Reverse Channel Letters

Description

Reverse channel letters are individual 3D letters, numbers and logo shapes that glow against the wall at their backs rather than through their faces. LEDs are mounted inside every letter, the glow escapes from the rear, and a halo traces each outline on the wall. You will also hear them called reverse lit channel letters, reverse illuminated channel letters, backlit letters or halo lit letters. All of these names describe the same kind of sign.

In daylight you see a clean letter in the finish you chose. After dark the wall around it glows and the letters lift off the facade. Unlike front-lit channel letters, which glow through their faces, reverse channel letters throw their light onto the wall at their backs, and every letter stands out against its own halo. That is why fashion boutiques, hotel lobbies, restaurants, offices and clinics choose them when a sign has to look refined both day and night.

Components

Each set of reverse channel letters is made up of the parts below.

• Channel: every letter has its own channel, which some people call a letter shell or sign shell. Both names mean the same part. A metal channel starts with a face laser cut from metal, 304 stainless steel by default. Next, the sides are fabricated and joined to that face by laser welding, which forms a hollow channel. An acrylic channel, as on Acrylic Reverse Channel Letters, is CNC carved from solid opal acrylic by default, and its face and the edges next to the face are painted or powder coated so no light escapes there.
• Inside of the channel: painted white to reflect the light and keep the glow even.
• Back panel: on metal channels, the back is closed by an opal acrylic panel that evens out the light and keeps small animals out. On Basic Metal Reverse Channel Letters the acrylic panel, cut by laser, sits entirely within the metal channel, hidden from view at the front and sides. That is why these letters have to sit off the wall to create the halo. On Pro Metal Reverse Channel Letters the acrylic panel is CNC carved, and part of it sits outside the metal channel, so the letters mount flush on the wall, install more easily and give a stronger halo. On Acrylic Reverse Channel Letters the back panel is laser-cut aluminum. Its main job is to give the LEDs a mounting surface and carry their heat away, while also keeping small animals out of the letter.
• LEDs: 12V DC by default, with 24V DC LEDs made to order on request. Rated life is above 100,000 hours, and outdoor signs use waterproof LEDs.
• Power supply: a Mean Well unit as standard, matched to the wattage we measure once your reverse channel letters are finished. That is also why every connection has to match our wiring diagram. Outdoor sets use IP67 power supplies.

Benefits

Well-made reverse channel letter signs work for almost any business that wants its name to look calm and confident rather than loud, from spas, salons and dental clinics to banks, law firms and real estate offices. Here is what they bring.

• Every detail is made to order, including the font, letter height, channel depth, finish, light color and mounting.
• The halo keeps the sign easy to read after dark without glare on the street.
• By default, stainless steel channels, waterproof LEDs and outdoor-rated power supplies handle sun, rain and bitter cold outdoors.
• Finely made, the letters look like a piece of art whether you see them from across the street or up close.
• LEDs use little power and run for a long time with little upkeep.
• Every letter is built as a separate unit, so if one letter is ever damaged, it can be replaced or repaired on its own without touching the rest of the sign.

High Customizability

Each set is built to order, and you decide the following:

