Open Channel: Channel letter
body with internal lighting.
The front of the channel letter is either open or
has a clear plastic face. Open channel letters can provide
a change in color appearance between day and night viewing.
Lighting is usually ineffective during daylight hours. Need
to consider the appearance of the light source during daylight
hours. Often clear glass neon tubes are used because they
are not noticeable when turned off. The interior of the letter
needs to be a reflective color to enhance illumination. The
depth of the letter return (the sides) can be varied for effect
- a shallow letter spills more light while a deeper letter
presents a sharper outline and a more legible letter form.
Closed Face: Channel letter
body with internal lighting.
The front of the channel letter is covered with either
pigmented plastic or decorated plastic of matching or contrasting
color. With the combination of light sources, pigmented plastics
and vinyl films available, almost any color can be achieved.
Care must be taken to match an appropriate color light source
with the selected face color. This type of letter is suitable
of all types of lighting packages. Letter returns painted
a dark or contrasting color can increase legibility.
Reverse Channel: Channel
letter built so that light comes out the back of the letter,
washing the mounting surface with light.
This manner of lighting generates a halo
of light around the letters. Can provide a very striking
appearance and a clean, architectural look. With a fiber optic
light source, the color of the lighting can change, providing
a noticeable and memorable effect. When considering this type
of letter construction, it is strongly
recommended to have clear backs on the letters
in lieu of an open back.
When using internally illuminated channel
letters, we can assure our customer that their identification
will be noticed, regardless of the time of day.
Over the next several installments, we will
spend time examining the different types of illumination most
commonly used to light channel letters.
