What Is a Channel Letter?

A popular and powerful sign format, channel letters are three-dimensional, individually shaped sign letters or symbols. Each character is built with aluminum backs and sides or returns and together form a path or channel that houses a specific form of electrical lighting depending upon application. Generally, the lighting is created from custom shaped neon glass tubes or prefabricated fluorescent light fixtures.

Today, however, an increasingly popular light source has become LED or Light Emitting Diode (more on LED below). The fonts or faces of the characters are either enclosed with a translucent material called acrylic, commonly referred to as plex or constructed from aluminum.

Channel Letters offer a unique form of identification with a wide variety of industry standard paint and material colors and can even be made to match any corporate logo or slogan.

As a compliment to store or business architecture, channel letters offer high impact recognition and give any business exterior a finished, professional appearance.

What Is an Illuminated Sign Cabinet?

The most common form of sign utilized by retail and commercial business is the illuminated sign cabinet. Constructed with an aluminum back and extrusion or returns for the sides, the sign cabinet houses High Output Lamps which illuminate the face covering the top on the sign box. Face are available in several forms: Flat Face, Flat Pan Face (the graphics are raised on the face), Coped Push-Thru Face (routed aluminum face with dimensional plex letter), or a Flex Face (flexible fabric with digitally printed Graphics).

Illuminated Sign Cabinets are an excellent way to attract attention with a wide variety of industry standard paint and material colors and can be made to match any logo or design.

What is an LED?

An LED is a semiconductor device that emits light when a current is passed through it. LED technology is capable of producing red, green, blue, amber, and other light colors. LED's are highly reliable and consume very little power.

What Are Magnetic Signs Used For?

Magnetic signs are a highly durable and cost effective way to promote name recognition with your vehicle. You can personalize them in any way from simple letters and logos on basic shapes to digitally printed graphics cut to custom shapes. An extra feature of Magnetic Signs is that they are easy to apply and remove whenever you want. Affordable, simple signs that give effective, professional results. Magnetic signs can offer a quick way to turn your vehicle into a marketing tool.

What Are Engraved Signs?

Engraved signs offer the added look of class to an otherwise plain sign. They are available in a variety of colors and material choices and can be engraved or reverse engraved depending on the application and desired look. You can also have a decorative beveled edge, a border or a straight edge to frame the sign. There are several simple methods for installation: pressure sensitive adhesive, mounting holes & framing systems.

What Are Directory Signs Used For?

Directory signs are the integral part in any way-finding system. They provide aid and convenience to those who are finding there way through any building. Not only are they helpful but can also be produced to any custom specifications.

What Are ADA Signs?

Signage in public areas of all buildings are subject to compliance with federal, state and local code requirements, requiring the use of certain symbols, messages, graphic standards and Braille characters. These ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) signs are available in a variety of standard colors and can also be adapted to any custom color scheme or design. Our ADA signs are made for easy install and are perfect for all interior applications.

What Are Digitally Printed Signs?

Digitally printed signs are a newer technology where images are printed directly onto a material of choice. These types of sign offer the opportunity to put your full color graphics including pictures on a variety of materials including MDO, PVC, aluminum, acrylic, polycarbonate, and vinyl. This opens the door to creating any kind of artwork you desire for your sign and having it printed with the highest image quality whether it's for indoor or outdoor use.

What Are Interior Acrylic Letters?

Cut acrylic letters and graphics are decorative and durable. Acrylic comes in a wide variety of colors and is easy to cut and customize. It's smooth, glossy surface delivers a clean professional look suitable for any corporate identification. They are ideal for all indoor mounting applications. Acrylic may also be decorated with vinyl graphics for extra accents and are receptive to UV ink for full color printing.

How Are Interior Foam Letters Made and What Are They Used For?

Foam core board is made by adhering two sheets of paper to both sides of a foam core. Foam core board is lightweight yet sturdy. It is ideal for all indoor mounting applications. Easy to cut and customize, foam board is clay-coated for an extra smooth surface. Foam board comes in a variety of colors and is well suited for trade show applications and many other indoor uses. Foam board accepts ink jet and full color printing very well.

Elegant metal signs and letters can cost a bundle. Now there is a lightweight, less expensive, easily crafted alternative. Metal laminate letters deliver the same impact and appeal as metal, but in a durable, versatile foam-centered product. This is the ideal material for decorative letters and logos often seen in hotels, banks, and office buildings. It can be sawed or routed, and is easier to craft than solid metal. It even maintains its appearance better - the surface is anodized aluminum, which will not rust, fade, or tarnish. The back side is high-impact polystyrene.

Foam sign letters and logos are available in a wide assortment of typestyles and our foam letters will allow dimensional sign letters to be added to your building signage for much less than many other lettering materials. This product is commonly used to present the nice look of three dimensional sign letters with some "depth" to get 3-D effects without the higher cost of some of our other sign letter materials, like our high quality metal letters.

What Are Exterior PVC Letters?

Quality sign letters and logos cut from PVC material. These custom PVC sign letter products may be produced with no painting or surface laminate (using standard PVC available in stock colors), or the PVC can be painted (any standard paint color or matched to your specified color mix), or the PVC can be cut to shape and digitally printed graphics may be applied.

