Front-Lit, Halo-Lit or Both: Choosing Illuminated Channel Letters

Short answer: front-lit letters are the brightest and easiest to read from a distance. Halo-lit letters glow onto the wall behind them, for a softer, more upmarket look. Front and halo lit does both, for signs that need to be read and to stand out.

This is one of the most common questions customers ask, and they often only know the look they want from a photo. Here is how to explain the choice.

Front-lit

The face of each letter is translucent, and the LEDs inside shine forward through it.

• Looks like: solid, evenly lit letters at night. By day, the face color shows.
• Best for: storefronts and roadside signs that need to be read from far away, and businesses open late.
• Ask about: the face color by day and lit, since some colors look different when lit from behind.

Halo-lit

The letters have solid faces, usually metal, and the light shines backward onto the wall, making a glow around each letter.

• Looks like: dark, crisp letters with a halo behind them. By day, they read as solid dimensional letters.
• Best for: offices, salons, restaurants, hotels and reception areas, where the look matters more than reading from a great distance.
• Ask about: the wall. The glow needs a fairly light, smooth surface behind it. On dark brick, much of the effect is lost.

Front and halo lit

Translucent faces and an open back, so light goes both ways.

• Looks like: lit letters with a glow behind them. The most eye-catching of the three.
• Best for: businesses that want a premium look and night visibility, like bars and entertainment venues.
• Ask about: budget. It uses more lighting, so it costs more than either one alone.

Wall or rail mounting

Each of the three can be mounted two ways:

• On the wall, each letter fixed on its own. Clean, but every letter needs fixing and wiring through the wall.
• On a rail, where the letters sit on a single raceway that holds the wiring. Fewer holes in the building, and often what landlords prefer.

Halo-lit letters stand off the wall a little so the light can spread behind them.

Help customers see the difference

The fastest way to settle the choice is to show it. In Sign Designer customers can switch between front-lit, halo-lit and front and halo lit, view the sign by day and by night, and place it on a photo of their own storefront. More on that in storefront sign mockups. For pricing the lighting, see channel letter pricing.