Types of Illumination
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SIGNAGE DETAILS: Types of Illumination | Signage Materials | Installation Methods
When it comes to illuminating signs there are two questions to ask yourself:
(1) What type of illumination (lighting) do I want?
(2) What kind of lighting material (source) should I use?
What type of illumination (lighting) do I want?
Choosing a type of illumination all comes down to what you want your sign to look like at night. Here are your options:
Font-lit: This is considered the default type of internal illumination of a sign. Basically, light passes through the front face of the sign causing it to light up at night.
Halo-lit (or Back-lit): This is where the light passes through back of the sign and not the front. The light then bounces off of the building or wall directly behind the sign, and outlines the sign in a “halo” of light.
Combination Back-lit and Front-lit: You could call this the best of both worlds. Light passes through the front of the sign illuminated the face, and light passes through the back of the sign outlining the sign in a “halo” of light.
External Illumination: This is where you use external lamps or spotlights to shine upon the sign at night.
What kind of lighting material (source) should I use?
Neon: Neon is a very versatile lighting source. It can be used as a standalone sign (like you see in “open” signs or neon beer signs), or it can be used inside channel letters to create either a front-lit or back-lit lighting effect. It’s the original light source for signage, but technological advances are making it somewhat outdated.
LEDs: LEDs can be placed on the inside of a channel letter or logo pan in order to illuminate a sign. They can be used to create a front-lit or back-lit lighting effect. LEDs are quickly becoming the preferred lighting source for signs because they can be easier to install and use a lot less energy than neon. Less energy use means energy bill savings that would eventually pay for the sign in the long run.
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