Custom LED channel letters that put your name in lights, day and night
Individually fabricated, LED-illuminated letters with aluminum returns and colored acrylic faces: the classic, high-visibility storefront sign.
Free design proofTwo approvals before it ships
About LED Channel Letters
Channel letters are the most common illuminated storefront sign in the U.S. for a reason. Each letter is built as its own shallow aluminum can, called a return, fitted with LED modules and capped with a translucent acrylic face. The result is crisp, evenly lit lettering that reads clearly from the street after dark and looks sharp and dimensional during the day.
We build front-lit, combination (front- and back-lit) and open-face channel letters to your artwork, colors and wall dimensions. You approve a detailed design proof and specification before anything is made, then approve a video of your finished sign before it ships. Production typically takes 10–15 business days after design approval and deposit.
How it's built
Front-lit, combination or open-face
Front-lit letters glow through the acrylic face. Combination letters add a halo glow behind the letter. Open-face letters leave the LEDs visible for a vintage, marquee-style look.
Aluminum returns built to your depth
Letters are fabricated from aluminum returns, commonly in the 3 to 5 inch range, painted to match or contrast your brand colors.
Trim cap or trimless faces
Choose a traditional plastic trim cap that holds the face in place, or a cleaner trimless (rimless) edge for a more modern profile.
Brand color matching
Faces can be standard colored acrylic or white acrylic with translucent 3M vinyl overlays matched to your brand colors, including day/night films that look dark by day and light up white at night.
Raceway, flush or stand-off mounting
Mount letters on a raceway that houses the wiring and power supply, flush to the wall with a remote power supply, or on stand-offs.
Low-power LED modules
LED modules use far less energy than traditional neon tubes, and LED modules are typically rated by their makers for tens of thousands of hours of operation.
Choose what fits your brand and wall
Your design proof spells out every choice. Pricing depends on size and options and comes with your written quote.
Illumination
- Front-lit
- Combination (front-lit + halo)
- Open-face / exposed LED
- Non-illuminated returns
Face / finish
- Colored acrylic
- White acrylic with translucent 3M vinyl
- Day/night perforated or dual-color vinyl
- Printed faces for multi-color logos
Returns / depth
- Aluminum returns, commonly 3–5 in. deep
- Painted to any color
- Trim cap or trimless edge
Mounting
- Raceway (wireway)
- Flush mount with remote power supply
- Stand-off mounting
- Backer panel or cabinet
Colors
- Standard acrylic colors
- Custom vinyl color matching (PMS reference helpful)
- RGB color-changing LEDs on request
Indoor / outdoor
- Outdoor (weather-sealed, with weep holes)
- Indoor lobby and feature walls
Electrical components
- UL-listed components available on request — ask when you quote
How it looks
By day, channel letters read as solid, dimensional letters with colored faces and painted sides. At night, the faces glow evenly with your brand colors while the returns stay dark, so the lettering stands out sharply against the building. Combination letters add a soft halo on the wall behind each letter.
Drag the handle, or use the arrow keys, to compare the same sign by day and at night.
What to plan for
- Most cities require a sign permit for exterior signs, and shopping centers often have their own sign criteria. We supply drawings and spec sheets for your permit and landlord submittals.
- Confirm the wall can support the sign and that you know what's behind the façade (block, stucco, EIFS, metal panel), since that affects mounting hardware.
- You will need a power source near the sign location, connected by a licensed electrician.
- Rule of thumb for letter height: about 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet of viewing distance gives comfortable readability. A sign meant to be read from 100 feet away usually needs letters around 10 inches tall or more.
- Raceway mounting means fewer wall penetrations, which landlords often prefer; flush mounting looks cleaner but needs more holes and a location for the power supply.
You approve it twice before it ships
- 1
Request a quote
Tell us the sign, the wall, your budget and location. Artwork helps.
- 2
Free design proof
A to-scale proof and spec sheet, typically 1–3 business days for the first design proof.
- You approve3
Approval 1: design & specs
Sizes, colors, lighting, mounting and your quote, signed off by you before production starts.
- You approve4
Approval 2: completion video
You watch your finished sign lit up before it ships.
- 5
Shipped to you
Crated and shipped. Shipping and any import costs are on your quote.
Channel Letters examples
Front-lit channel letters, bakery
Warm-white faces on a dark brick facade above an awning.
Channel letters, boutique storefront
Black letters with white halo on a painted brick facade.
Illuminated letters, corporate lobby
White-lit letters on large-format dark tile.
Channel Letters questions
All FAQsWhat is the difference between front-lit and halo-lit letters?
Front-lit channel letters glow through a translucent acrylic face. Halo-lit (reverse-lit) letters have solid metal faces and shine light backward onto the wall, creating a glow around each letter. Combination letters do both.
Do I need a raceway?
Not always. A raceway is a slim box behind the letters that houses wiring and the power supply and reduces wall penetrations, and some landlords require it. Flush mounting is cleaner but needs more holes in the wall.
Can you match my exact brand colors?
Usually, yes. Most brand colors are matched with translucent 3M vinyl over white acrylic. Send your PMS or brand color references and we'll specify the closest available option on your proof.
How long does production take?
Production typically takes 10–15 business days after design approval and deposit, followed by a video of your finished sign for approval and then shipping, which takes 5–10 business days after video approval.
Get a free design proof for your Channel Letters.
It takes a few minutes. A person reviews every request.