Are you looking for a way to make your business stand out and get noticed?
Illuminated signs are powerful tools for boosting visibility and grabbing attention on the high street.
If you’ve never bought an illuminated sign before, you may find that there are more options available than you realised! From monolith to cabochon, lightbox to flexbox, how do you decide which type of sign best suits your space and business goals?
At iBrand Signs, we have been at the forefront of the signage industry for over 28 years, and we know our lightbox signs from our flexbox signs!
We’ve created this handy guide to illuminated signage to help shed some light on the different types of LED signs available. We’ll also answer all your questions about the LED signage design and manufacturing process. Let us help you find the perfect LED sign to make your brand shine.
If you’d prefer to speak directly to one of our team, just give us a call on 01925 823 032, and we’ll be happy to help.
Why does my business need signage?
Businesses use signage for a variety of reasons. The purpose of the signage really depends on where it is installed and what is printed on it.
External signage, located on the front of a business, is usually used to attract attention and communicate information to an audience. It helps improve a business’s visibility and communicate its branding, reinforcing brand identity and improving brand recognition.
Attractive, high-quality signage can also help to convey professionalism and credibility, building trust with an audience.
Branded signage can also be installed internally to reinforce brand identity, convey professionalism, and build trust.
Although signage is most commonly used to display a company’s name, logo, and imagery, it can also be used to communicate important information, including promotional offers, wayfinding directions, upcoming events, safety instructions, opening hours, contact details, and more.
What is illuminated signage?
Illuminated signage is just what it sounds like – signs that are illuminated – or lit up.
By lighting up your signage, you ensure that it is always visible, even during low-light conditions.
If the sign is being installed externally, illuminating it ensures that it is visible at night as well as during the day. It can also help your business to stand out from those around it.
Lighting up your signage also helps your business to make a more striking and vibrant visual impact.
What are the different types of LED sign?
An illuminated sign is an illuminated sign – right? Wrong. There are many different techniques for lighting up your signage. Each different method of illumination creates a slightly different effect.
To choose the right illuminated LED sign for your business, it’s essential to understand the unique features of each type.
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LED logo signage
This type of signage is used to light up your company logo, helping it stand out and reinforce brand identity. LED logos are often installed on storefronts but may also be used in reception areas, trade shows, or any other area where you need your branding to stand out and capture attention. Various lighting effects can be used to illuminate an LED logo.
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LED shop sign
This type of signage is designed specifically to light up the front of a high street business. The method of illumination can be customised to your preference. Shop front signage is used to boost visibility, help your shop stand out from those around it, and attract customers. It may incorporate both the business’s logo and any relevant brand imagery or text.
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Lightbox sign
Lightbox signage can either be wall-mounted or double-sided freestanding. It consists of a sign within a box with a transparent front panel and an internal light source, usually an LED light. The internal light vibrantly and consistently illuminates the sign. Lightbox signs are often found on shop fronts and are popularly used to light up menus or promotional information on the high street.
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Flexbox sign
A flexbox sign is a type of lightbox sign that features a flexible PVC banner fascia stretched across the front of the lightbox and then backlit. They are usually used externally when the signage required is very large. Common applications include shop and hotel fronts, airports, gyms, and retail park signs. Flexbox signs are incredibly strong, durable, and cost-effective.
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Facelit sign
A facelit sign is a versatile option that can be used either internally or externally. This lighting technique can be used to illuminate either a full company logo, individual letters, or an image. The letters, logo, or image are printed onto an acrylic face with a solid metal back, and the LED light is mounted inside to illuminate the sign from within. This type of signage is often used on storefronts, shopping centres, and offices.
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Cabochon sign
Cabochon signage has risen in popularity over recent years. This aesthetically pleasing lighting technique uses multiple LED cabochon bulbs mounted onto metal letters. The result is illuminated signage with a distinctly retro and nostalgic feel. These quirky signs can be used both indoors and outside and are popularly used at entertainment venues, theatres, weddings, and parties.
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Monolith sign
A monolith, or totem sign, is a type of large, freestanding sign made from two metal panels that are mounted back to back. They are usually illuminated from within or from spotlights mounted on the ground. These signs often stand outside the front of business parks, visitor attractions, shopping centres, or corporate headquarters to provide important information like wayfinding directions, maps, or advertising.
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Backlit LED sign
Backlit signs are illuminated using LEDs positioned behind the letters or logo to cast a halo-like glow, highlighting the edges of the sign. Backlit signs can be made from a variety of materials and used in various settings. This style of illumination can be more subtle, providing a modern and sophisticated aesthetic that is popular with offices and high-end brands.
