Every Amid Signs letter — front-lit, halo-lit or open-face neon — mounts flush to the wall: the back of each letter sits right against the wall surface. A paper template comes with your sign, so you mark the holes from the template instead of measuring each letter.
This guide shows how the job goes, so you can plan it yourself or hand it to an installer. Where the instructions that come with your letters say something different, follow those.
Who does what
| Job | Who usually does it |
|---|---|
| Permit and landlord approval | You, or your installer — before install day |
| Marking and drilling | You or a sign installer, using the template |
| Power connection | A licensed electrician |
| Hanging the letters | You or a sign installer |
| Inspection | Your city, if it requires one |
A few points to plan for:
- Height. A storefront fascia can be well above the sidewalk. If the job needs a tall ladder or a lift, many owners hire a sign installer who has the right equipment.
- Electrical. Lit letters need power at the wall behind the sign. Have a licensed electrician make the power connection, especially if the sign is hard-wired into your building’s electrical system.
- Approvals. If your sign needs a permit or your landlord’s sign-off, get it before install day. See Sign permits: what to ask your city before you order.
What’s in the box
- Your letters, built from the approved drawing
- A paper template for the mounting holes
Your drawing also lists the power supply and mounting hardware for your sign. Unpack carefully and check each part against your drawing. Keep the packing until the sign is up.
Tools you will usually need
- Tape measure and pencil
- A level (a long one helps on a wide sign)
- Painter’s tape
- A drill, with bits that suit your wall and the hardware
- A ladder or lift, and a helper
- A detector for hidden wires and pipes
Step 1: Check the wall
The wall should be solid and flat where the letters go. Brick, concrete block, stucco, wood, metal panel and drywall each need the right fixings. Tell us your wall surface when you ask for a quote; the mounting hardware is listed on your drawing. If you are not sure what is behind the surface, find out before you drill.
Step 2: Mark the position
Mark the center of the sign area and the height where you want the letters. Run a light, level pencil line or a strip of painter’s tape along it as your reference.
Step 3: Tape up the template
The template shows where to drill the mounting holes. Line it up with your center mark and reference line, check it with the level, and tape it flat to the wall.
Now step back and look at it from where your customers will see it — across the street, from the parking lot, from the lobby door. This is the easiest moment to move the sign, so take your time.
Step 4: Mark the holes
Mark every hole shown on the template onto the wall. Check that you haven’t missed one, then take the template down.
Step 5: Drill
Check for hidden wires and pipes, then drill each mark with the bit the hardware calls for. Clear the dust out of each hole so the fixings seat properly.
Step 6: Get the power ready
Before any electrical work, turn the power off at the breaker.
- The power supply for your letters is listed on your drawing.
- Have a licensed electrician make the power connection.
- For a hard-wired connection, ask your city whether it needs its own permit or inspection.
Step 7: Fix the letters to the wall
Fix each letter flush to the wall with the mounting hardware listed on your drawing, working from one end of the sign to the other. After each letter, check its spacing and level against your reference line before you move on. Small errors add up across a long name.
Step 8: Test and clean up
Turn the power back on and check that every letter lights. Then remove the tape and pencil marks and wipe the letters with a soft cloth and mild soapy water. Skip abrasive pads and scouring cleaners: they can scratch acrylic faces and steel finishes.
Safety basics
- Use a ladder that is the right height for the job, set on firm, level ground, with a helper to steady it.
- Keep tools and letters secured when you work above a sidewalk.
- Leave anything you are unsure about — especially wiring — to a professional.
Plan it before you order
Install day goes smoothest when the drawing already fits the wall. When you ask for a quote:
- Measure the wall and send a photo — see How to measure your wall for channel letters.
- Tell us the wall surface in the notes on the quote form.
- Use the size guide if you want to think about letter height first, and pricing to see how size and letter count affect the price.
Your drawing shows every letter at its size, and nothing is made until you approve it.