What Are Some Benefits of Using HDF Letters?

HDF letters replaced wood letters years ago as the choice for low-budget signs, since HDF is suitable exterior use. Some of the benefits of using HDF is that it is 100% waterproof, it is not affected by temperature, and it will not split, crack, rot or decompose.

What Types of Awnings Are Out There?

Digitally Printed Awnings
     Digitally printed awning material is a classic backlit substrate compatible with all solvent-base digital printers. The universal topcoat and 20% translucency makes it ideal for backlit signs, banners and billboards. The high quality finish is formulated to assure you of consistent image quality with optimal color reproduction.
     (Available in any color combination)

Eradicated Backlit Awning
     This material is ideal for backlit awnings and signage with single background colors. Designs, logos and copy may be added through eradication, inlaying additional colors where desired. Now in a design for everyday signage, usage is intended where the requirement is for medium-term durability. Available in a range of popular colors, the awning and sign faces can be decorated with translucent vinyl or digitally printed backlit material. The exposed white background, in areas of eradication, stays white as a result of high quality pigments and additives that provide resistance to UV, heat degradation, and microbial protection. The 20 x 14 high strength polyester scrim embedded in the cast PVC gives strength for easy tensioning and avoids sagging. The special combination of materials has excellent light diffusion properties to increase visibility of the graphic while hiding structural components.
     (Contact a sales associate for available colors)

Decorative Fabric Awning
     This is a 100% solution-dyed acrylic fabric. Fabric awning material withstands sun, wind and rain while remaining beautiful for years. The secret to it's long lasting color is found in the solution-dying process which locks colors into the acrylic fibers so they can't wash out or fade. The fact is, fabric awning material is so durable, we back it with an incredible 5-year limited warranty. So don't accept an imitation outdoor fabric. This product comes in many solid colors along with many stripe combinations.
     (Contact a sales associate for available colors)

Waterproof Awning w/ Vinyl Graphics
     We call it waterproof and we mean it! Waterproof awning material is the product of an impressive history and technological pioneering in flexible sign and awning materials. Waterproof awning material is a revolutionary material which has the luxurious look and feel of a textured fabric, with all the weather-resistant properties of a high performance vinyl polymer substrate.
                        BENEFITS OF USING THIS MATERIAL
     It looks and feels like a woven fabric without the weaknesses of one - Waterproof, not just water resistant - Waterproof awning material is also flame resistant; meets CA Fire Marshall, ASTM E 84, NFPA 701, UL48 & UI94 - Digitally printable - Resists sagging better than a woven acrylic - Resists stains and fungus, and is easy to clean.
     (Contact a sales associate for available colors)

Why Do Vehicle Graphics?

Effective vehicle graphics are the biggest bang for your advertising buck. They are in view every day, communicating your message and promoting your brand. They are effective for almost any kind of company or organization, offering the lowest cost per impression of any advertising medium.

Benefits of Vehicle Graphics!
     The fastest growing trend in advertising and marketing is the idea of mobile billboards via vehicle graphics. Your company vehicles can now promote your product, service or company like never before. Effective vehicle graphics are a way to make a huge impact on your market and community, and to get noticed!

Do You Do Jobs For Special Projects?

Wall murals, digital collages, posters, fence meshing, stage backdrops, concert backdrops, window blinds, etc., whatever you can dream, we can make a reality. Need a creative mind to help you along? Our in-house designers are available to assist you from concept through creation. If you only remember one thing about Custom Sign Center's digital imaging capabilities, remember this: Anything, we'll print anything on anything - sharper, brighter, bigger, and louder than any other printer in the business.

What Are The Uses of Pylon Signs?

Perhaps the most common type of commercial outdoor signage is a Pylon Sign. Designed utilizing a single, double or multi-pole structure, your sign can reach heights visible for miles. The effectiveness of the sign is dependent on its design. Pylon signs do more than provide another place for a sign:  they become a part of the architectural personality of a location and have the capability to transform your site from just another building into a landmark people recognize and are attracted to.

What Are the Uses of Neon and How Is It Made?

Neon is an excellent choice for restaurants and retail outlets where attention getting is a must. Beyond its uses as signage, it also serves as an attractive accent to architecture, building borders, cabinet underlighting, etc. Perhaps the greatest example of the power of neon would be the world famous Las Vegas, where neon rises about the sphere of signage to full-blown spectacle.

Take neon one step further by making it "flash" and create a sign with more vigor, intensity, scope and vitality than any other sign medium.

Neon signs have been around since the late 19th century, but show no signs of diminishing as a dominant, versatile and durable sign solution. Unlike many other kinds of signs, neon is still largely a handcrafted product. Glass tubes of variable thickness are heated over a super-hot flame and are hand bent to shape by a neon artisan. When cooled, they are filled with neon gas. Other elements are introduced to the mix to create an array of colors. An electric current is then passed through the tube, causing the neon to glow brilliantly.

With our own in-house neon plant, we manufacture "miles" of neon. Using the most cutting-edge techniques, we produce long lasting production and custom runs while making sure all neon and transformer installations are UL approved. We comply to the UL 2161 rules and regulations as stated by the Underwriters Laboratories.