How to Get Started With Your New Channel Letters...
1.  Find an example of a sign you like here on our website
2.  Fill out our Quote Request form and mention the sign(s) you like
3.  We contact you ASAP with pricing, renderings (using your actual logo) and next steps to bring it to life!

SUBMIT BELOW FOR A FAST & FREE QUOTE

What Makes Our Channel Letters the BEST in the Industry..?

The most common channel letter signs use trim-caps to hold the faces on and plotted, stock-colored vinyl to produce the colors. When we got into channel letters we made 3 key decisions: first, we invested in the top-tier channel bender on the market, which is capable of producing both trimmed and trimless channel letters. The trimless option creates full-face, edge-to-edge light coverage, giving letters a cleaner, more modern look. Second, we made an even more substantial investment in an extra-large format (65" x any length) UV-resistant flatbed printer, which allows us to direct-print onto very large/rigid substrates (like acrylic letter faces) in addition to printing on vinyl, perforated vinyl, and other flexible substrates. Our top-of-the-line printer gives us infinite color possibilities and full control over opacity, layering, intensity, and other coloring details, and all but eliminates the inevitable peeling and bubbling of vinyl. And third, we installed a 24' commercial paint booth so we could spray 360º automotive clear coats rather than being limited to adhesive laminate. That combination extends the lifespan of our letters by up to 25 years over traditional vinyl or regular ink. 

All of that being said, although our equipment cost was significantly higher this way, it gives us more control, greatly improves our efficiency, reduces some of our other inventory, etc. Those factors reduce our labor and other overhead, so we don't charge any more for the higher-end lettering than other shops do for basic channel letters.

What are Channel Letter Signs?

Channel letters and channel logos are among the most common types of business logo signs that you see every day. Whether it be at a shopping mall, grocery store, gas station, hospital, hotel, gym, trip mall, or anything in between, those big, thick letters you see mounted above the entrance or on the side of the building are called channel letters or channel logo signs.

The process of crafting channel letters involves some unique industrial machinery, including, at minimum, a Channel Bender to form the sides and a CNC Router to cut the faces. Most sign shops stop there, but this is where Custom Logo Signs takes channel letters to the next level! Rather than only offering them with chunky trims, limited colors, and basic fonts, we offer:

Example of our micro-sized channel letters.

• State-of-the-art trimless letterform, with 100% edge-to-edge surface lighting for a flawless face that perfectly represents your typeface & font. 
• Exact brand-match colors through our large format flatbed printer (capable of printing massive, oversized letters)
• Multiple return materials (including aluminum, steel, brass & more)
• Fully customizable fonts & shapes, accommodating serifs as small as 3/16"
• Return depth (letter thickness) up to 8" deep
• Small channel letters as short as 3"H, and oversized letters as big as 144"H x 72"W​.
• And of course our signature grind patterns, custom paint jobs, and other one-of-a-kind artistic finishes​

The backs and faces are digitally mapped out, then the backs are cut from aluminum and faces are routed from aluminum, acrylic (indoor), polycarbonate (outdoor) or left open (marquee signs.) The letter/icon faces are then painted or printed to match your logo colors. The returns/sides are then calculated, mapped, bent, formed, and optionally painted. The returns, backs and faces are welded and/or adhered together and enclosed to create the "box" (with drain holes in the bottom for outdoor signs), optional LED lighting is installed, and finally the mounting hardware is built in. Considering the size and scale of most channel letters and logos, these signs can take several days or weeks worth of full time labor to complete.

Options for Custom Channel Letters & Logos

There are a few variables to keep in mind when purchasing channel letters, such as the lighting style (face-lit, backlit/halo-lit, marquee, or unlit,) face material (aluminum, steel, acrylic, polycarbonate, or open,) return depth (1-8",) return color (black, white, silver or custom,) mounting style (freestanding, threaded studs, mounted back-panel, or raceway,) and installation requirements (building material, power source, etc.)

With all of that in mind, here are a few ways you will benefit from using Custom Logo Signs to fabricate the channel lettering sign for your business:

(example of trimless, face-lit channel letters)

• Peace of Mind: designed & fabricated in-house by professional engineers and artisans, with realistic renderings for pre-approval and a project coordinator with you through completion
• Avoid Frequent Costly Replacements: state-of-the-art equipment, highest quality products, and longest lasting materials, finishes & components
• Consistent Branding: virtually limitless sizes, shapes, styles, and colors to ensure your brand is accurately represented
• Eye-Catching Options: unique illuminating techniques (including remote-controlled, color-changing LED lights) to draw attention to your business and bring in the foot traffic!

Common Channel Letter Lighting Styles: Halo-Lit vs Face-Lit

When it comes to your options for LED channel letters, the two descriptive names along with the graphic above pretty much tell the story, but in a nutshell the halo-lit channel letters (also known as Backlit Letters or Reverse Channel Letters) use opaque/solid colored surfaces (usually aluminum) with light glowing onto the wall or panel behind them, creating an illuminated outline around the perimeter of your logo and lettering (giving it a halo-like appearance.) Face-lit channel letters (also known as Surface Lit Channel Letters) use semi-transparent colored surfaces (usually acrylic) with light glowing inside the enclosed lettering, brightly illuminating the surface of your logo.

A third option is referred to as marquee channel letters, which is the open-face style with exposed bulbs. These have a very retro, Americana vibe to them, and often times are made from intentionally-rusted steel for a distressed look.

And finally a fourth option is to go unlit and eliminate any lighting from inside the letters and rely on external lighting to shine on them. This could come in the form of an overhead light, string lights, an extended light arm, a spotlight, etc.