Channel letters remain the design of choice for illuminated retail signs. Channel letters are individual letters, made of a “can” in the shape of the letter and illuminated with neon or other light sources. The light source in the “can” or channel is where the name originates. The can is made up of a back (or front) in the shape of the letter and side (called a return) attached to the back.

MOUNTING
Letters are either attached directly to the face of the building with wiring going through the wall from letter to letter, or they are pre-mounted to a “raceway” and the raceway is mounted to the building. The raceway is a long narrow box that contains all of the wiring and transformers while the letters are mounted to the face of the raceway. The raceway is usually painted to blend in with the building. Some landlords prefer raceways because they don’t leave as many holes in the façade of the building.

TYPES OF CHANNEL LETTERS
There are 3 common forms of channel letter, the standard face, the open face and the reversed channel letter. The standard channel letter has a colored acrylic face with a matching or contrasting trim cap. The light shines through the acrylic for the lighting effect. The color of the acrylic is one of the determining factors in how much neon is required. The open face channel letter is regaining popularity in recent years. It is similar to the standard letter except it does not have the acrylic face. Instead the inside of the can is finished and the neon is exposed, usually in a double stroke. Recent examples include Applebys and Bakers Square restaurants. Finally the reversed channel letter has an opaque face and is mounted offset from the wall. The neon shows up as a glow separating the letter from the wall at night. It’s subtle but dramatic.

ALTERNATIVES
Light Sources – In recent years, LEDs have been improving in their brightness and overall quality to the point that you can’t tell the difference in a standard or reversed channel letter. At this point they cost slightly more than the conventional neon letters, however there is a very important advantage to LEDs. The advantage is operating cost. They use only a fraction of the electricity of neon and they are easier to replace. How much they save would depend on the number of letters, the size of the letters and how many hours per day they are lit. Most channel letters are on several hours per day, 365 days per year. If the savings were $50.00 per month, you would save $600.00 per year or $6,000.00 over a 10-year period. Well, you can do the math for your own circumstances.

Cans or Returns – Conventional channel letters have metal backs and sides and can be custom formed into most logos and many typestyles, even custom styles. Molded plastic is available in a limited number of popular sizes and about 3 typestyles. Many people don’t require custom styles.