Channel letters are individual, three-dimensional letters fabricated from aluminum and lit from inside with LEDs. They are the most popular illuminated sign for buildings and storefronts because they read clearly day and night and can be shaped to match any logo or typeface. The Sign Factory designs, permits, fabricates and installs custom channel letter signs in Charlotte, NC and nationwide. New to them? Read what is a channel letter sign.
Types of Channel Letters
- Front-lit: translucent acrylic faces that glow from inside. The classic, brightest option and the easiest to read from the road.
- Reverse-lit (halo-lit): solid metal faces with light shining out the back onto the wall, creating a soft halo. A premium look for corporate buildings and lobbies.
- Front- and halo-lit: a combination of both, for signs that need to be bright and distinctive.
- Push-through letters: acrylic letters pushed through a routed metal face, so only the lettering glows.
- Non-illuminated letters: the same fabricated look without lighting, for daytime businesses.
Mounting: Flush or Raceway
Channel letters can be mounted directly to the wall, with the wiring passing through to the inside, or mounted on a raceway: a slim box behind the letters that holds the wiring and power supply. Flush mounting looks cleaner. A raceway means fewer holes in the building and is often required by landlords or used when the inside of the wall is hard to reach. We paint raceways to match the wall so they blend in. Read flush mount or raceway mount, which is best.
Channel Letters in the Lobby
Channel letters are not only for the outside of a building. Halo-lit letters make a striking lobby sign, glowing against the reception wall. For Microban's global headquarters in Huntersville, we built halo-lit, stud-mounted aluminum letters painted to match the company's monument sign outside. For REICO Kitchen & Bath, we made a reverse-lit lobby sign with a brushed metal finish and push-through acrylic lettering with a blue overlay.
Channel Letter Projects
- Midtown Ballroom: channel letters with white acrylic faces and a round cabinet for the logo, mounted on a raceway painted to match the building. Read the project story.
- REICO Kitchen & Bath: a reverse-lit lobby sign for the Charlotte showroom. Read the project story.
- Microban: halo-lit lobby letters at the company's Huntersville headquarters. Read the project story.
Permits, Landlords and Installation
Channel letters need a sign permit and an electrical connection, and in a shopping center or office park they must meet the landlord's sign criteria. We prepare the drawings, get landlord approval, apply for the permit, and install and connect the sign. See all our building signs and storefront signs.
How Channel Letters Are Made
- Returns: the sides of each letter, formed from aluminum and painted to your color.
- Faces: translucent acrylic for front-lit letters, or solid aluminum for halo-lit letters.
- Lighting: LED modules inside each letter, powered by a low-voltage power supply.
- Backs and mounting: closed or clear backs, mounted flush to the wall, on studs or on a raceway.
Choosing Colors and Faces
Your logo colors can be matched with colored acrylic faces or with translucent vinyl applied to white faces, which lets the sign show your exact brand color by day and glow evenly at night. Trim caps and returns can match or contrast with the faces. For REICO Kitchen & Bath, a blue overlay on push-through acrylic lettering carried the brand color into the lit sign. We show you every color choice on a rendering before production.
Channel Letters FAQ
How long do LED channel letters last?
LED lighting lasts far longer than the neon and fluorescent lamps used in older signs and uses much less power. With good fabrication, channel letters keep working for many years.
Can you repair existing channel letters?
Yes. We replace faces, fix dark letters and convert older lighting to LED. See sign repair.
How much do channel letters cost?
Cost depends on the number and size of letters, the lighting style and the mounting. Send us your logo and the size of the wall and we will give you options.
Do you install channel letters outside Charlotte?
We are based in Charlotte, NC and install nationwide through our network of more than 300 installation partners.
Should my channel letters be lit or unlit?
If customers see your building after dark, lit letters are worth it. Unlit channel letters have the same dimensional look for less and suit daytime businesses.
Get a Channel Letter Quote
Send us your logo and a photo of your building and we will show you what your sign could look like. Call 704-321-0040 or request a quote.