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Externally lit sign
Rather than having the LED installed inside or behind the sign, externally lit signs use LEDs installed outside of the sign to light it up. Most externally lit signs have one or more LEDs positioned around the sign or in front of it and shining onto the face of the sign. This kind of lighting provides a more classic look that tends to be popular with pubs, restaurants, and heritage sites.
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Business neon sign
Neon signs are popular for their vibrant, retro, and eye-catching aesthetic. In the past, neon lighting was created by passing an electrical current through glass tubes filled with gases. Modern faux neon lights replicate the look using LED technology. LEDs are embedded inside acrylic tubing to light up the sign. Neon signage is popularly used by entertainment venues, boutique shops, and businesses that want to create a bright, eye-catching, and retro look. LED neon signs are brighter, safer, and far cheaper to run than traditional neon lights.
Can you get illuminated signs for indoors?
Yes, indoor illuminated signs are popular with a wide range of businesses, particularly offices, where they are commonly used within reception areas, meeting rooms, and lobbies. Many retail stores, hotels, and entertainment venues also use indoor signage to create a more aesthetically pleasing environment and enhance the customer experience.
In addition to creating a modern and appealing ambience, indoor signage can also be used to provide essential wayfinding and emergency and safety information indoors.
Do illuminated signs need planning permission?
If you wish to install illuminated signage on the front or outside of a building, you will need to apply for planning permission.
Once you’ve submitted an application, your local authority will assess your proposed sign’s impact on public safety and light pollution and how it will fit in with the surrounding area’s appearance.
You can apply for permission through the Planning Portal website. Installing an illuminated sign without first gaining permission could result in you being ordered to remove the sign and receiving a fine.
You don’t need planning permission for an illuminated sign if it is going to be installed indoors.
How are illuminated signs made?
At iBrand Signs, we’ve developed a foolproof process for designing and manufacturing high-quality signs that perfectly reflect a business’s brand identity, helping them to stand out and get noticed.
Our process covers every stage, from helping you come up with an initial concept and decide what technique to use to illuminate your sign to manufacturing and installing your new sign.
Each type of illuminated sign we make is bespoke and made in a slightly different way. Most illuminated signs have an acrylic or polycarbonate face and an aluminium or stainless steel frame. The design is sometimes printed onto a vinyl film, which is applied to the face, but this depends on the type of LED sign being made.
Almost all illuminated signs are now lit up using LEDs. LEDs are highly energy-efficient, durable, and long-lasting.
How long does it take to make an LED sign?
The length of time it takes to design and manufacture an LED sign varies depending on the size and complexity of the design.
On average, you should expect your illuminated signage to take 1-4 weeks to be made, depending on various factors, including:
- Type of illuminated sign
- Complexity of design
- Size
- Manufacturer’s workload
- Customisations
The production timeline typically involves the following stages:
- Design and approval
- Material sourcing and preparation
- Assembly and fabrication
- Testing and quality control
- Delivery and installation
You should expect a straightforward project like a small illuminated emergency exit sign to be much faster to make than a larger, more complex sign like a faux neon or cabochon sign.
How much does an illuminated sign cost?
As with production time, you should expect the price of illuminated signage to vary depending on several factors, including the size of the sign, the type of illumination, and the complexity of the design. Each sign is custom-made to fit your precise requirements, and the price of the sign will reflect this.
On average, you should expect a small illuminated sign to cost £200 – £500, a medium shop front sign to cost £500 – £1,500, and a large-scale illuminated sign to cost over £1,500. Fill out our online contact form to get a free quote on signage.
Are LED signs expensive to run?
Modern illuminated signs are lit up using LEDs. When compared to traditional neon or fluorescent signage, LED signs are extremely cost-effective to run because of their high-energy efficiency, longevity, and durability.
On average, LED signs use 80% less energy than old-style fluorescent signs! That’s a huge reduction in operating costs!
LEDs also last much longer than fluorescent lights, providing between 50,000 and 100,000 hours of operation. This means fewer repairs and maintenance costs to contend with too.
iBrand Signs LED signs
At iBrand Signs, our many years of experience in the industry help us provide expert advice to our customers about which materials and lighting styles are best suited to their applications and goals.
We have been designing and manufacturing illuminated signs for over 28 years and pride ourselves on always keeping pace with all the newest and most innovative technologies and signage trends, which allows us to offer our customers the highest quality signage solutions at the most cost-effective prices.
If you need help designing an illuminated sign or identifying the right type of sign or lighting technique for your needs, get in touch with our team to discuss your requirements, and we’ll be more than happy to provide advice.
Call us on 01925 823 032 or fill out a contact form online to request a free quote, and we’ll get back to you soon!