• Font: serif, sans-serif or script, any of them can work. Each build has its own limits, so if a font needs small changes to work, or cannot be made at all, we will tell you plainly.
• Size: no letter can be built under 3-15/16 in (100 mm). Stroke width also has to be considered, because it affects whether a letter can be built. Here too, if the design needs small changes or simply cannot be built, you will hear it from us straight away. Metal channels can also be made to a custom depth.
• Finish: stainless steel channels start from a mirror polish, a brushed grain or a vibration texture. They can also be painted or powder coated in gloss, semi-gloss or matte, and paint can be matched to your brand color. Plating brings gold, rose gold, black titanium, bronze, brass, copper and other colors, and metal channels can take an antique or wood grain look as well. Acrylic channels can be painted or powder coated in gloss, semi-gloss or matte, again with paint matched to your brand color.
• Light color: warm white at 3000K, natural white at 4000K or white at 6000K, single colors in red, yellow, blue and green, and color-changing RGBW, which usually comes with a wireless controller. Apart from those four single colors, any other light color is currently made to order with RGBW LEDs. A light color cannot be matched precisely to a color chart.
• Mounting: wood slat walls, drywall, aluminum composite panel, red brick and even stone each have a mounting method to suit. If the wall cannot be drilled, or allows only a few holes, the letters can be fitted in advance onto a custom metal backing box, with all the letter wiring finished for you. You then fix the whole unit to the wall, suspend it from the ceiling, or set it on a base so it stands on the floor.
• Warranty: a 3-year limited warranty comes as standard, and a 5-year warranty is available as a custom option.

Visual Impact and Visibility

The signature effect of reverse channel letters is the halo that traces every letter outline. Once lit, the sign gives off a soft glow rather than a harsh one, so it stays easy to see at night while keeping a quiet, refined look. In daylight, or wherever there is ambient light, the finish of the channels shows clearly. Your brand colors, a classic antique look, or plated gold and copper all leave visitors with a lasting impression, and after dark the elegant halo shows the sign at its very best. Many people also call these signs reverse pan channel letters, a name that comes from the pan-shaped metal channel.

Indoor and Outdoor Versatility

Outdoor signs use stainless steel channels by default, the LEDs are waterproof, each letter has drain holes, and the power supplies are IP67 rated. Where heavy rain is common, the LEDs move up to an IP67 rating. Signs going up near the coast, or anywhere the air carries a lot of salt, should be built in marine-grade 316 stainless steel, channels and mounting hardware alike, so let us know where the sign will hang. For a wall that faces extreme weather we suggest Basic Metal Reverse Channel Letters for their better weather resistance. They work just as well indoors and are a good choice for large letters. Indoors or out, where the mounting has to leave no visible marks and both the metal finish and the halo must be first-rate, Pro Metal Reverse Channel Letters are the best fit. Luxury stores, upscale hotels and high-end offices are typical, with reception walls, lobbies and showrooms that call for a quiet, high-end glow, metal channels and a mark-free install. Because their channels are carved by high-precision CNC, Acrylic Reverse Channel Letters are the first choice where a sign is seen up close and no metal finish is needed. They are best indoors or under a canopy.

Installation

In the box with every set you will find:

• The power supply
• The stud bolts
• A full-size paper template
• A wiring diagram
• Written installation instructions

Mounting usually means drilling the wall for the stud bolts and the wires, so we recommend hiring a professional sign installer, whom you can find on Google Maps or Yelp. With the parts and instructions we supply, an installer can put the sign up quickly and correctly, keeping the display effect right, the letters firmly fixed and the wiring done properly. That pays off both in how the sign looks and in how long it lasts.

Tape the template to the wall and it marks each drilling point, which keeps the spacing between letters true to your artwork. Pro Metal Reverse Channel Letters and Acrylic Reverse Channel Letters mount flat on the wall by default, which hides the wires, studs and holes behind the letters. Basic Metal Reverse Channel Letters need a gap behind them to create the halo, so they sit on stainless steel spacers. By default each spacer measures 13/16 in (20 mm). Wire the letters exactly as our diagram shows, because that is how each letter is paired with the right power supply. Under no circumstances should the sign go on a supply circuit that does not suit the power supply input.

Maintenance and Certification

Caring for reverse channel letters is simple. Every so often, wipe the dirt off the channels with clean water on a soft cloth. Never use organic chemical cleaners, because they harm the finish in ways that cannot be undone. Every set we ship is UL Listed, and each letter and logo piece carries its own UL label. Where that label is placed on indoor and outdoor signs is explained in the FAQ below. Our 3-year limited warranty covers any flaw in the materials or the workmanship.