Sign Glossary: Sign Terms Explained
Quotes and drawings for signs are full of words that nobody uses anywhere else: returns, raceways, trim cap, standoffs. This glossary explains them in plain language, so you know exactly what you are approving.
- Free site visit & measurement
- Design included
- 2-year warranty
- Own workshop in Calgary
Sign Types
Channel letters
Individual, dimensional letters, each built as a separate object. Most have their own lighting inside; non-illuminated versions are made too. They are one of the most common storefront signs. See 3D channel letters.
Light box (cabinet sign)
A box with LED lighting inside and a translucent printed face. The whole face glows, so it can carry detailed logos, colours and several lines of text. See light box signs.
LED neon
A flexible LED line under a diffuser that recreates the look of glass neon. It is mounted on a shaped backing and can be made in any colour. See LED neon signs.
ACM sign
A non-illuminated sign made from aluminum composite material (two thin aluminum sheets bonded to a core) with printed graphics. It is flat, rigid and suited to fascia panels and wayfinding. See printed signs.
Fascia sign
A sign mounted flat on the wall of a building. Channel letters and wall-mounted light boxes are both fascia signs.
Projecting sign
A sign mounted at a right angle to the wall, so it is seen by people coming along the street from either direction. It is usually double-sided.
How Letters Are Built
Face
The front surface of a letter or light box. On lit signs it is translucent, so light can pass through; on halo-lit letters it is solid.
Returns
The sides of a channel letter: the depth between the face and the back. Their colour and depth change how the letter looks from an angle and in daylight.
Trim cap
A narrow edge profile used on many channel letters to hold the face onto the returns. It frames the face with a thin outline.
Body
The shell of the letter that holds the lighting. Letter bodies are made from aluminum or a special impact-resistant plastic for outdoor use. See channel letter materials.
Prefer to see it on your building?
A free design concept shows exactly how faces, returns and lighting will look on your storefront.
Lighting Styles
Front-lit
Light passes through the translucent face toward the viewer, so the letter itself glows. It is the brightest lighting style and the easiest to read from far away. See front-lit letters.
Halo-lit (backlit, reverse-lit)
The face is solid and the light points backward onto the wall, forming a glowing outline around each letter. It needs a suitable wall or a backer panel. See halo-lit letters.
Front & halo-lit
A combination: the faces glow and the wall behind them glows too. See front & halo-lit letters.
Faces, Print and Finishes
Milky acrylic
A white translucent acrylic sheet that spreads light evenly. Standard channel letter faces are 3 mm milky acrylic.
Translucent film
Coloured vinyl film that lets light through. Applied to a milky face, it gives the face your brand colour when lit.
UV printing
Printing with inks cured by ultraviolet light, directly onto acrylic or onto film. It reproduces detailed logos, gradients and photos on light box faces. See light box graphics: UV print on acrylic or film.
Mounting
Raceway
A narrow box behind the letters that carries the wiring and the fixings, so only a few attachment points go into the wall. Common in plazas. See raceway-mounted letters.
Backer panel
A panel behind the letters that frames the name, adds contrast and gives halo light a clean surface. See letters on a backer panel.
Standoffs
Small spacers that hold a letter or panel a short distance off the wall, giving a floating look and a shadow. Used for interior signs and halo-lit letters. See standoff acrylic signs.
Flush mount
Letters or a logo fixed directly against the wall with no gap.
Lighting and Electrical
LED module
A small unit with LEDs that is fixed inside a letter or light box. The modules used in channel letters are rated for up to 50,000 hours. See how long LED signs last.
Optical lens
A lens on an LED module that spreads the light more widely. In light boxes it helps light the face evenly, without dark patches.
Power supply
The unit that converts mains power into the low-voltage current the LEDs need, and regulates it so the LEDs are not damaged.
Dimming
Adjusting the brightness of the sign. LED neon signs can be dimmed to suit the room or the time of day.
Permits and Planning
Development permit
City approval required for many new exterior signs in Calgary. See how to get a sign permit in Calgary.
Sign criteria
A landlord’s rules for tenant signs in a plaza or building: size, position, type, lighting and approval. See landlord sign criteria.
Copy
The words and graphics on a sign. Changing the copy of a legally existing sign (such as new graphics in a light box) is treated differently from putting up a new sign.
Re-face
Replacing the face or graphics of an existing light box while the cabinet stays on the wall. See light box re-face vs a new cabinet.
Design concept
A visual of your sign shown on a photo of your building before production. It is included in the price of the sign.