Custom Lightbox Signs for Shop Fronts

Which type of lightbox sign?

Single- or double-sided?

A single-sided light box sits flat on the fascia or wall and is read from the front – the standard for the sign above your door. A double-sided light box has a face on each side and is mounted at right angles to the building as a projecting sign, so it is read by people walking along the pavement from both directions. Many UK shop fronts use both: a single-sided box on the fascia and a smaller double-sided one on a bracket.

Light or dark background?

This is the most important design decision on a lightbox, and it's often underestimated. With a white or light background, the whole panel glows at night. That's as eye-catching as it gets, but your logo can get lost in a big bright area. With a dark, opaque background, only the lettering and logo glow. At night the sign looks almost like individual letters: calmer and more premium.

Our advice: on a busy high street, where your sign competes with lots of other light, a light background is fine. Wherever it should look refined, a dark background is usually the better choice. With day/night vinyl, an area can look dark by day and still glow white at night.

Print or vinyl?

UV direct print reproduces gradients, photos and complex logos precisely on the face. Cut vinyl suits clean lettering and solid areas in brand colours. You'll see which suits your logo in the design preview.

Getting the size right

For legibility, the same rule of thumb applies as for illuminated letters: about 1 cm of text height per metre of reading distance. The box itself is sized to the space your frontage offers. Measure the clear area above the entrance and leave a margin all round so the lightbox doesn't look squeezed in. Depth is 8–15 cm depending on size. Long fascia bands are built in sections.

Light box vs illuminated letters vs fascia panel

Lightbox or illuminated letters?

A lightbox is the economical choice when there's a lot of text, a detailed logo or photos on the face. And you can refresh it later with a new face. Illuminated letters look more premium because the fascia shows between the characters, but they take more work for long texts.

The two combine well: illuminated letters on the fascia and a double-sided lightbox as a projecting sign, for example. We can also plan the whole frontage as a shop front sign.

Installation and power

The lightbox is fixed to the wall; on insulated walls with special fixings. The driver is built in and the mains connection is made by a qualified electrician. Fixings and installation instructions are included. If you don't have an installer, we can help you find one near you.