Backlit Sign 3D Illuminated logo Letter Sign Electric Outdoor

How This Stuff Works 

LED strips inside letters point at your wall, not the street. Light hits that surface and bounces back forming the halo. Gap between letter and wall - maybe one or two inches - needs to match perfectly on every letter or you get weird bright and dark patches. 

Your wall's condition? Huge deal. Smooth painted walls give clean glows. Messed up walls, peeling paint, rough spots? Light goes everywhere and looks like crap.

Daytime you see metal letters on your building. Nighttime the halo kicks in, but it's way dimmer than frontlit signs. Great for slower streets and shopping areas where people actually look around. Highways or packed areas with tons of lights? The subtle glow disappears. 

Good vs Cheap Construction 

Decent letters use aluminum about 0.080 inches thick. Keeps letters straight and holds wall spacing steady. Thin metal bends when temps change and weather hits, screwing up the gap and killing the look. 

Commercial LEDs rated 100,000+ hours last maybe ten to fifteen years running nightly. Good airflow stops heat from frying LEDs or making hot spots. Can't judge quality till you see them lit at night - good ones show smooth even halos, cheap ones have bright blotches and dark spots everywhere. 

Finishes You Can Get 

Brushed aluminum looks modern, hides fingerprints. Painted faces match your brand - darker colors pop better against white glow at night. Powder coating lasts longer, gives texture options. 

Most go white LEDs. Warm white's softer for restaurants and hotels. Cool white's sharper for offices and medical spots. Colored halos lock you in if you rebrand later. 

What Installation Costs 

Backlit signs need exact installation - spacing mistakes show instantly. Pro installers use mounting gear holding each letter same distance from wall. They measure tons of spots checking it's right. 

Wall prep often costs extra. Bad wall, wrong paint, surface problems? Fix first. Get clear answers about wall work before signing anything. 

Backlit letters cost 10-20% more than frontlit because construction's harder and install's pickier. Small business signs with six to ten letters run 5,500−5,500−8,000 depending on size and location. 

Electric bill's low - maybe $25-35 monthly. LEDs last forever, sealed construction protects guts. Extra cost hits upfront.