Sign type · Made to order
Face-Lit Letters – Frontlit Built-Up Letters for Fascias
The face of the letter glows – clear, bright and readable from a distance. The classic for fascias and shop fronts.
- Free design preview
- No-obligation quote
- Production only after your approval
Certified & tested
What makes Frontlit Signs work
Frontlit (face-lit) letters are illuminated letters whose translucent acrylic face is lit from inside by LEDs. The result is a rich, even glow across the whole letter face – the construction you see most often on high streets, supermarkets and company buildings.
We build frontlit letters as individual characters with aluminium returns, or on a mounting rail, in any typeface and logo shape. You choose the face colour and the light colour. Send us your logo and a photo of the frontage and we’ll show you in the free design preview how it looks on the building.
Frontlit Signs are one build type of Illuminated Letters – compare all variants there.
Typical uses
Which parts light up?
What lights up on frontlit signs, what stays printed or unlit – and from which size. Your free design preview shows it for your own logo.
The face
The whole acrylic face of every letter glows evenly. Readable from a long way off.
Returns
The aluminium sides do not light up, unless you choose illuminated acrylic returns.
Day/night vinyl
A face that is black by day and glows white at night is possible with day/night vinyl.
Minimum size
From about 15 cm letter height. Smaller secondary lines are made as flat cut letters or print.
Why choose this sign type
Maximum reach
The entire letter face lights up – readable from 50 m and beyond.
Coloured faces
White, red, blue, green or your brand colour – the acrylic glows in the chosen colour, visible by day, bright by night.
Individual or on a rail
Straight onto the fascia or on a slim mounting rail with hidden wiring.
Made for outdoors
Aluminium body, UV-stable acrylic face, splash-proof LEDs.
Examples & inspiration
How would this look with your logo?Send your logo and a photo – you'll get a free design preview on your own building.
Free design previewDesigning face-lit letters: face, returns, light
With face-lit letters, the face is what people see. How you design it decides how your sign looks by day and at night. There are three things to get right.
1. Face colour
The face is translucent acrylic. There are two ways to colour it: coloured acrylic, or white acrylic with translucent vinyl in your brand colour. Vinyl usually matches brand colours more precisely; coloured acrylic glows especially evenly. We show you which suits your logo in the design preview.
If you want the face to look dark by day, say black on a light fascia, but still glow white at night, we use day/night vinyl.
2. Returns
As standard, the returns (the sides of each letter) are painted aluminium. They don't light up and give every letter a crisp outline. Alternatively, illuminated acrylic returns let the letter glow sideways too, so it looks fuller from an angle.
3. The light
The LED modules are laid out so the face glows evenly, with no visible hotspots. If a face-lit sign looks too bright in the evening, on a quiet residential street for instance, a dimmer brings the brightness down.
When face-lit letters are the right choice
- Your sign has to be read from more than 20 m, on a main road or in a business park.
- The facade is dark or busy, so a halo on the wall would barely show.
- Your logo relies on colour: with face-lit letters, the brand colour itself glows.
They're less suited to signs that should look understated, on a law firm or a hotel for example. There, a halo-lit sign works better, or the combination of face- and halo-lit letters.
Face-lit letters or a lightbox?
Both are bright. A lightbox sign is one closed panel with your logo on it, and often more economical when there's a lot of text or small detail. Face-lit letters are individual characters: the fascia stays visible between them, so the sign looks lighter and more premium.
For the basics on letter height, mounting and power, see our guide to illuminated letters.
Technical details
| Material | Aluminium returns, acrylic face, aluminium back |
|---|---|
| Illumination | Internal LED modules, face-lit |
| Colours | Face colour and light colour chosen freely |
| Depth | 5–12 cm depending on letter height |
| Use | Outdoor and indoor, weatherproof |
| Mounting | Direct to fascia or mounting rail, mains connection |
| Certification | CE, TÜV, UL, RoHS-compliant |
How your request works
- 1
Send logo & photo
Upload your logo and describe size, location and preferred material – a photo of the wall or frontage helps us plan.
- 2
Design preview & quote
You receive a free digital preview of your sign and a specific quote – with no obligation.
- 3
Approval & production
Production starts only once you approve. Your sign arrives safely packed with fixings included.
Frontlit Signs – frequently asked questions
How bright are frontlit letters?
Can the face be a different colour by day and by night?
Can the face match my brand colour?
Can the sides light up too?
How big can the letters be?
Do I need planning permission?
What is the difference to halo-lit?
Do you install the letters?
Guides: installation, quality and FAQs
All guidesFrontlit Signs for your industry
Other sign types
Frontlit Signs: ready to start your project?
Send us your logo, dimensions and a photo of the location. You'll get a free design preview and a quote – nothing is made until you approve.