Front & Halo-Lit Letters: Two Layers of Light for a Sign People Remember
Some storefronts need to be bright enough to read from the road and distinctive enough to remember. Combination-lit letters, also called front and back lit or dual-lit channel letters, do both: the faces glow like front-lit letters, and a halo spreads onto the wall behind them.
The result has real depth after dark: the letters seem to come forward from the building.
- Free site visit & measurement
- Design included
- 2-year warranty
- Own workshop in Calgary
What Combination Lighting Looks Like
Each letter has a translucent acrylic face and a lit back. Light goes forward through the face and backward onto the wall, so you see two layers: the bright letter and a soft outline around it.
In daylight the sign reads as clean dimensional letters in your colours. At night it gains a three-dimensional quality that neither front-lit nor halo-lit letters have on their own. It is a confident look for flagship locations and businesses that trade in the evening.
Why Choose Two Layers of Light
Readable and memorable
You get the distance readability of lit faces and the character of a halo in one sign.
Strong presence after dark
Two layers of light create depth, which helps a storefront hold its own among bright neighbours.
A richer look without losing brightness
A halo adds polish, while the faces keep the sign easy to read for drivers.
Brand colours on the face
Faces can be coloured acrylic or milky acrylic with translucent film, so your colours glow.
Long LED life
LED modules rated for up to 50,000 hours on both the faces and the halo keep running for years.
When This Is the Best Choice
- Your business is open in the evening and night-time presence matters
- The sign is your main storefront identity and you want it to look its best after dark
- You face a road and need distance readability, but also want character up close
- The wall is suitable for a halo: smooth and not too dark
If you mainly need maximum brightness on a budget, front-lit letters are more economical. If you want a quiet look and the sign is seen at close range, halo-lit letters may be enough.
How Combination Letters Are Built
Two light paths in one letter
The LED layout serves both the face and the back. Getting the balance right is the craft: the face should not overpower the halo, and the halo should not look weak.
Faces
3 mm milky acrylic diffuses the forward light evenly; coloured acrylic or translucent film brings in brand colours.
Mounting off the wall
The letters sit on spacers so the halo has room to form. The distance is set to the letter size and wall surface.
Bench test
Every sign is lit in our workshop and the balance between face and halo is checked before installation.
Pricing for Front & Halo-Lit Letters
Combination letters cost 25% more than front-lit or halo-lit letters of the same size: they use more lighting and a more involved build. As with any channel letters, the number and height of letters are the main drivers.
Installation is quoted separately (about CAD $100 per hour plus GST as a guide).
- Number and height of letters
- Face colours
- Wall surface and spacing hardware
- Mounting and installation access
For a first idea of the budget, use the channel letter calculator.
Want your storefront to stand out at night?
We will visit, measure and show you a concept of combination-lit letters on your own facade.
Process and Timeline
Free visit → design concept → written quote → production in about two weeks → installation. We handle all the sign permit paperwork: we prepare the drawings, specifications and documents and submit the application on your behalf. If you prefer to apply yourself, you get the complete package from us, ready to submit.
The sign is built and tested in our Calgary workshop and covered by a 2-year warranty on the LED lighting, power supply, sign structure, materials and installation.
Front & Halo-Lit Questions
Halo-lit letters have solid faces and only light the wall. Front & halo-lit letters also have glowing faces, so they are brighter and readable from further away.
Yes, 25% more than front-lit or halo-lit letters of the same size, because each letter has more lighting and a more involved build.
The face colour comes from the acrylic or film. Tell us the effect you want and we will show you options in the design concept.
Many exterior signs need one. We handle all the sign permit paperwork: we prepare the drawings, specifications and documents and submit the application on your behalf. If you prefer to apply yourself, you get the complete package from us, ready to submit.