What Are Channel Letters: Materials, Manufacturing, and Mounting

What are channel letter signs?What are channel letters? Channel letters are the large, individual letters frequently seen as signage on storefronts and mounted to freestanding signs. These letters are three-dimensional, but there’s one main factor that separates them from their counterpart that is known as the dimensional letter: channel letters are illuminated whereas dimensional letters are not. Channel letter signs are bold and eye-catching, and though their main use is outdoors, it’s not uncommon to see them as part of an indoor display. In this post, we’ll go a little deeper in answering some questions you may have about what exactly channel letters are: what they’re made of, how they are made, and how they’re mounted.

What are channel letters made of?

The major components of a channel letter are the return, the face, the back, and the lighting element. The returns, which are the sides of the letters, are made of sheet metal (aluminum is best). The face of the letters may be acrylic, aluminum, or nonexistent, and the same goes for the back. It all depends on how you want your channel letters to be lit: do you want the lighting element to be exposed? Then leave the face open. Do you want the letters to glow from the back? Then leave the back open. There are four main types of channel letters: reverse lit, front lit, front/back lit, and open lit. In most modern channel letters, the lighting element is LED, but neon is also an option—LED channel letters are just way more energy-efficient.A Domino's channel letter sign in progress. The face hasn't been added yet, so the LEDs are exposed.

How are channel letter signs fabricated?

Fabricating channel letters requires heavy-duty equipment. Any aluminum, whether it’s being used for the returns, back, or face, needs to be cut with a router. The aluminum returns are bent into shape using a channel letter bending machine. Ultimately, how your channel letters are made depends on the type and the materials used.

You probably don’t need to know the specifics, but there is one thing to understand about the manufacturing process. Some manufacturers use hand-operated tools whereas others use computerized equipment, which is known as computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturing. CNC manufacturing guarantees much more precise results than hand tools, and if channel letters are improperly assembled, water can sneak inside them and damage the lighting element.

How are channel letter signs mounted?Raceway mounted channel letters.

Like there are multiple types of channel letters, there are multiple ways to mount a channel letter sign. The main ways are raceway mounting and direct mounting. Direct mounted channel letters are, as you might imagine, mounted directly to the surface of a wall. They’re wired to a power supply that is completely hidden inside the wall. Raceway mounted channel letters, on the other hand, are attached to an aluminum box that contains the wiring and power supply. This aluminum box, known as the raceway, is not hidden, but it can be incorporated into your design. Direct mounting may be prohibited in some zoning areas and some buildings, making it necessary to use raceway mounting. There are further mounting nuances that relate to the type of channel letter signs you have; for instance, back lit channel letters are raised from the wall so the light can create a glow.

Talk to a sign expert if you have more questions about channel letters

Hopefully, you now have a fuller understanding of channel letters and what they really are. Maybe you’re not ready to start fabricating and installing your own, but that’s fine—after all, that should be the job of your sign company. A signage expert can answer any further questions you have about channel letters and make recommendations for your business or building based on that knowledge. Then, you can start reaping all the benefits of having bright, bold channel letters on your building.

 

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