SignWorks recently completed an illuminated channel letter sign for an out of state contractor. His client, Cricket, had a store location in Oakland that needed their channel letter logo sign made with a letter height of 19 ½“with an overall width of 4′-8 1/4″ and in their corporate color palette. We were happy to oblige and as you can see from the picture we fabricated and completed the electrical sign installion process in Oakland last week. The illuminated channel letters sign you are viewing has an acrylic face and is front lit with LEDs inserted into the back of the letters.
Lighting options vary and include front lit, backlit and halo lit or combinations of more than one lighting option. A reverse or backlit channel letter means the space “behind” the letter is lit which makes for a floating effect. In actuality all individual letters are shaped boxes that contain a lighting element behind them that are typically lit by either neon tubing or LED bulbs, however, LED is the most prevalent. The fact that the letters “light up” makes them highly visible and very effective signs for both outdoor and indoor use, especially when night time visibility is desired.
One of the things to remember about illuminated channel letters is that the letter stroke width must be broad with enough room for the LED bulbs in the back. Gemini has a minimum stroke width of 1” for their stainless steel illuminated channel letters as well as a letter height minimum of 6” (though they did not fabricate this particular sign). The products we fabricate in Hayward comply with UL specification standards and testing, as needed for electrical signs.
Illuminated channel letters are used on a variety of buildings, at shopping centers, by retail and grocery outlets and by banks, churches and schools. These professional looking sign are versatile and stand out, especially at night. It’s important to maintain your illuminated channel letters in a good working state and to avoid burnt out letters and the awkward spelling errors created by poor sign maintenance. This will send the wrong message to potential customers.
When considering illuminated channel letters or a logo to your building or interior lobby, just give SignWorks a call. We can be reached at (510) 357-2000 and a team member will be happy to assist you. We can help guide you in selecting from all the various options as well as help with design and installation at your facility. For more information just visit our website to view our project photos and blog posts.