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What are Channel Letters

An important aspect of signage is visibility: a sign you can't see is a sign not doing its job. Placing a sign is easy enough, but what about signs that need to be seen at night? Mounting lights on a signpost or burying them in the ground both do the job, but if you want a premium and eye-catching look, channel letters might be your best option.

Published on

April 6, 2026

Light the Way to Your Business

Illuminated channel letters are a striking choice for your business sign. You have the option to choose from a variety of customization options in order to create the perfect look for your storefront that captures customers’ attention any time of day.

Channel letters are custom made using aluminum cans and covered with a translucent face. LED lights illuminate the letters and logos, using either backlighting or front lighting. Businesses can choose from an assortment of colors for the acrylic faces, translucent vinyl, and trim cap.

Channel Sign Lighting

Front lit channel letters have the LED lighting inserted at the base of the can, pointing away from the building and through an acrylic face. These letters can be directly affixed to the building or to a raceway when required. The effect is bright and uniform.

Backlit, also called halo-lit, signs are installed with spacers between the letters and the building. The LED lights are positioned inside of the letters, but pointing directly at the building. This type of lighting creates a halo effects.

Many business owners want their lighted signs to appear a different color during the day than at night. We can achieve this by adding perforated vinyl over the acrylic face. These can make a sign appear black during the day and white at night as the light shines through the vinyl.

Check out some examples of channel letters we've done on our Channel Letters page! Or, if you want to see other types of illuminated signs, check out our LED Illuminated signs page.

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