So you need an illuminated building sign? What are your options?

The very first place to start when considering a new building sign is your building owner.  They will likely want to have "input" into the decision or they may very well restrict you to certain types of signs, mounting options, and sizes.  There may be a signage clause in the lease that you signed.  They will need to sign off on your permit, so it's not a step you should skip.  Most building owners will want your sign to be consistent with other signage on their building or neighborhood and they will want to know how the sign is going to be mounted onto their building...the fewer wall intrusions the better from their perspective.

Next, identify a reputable sign company that you want to work with.  Narrow it down to one or two if possible and let them do the work for you.  The more comfortable the sign company is that you are going to partner with them, then the more time and effort they will be willing to spend during the early stages of the process.  Time is money and the more confident that the sign company is that they will be awarded the project the more time they will likely invest with you at this stage.

They may or may not charge you to do a sign survey - largely based on the level of commitment that they ascertain from their discussions with you.  The survey will measure the building frontage, the sign opening, any existing signage, electrical that may be in place, and the general condition of the mounting area.

Once the your sign partner has the survey completed, they will be able to develop an estimate for you and check any municipal sign ordinances that will guide, the size, type, and location of the sign.  The estimate should include the design and file setup required for your sign, the sign itself, installation (can run as much as the sign itself in some instances), and all required permits.  

Next, what kind of sign do you prefer?  You may not have any idea at this stage, but if you look around your site, you will see other signage. Do you see something you really like?  That's a great starting point.  

Next, illuminated sign types.

Illuminated exterior building signs, generally come in come in three basic formats. 

First are channel letters.  These are the most common type of exterior building sign and nearly every retail business in the world uses them.  Channel letters are made with aluminum bodies (these are the sides of the letters and create the depth, they are also called "returns"), acrylic faces that will create the face of the letters, trim caps which are the plastic trim that holds the face to the return, and in some cases a "raceway" that mounts the letter to the building - more on raceways later.  The letters or logo is illuminated from within the letter itself, i.e. internally illuminated.  The light will illuminate the face of the letter.  There are many options for how that light behaves during the daytime or nightime which I won't get into here, but a question you will want to ask is what will my letters look like during the day and what will the look like at night?

Regarding raceways and mounting.  A raceway is basically a large electrical box that all of the letters mount to and also contains all the wiring which reduces the number of penetrations that there will be into the building.  The raceway itself with fewer mounting holes will mount to the building and the letters mount to the raceway.  Alternatively, the letters may be flush mounted directly to the wall individually.  This method eliminates the need (cost) for the raceway but increases the number of penetrations into the building.

Channel Letter Examples:

The second basic type of illuminated building sign is a "cabinet" or "box" sign.  These are comprised of a single box with an acrylic face panel that will receive the text and logos.  This is a lower cost option than channel letters but lack the dimensionality of channel letters. The box itself is mounted to the building wall and again, like with channel letters, the illumination comes from within the box.  A well constructed cabinet will have evenly distributed light with no bright or dark areas.  

Cabinet boxes can now be made flatter and thinner with the advent of cooler burning LED lamps.  Old style flourescent signs often require a "pan face" panel which allows for more air volume inside of the box keeping the internal temperature of the box lower.  Be sure to ask your sign partner about upgrading an existing box to LED's.  

Cabinet Sign Example:

The third type of illuminated building signs are signs that are externally lit either from above, below (less common), or back-lit.  These signs are typically flat or may have dimensional lettering applied.  

External lighting example:

Back-lit example.

One type of sign that is commonly seen, but is typically not cost viable for organizations that are not multi-site are Custom Fabricated Cabinet Signs.  These signs may require special plastic molds and are often used where high volumes of the same sign is required, i.e. retail chains.  In the example below, a contour cut backer (off-white) has been used in combination with channel letters to create an attractive custom display.

You've decided on a sign type and the Estimate provided by your sign company is within your budget.  Your sign partner will now provide you with proofs of the designs, text, and colors of the sign you have selected.  Ideally, they will provide you with a proof that shows your sign on your building in it's correct location.  This is the time to get things exactly the way you want them to be!  You'll be living with this sign for a long time, so be sure it's exactly what you want!

Your sign partner will now apply for a permit with the local city government and possibly additional groups that may need to approve the final design, i.e. Historic Preservation Groups, Retail Associations, etc.  Once the permit is approved, the sign can be produced.  

Most sign companies do not manufacture channel signs themselves, some do.  For those that don't, they typically will purchase your sign from a sign wholesaler who will sells at a wholesale discount to the local provider.  

Installation:

Your sign partner is now ready to install your sign.  Be sure to provide specific directions on where you want the sign installed if for some reason it is different than the proof.  Be aware, however, that installation location may depend on the location of access to the internal side of the wall and the location of the electrical connections.

After installtion...enjoy your new sign!  It should turn on and off automatically with a light sensor that comes with sign.  It should be bright when lit, visible and readable during the day, should not buzz or hum, should not flicker or have any noticeable discolorations or dark areas.  

Next time...LED Signs and Message Boards.