Signage is an important aspect of branding for your clients. You want a sign for their brick and mortar location to appeal to their customers, and thereby drive increased awareness, and ultimately sales.

Channel letter signs are an excellent option for companies that want to stand out from the competition. There are two basic types of channel letters available on the market today: front lit channel letters, and halo lit channel letters. However, in some cases a combination of these two techniques will optimize the appearance of a sign.

What are Front Lit Channel Letters?

Front lit channel letters are signs in which each letter’s interior contains a light source that is visible from the front side of the display. Front lit channel letters are made up of durable aluminum backing and sides. Their front surface is comprised of a translucent, acrylic material that allows the light source inside to transmit outwards, sometimes a lexan face can be used.

Colour selection is vitally important for front lit channel letters, because many vinyl overlays only allow for less than 1% of light transmission from the letter’s interior light source. Customized overlays are often available to achieve specific colours/hues. Another popular option among many businesses is the use of dual film. This material allows a company sign to transmit a specific color during daytime, and then white illumination at night (which results in highest visibility).

What are Halo Lit Channel Letters?

Halo lit channel letters (also known as halo lit or reverse channel letters) are the converse of their front lit counterparts. Instead of a translucent front side, these letters are open on the back, and positioned a little bit away from the wall. When the light source begins its transmission, the light reflects off of the wall and gives a silhouetted appearance to the solid outline of the letter; in effect, each letter is surrounded by a “halo” of light.

Halo lit channel letters can provide depth of appearance and a more architectural look to signage. Of course, it is important that the right kind of backing material is utilized for best results. For instance, brick may not distribute the light as well as other surfaces, whereas an extremely slick or shiny background may cause your LEDs to be visibly reflected upon the wall.

Using Front and Halo Lit Illumination

While both front lit and halo lit signs have their own unique advantages, a combined approach also offers significant aesthetic benefits. For instance:

• Front and halo lit channel letters can use two different colorus to achieve a more rounded effect. All that is needed is a partition panel in the middle of the letter to divide the front side colour from the back.
• Front and Halo lit illumination allows your clients to leverage a 3D effect for their sign, without sacrificing desired colour at the front.
• This technique offers maximum visibility, especially at night. Front and halo lit signs are often positioned on high buildings for maximum exposure.
• Front and halo lit channel letters are usually very attractive elements for advertising storefronts that are closed at night.

Ultimately, the success of a sign as a marketing tool depends on your client’s specific business objectives, and which design would best fit into their advertising strategy. Many companies have found that dual lit illumination makes for dynamic, attractive signage that appeals to a wide range of customers. If you’d like to learn more about dual lit channel letter signs, and the many options available, reach out to us at the Channel Letter Depot today.