Open-face neon channel letters

Open-face neon channel letters combine two signs in one: the solid, dimensional shape of a channel letter and the bright line of a neon sign. Each letter is an open 304 stainless steel channel with LED neon running down the middle of every stroke, so you see the line of light and the steel around it. It is the most graphic of our three styles, and the one where your font matters most.

How open-face neon letters are built

Each letter is a stainless steel channel: returns bent to the shape of the letter, with the front left open. There is no face. Inside, LED neon follows the centerline of each stroke, held in place by clips, so every stroke carries one even line of light.

LED neon gives the look of a classic neon tube in a flexible LED line. Set inside a steel channel, it gains a frame: the sides of the channel catch the glow and give each letter a clean metal edge.

• By day, you see the steel channels and their finish, with the neon line resting inside each stroke. With the lights off, the sign still reads as solid metal letters.
• At night, the neon glows and lights the inside of the channel, so each letter becomes a line of light inside a metal outline.

The steel finish is chosen with you and shown on your drawing, along with a lit preview of the neon color.

How your font becomes a line of light

Front-lit and halo-lit letters light the whole shape of a letter. Open-face neon works differently: every stroke becomes a single line of light, so the skeleton of your font matters as much as its outline.

• Stroke width. Each stroke needs room for the neon with steel on both sides, so medium to bold weights suit this style best.
• Curves and corners. LED neon can only bend so tight. Sharp corners and pointed ends get a small curve in the line of light.
• Where strokes meet. One line can't split in two, so at the middle of an E or the cross of a t, the neon is laid in separate runs.
• Serifs and spurs. These stay in the steel shape, while the neon follows the main strokes.

Logos follow the same logic. Line-based marks, monograms and simple icons translate well, because the neon traces their main lines. A logo built from large filled areas of color often reads better as front-lit or halo-lit letters.

Your drawing shows the neon path through every letter before you approve anything. Choosing a font for channel letters explains it in more detail, with photos.

Choosing the neon color and the steel finish

Open-face neon has two colors to plan, not one. The steel finish carries the daytime look, and the neon color carries the night. Choose them together, with the wall behind them in mind.

• The neon color. Tell us the color you have in mind, or send your brand color codes (Pantone, HEX, RGB or CMYK). We confirm the neon color with you and show it on the lit preview of your drawing.
• The steel finish. The letters in our photos have a gold-tone finish. Stainless steel can be finished in other ways too, and each one changes how the letter looks by day and how it reflects the neon at night. We go over the finish with you, and it is shown on your drawing.
• The wall. By day the steel has to stand out from the wall on its own, so pick a finish that contrasts with it. Send a photo of the wall, and we show your letters on it.

How to match channel letters to your brand colors covers what to send, and Choosing colors and finishes for stainless steel letters explains how different finishes look and wear.

Where open-face neon fits

Open-face neon brings the energy of a neon sign to a wall people look at on purpose: behind a counter, behind a front desk, or a feature wall made for photos. It suits:

• Salons and barbershops: the wall behind the chairs or the front desk, the one clients see in the mirror and in their photos.
• Gyms: the training floor or the wall behind reception, with a short slogan, your logo or a class name.
• Restaurants and cafés: a coffee bar, pizzeria or cocktail bar that wants a neon look behind the counter.
• Retail stores with a retro or playful brand, or as a second sign inside the store.

Short words, names and logos work best. Each stroke is a single line of light, so a long line of small text is harder to read than the same words as front-lit letters.

If the sign will face the street, say so on the quote form; it can change the parts we use. For letter height, start with the size guide, and we suggest a size on your drawing.

Open-face neon compared with front-lit and halo-lit

All three styles are 304 stainless steel and mount flush to the wall. The difference is how the light shows:

• Open-face neon (this page): you see the LED neon line itself, inside an open steel channel. Graphic, bright and full of character.
• Front-lit: an acrylic face glows evenly across the whole letter. The easiest style to read from far away.
• Halo-lit: a solid, printed steel face, with light glowing on the wall behind it. Quiet and upscale.

If you want the neon look, this is the style. If you would rather have the whole letter lit evenly, or a soft glow around solid letters, Front-lit vs. halo-lit: how to choose compares the other two side by side.

Installing, caring for and ordering open-face neon letters

Open-face neon letters mount flush to the wall, like our other styles. A paper template marks the holes, the mounting hardware and power supply are listed on your drawing, and a licensed electrician should make the power connection. See How flush-mounted channel letters are installed for the steps.

Because the channels are open, care is mostly dusting. With the power off, clean them gently with a soft, dry brush or cloth, and don't pull on the neon or its clips. Wipe the steel with mild soapy water and dry it with a soft cloth. How long LED channel letters last, and how to care for them has more.

To order, send your logo or wording, your wall width or a photo, and where the sign will go, through the quote form. We reply with a drawing that shows the neon path, a lit preview and an exact price. You pay only after you approve, by card; larger orders can also pay by bank transfer. How it works has the full process, and Channel letters: the complete guide covers everything else.