signs for your channel letter needs offers more than just sign fabrication. These signs usually require professional installation, and we can add or remove channel letters at your storefront. They are long lasting, but proper maintenance and repair when needed will extend their service life, and handle any issues to keep the sign functioning as expected.
Where Channel Letters Are Used
Channel letters are a commonly used storefront sign for any business that needs to be seen at night or from a distance. They are used by both national chains and individual local businesses. Common storefronts for channel letters include:
- Major Retailers
- Bodegas
- Stores
- Restaurants
- Cafes
- Bars
- Banks
- Food Chains
Even if your business is not typically open after dark, channel letters with your name or logo can still provide valuable advertising. Potential customers walking or driving past will see your company name in memorably bright colors and lights.
Contact Us for Custom Channel Letters
For all your channel letter services, from design to repair and every need in between, Blue Dot Signs is here for you. We have been serving businesses in New Jersey, NYC, and other local cities for decades and are able to share our knowledge of best practices in sign creation and our state of the art technology and processes with our customers. Let us help you create the channel letters that will make your business stand out 24 hours a day. Call us at 908-486-7000 or email us at info@bluedotsigns.com. We’ll discuss your needs, design ideas, and more to start the process of making your sign.
