Roadside Signs: Basics to Consider When Ordering Your Lighted Sign

Lighted signs are great for driving traffic to your business!

Want some assistance in driving traffic to your business? What can be more effective than an illuminated sign? Lighted signs line the highways for a reason – they are highly visible and their big, bold graphics can be seen by prospects quickly and from great distances. If produced well, these signs will consistently drive traffic and last for many years. If you're going to order an initial sign, this should be your first choice – it's hard to find a greater return on investment!

Let's cover the basics to consider when ordering a lighted sign:

1. What kind of cabinet would you prefer? Lighted sign cabinets, also called light boxes or illuminated cabinets, are generally aluminum and can be either extruded or custom. Extruded cabinets are typically rectangular or square shaped with squared or radius corners. They come from the factory finished, but can be painted any color you prefer. Although more expensive than the typical extruded cabinets, custom cabinets can be fabricated in virtually any shape – generally called logo boxes, they can be created in the shape of your logo or contour cut to your company name. Signs with custom cut cabinets are super creative and attention-grabbing, but both extruded and custom cabinets are effective for showcasing your signage.
2. What size cabinet works for your business? You may order an extruded cabinet in virtually any size! With that in mind, it's important to be able to determine which size sign gives you the best visibility in the space you have allotted. Instead of selecting square footage first, start with letter size. How far away would you like your message to be seen? 100 feet? 200 feet? Determine the distance and then use this basic formula: 1" letters for every 10' of distance. So, if you'd like your sign to be seen 200' away, shoot for 20" letters. Once you've determined your letter size, you can then layout the entire message to get a more accurate size for your sign. And, as far as the cabinet depths, they can range from as slim as 7" to nearly 20"deep. It really depends on the look you'd like, the space you have available, how you will mount the sign, and of course, your budget.
3. How will you illuminate your sign? There are several options when it comes to lighting your sign. You may mount lamps outside of the sign and place them just above or shine them toward the face, which will give off a convenient "glow". LED lights (also called border lights or back lights) are great for lining the border of your sign or lacing the back of the faces for increased visibility. Finally, florescent bulbs can be installed inside of the cabinets to shine through the sign faces, as well. These are all options to increase the visibility and readability of your road side sign to onlookers and passerbys.
4. What material will you use for the faces? When it comes to lighted signs, you can opt for Acrysteel® or Acrylite®, which are both notable brands of acrylic plastic. They are known for their impact strength and enhanced break resistance, and appreciated for their high gloss and color display. Or, the more expensive Lexan® is also an option. It is an incredibly strong and durable polycarbonate also used as bullet proof glass. Both materials are extremely functional for long-lasting roadside signage.
5. Will your faces be pan-formed or flat faces? Pan-formed faces extend out from the sign cabinet typically 1.5" or more and offer more strength and durability. They can be smooth, to which you can either apply vinyl graphics or "back spray" artwork on the inside. Or, instead of the smooth finish, they can be embossed, which offers a little more texture with raised lettering and graphics. Flat faces are exactly what the name suggests – they are flat and do not extend out at all from the cabinet. Flat faces are less expensive, but can also pose stability problems, particularly with oversized signs.
6. How will you mount your sign? A lighted sign can be mounted on one pole or between two. It can be mounted as a marquee between brick or wood columns, monument mounted on a base or hung from a cantilever. Lighted sign cabinets can even be flush mounted directly to building facades. Carefully examining your location, flow of traffic and competing roadside signs will help in deciding which mounting option would be best for your business.

Signs are the perfect marketing tools for businesses – they allow prospects to know who you are and what you do. But, illuminated signs take it one step further! They increase visibility and readability around the clock – even at night and in transit. They are notorious for offering roadside assistance – they help you consistently bring traffic through the doors!