An outdoor sign is an excellent way to market your business and attract attention, but it stops being useful when daylight fades, and customers can no longer read it. Lighting it well is as important as the sign itself, and there are several options you can choose from to achieve maximum impact. Here are three ways to make your outdoor sign stand out.

Methods for Lighting an Outdoor Sign

1. Backlit

A backlight makes your outdoor sign readable in any light. It works like a lightbox: A light source sits behind a graphic, illuminating it from inside. It makes colors more vibrant and lines sharper, which is why you’ll often see this type of sign used for mall directories. Occasionally, the light source actually is a lightbox, but fluorescent bulbs or LED bulbs tend to be the favored options in recent times. Backlit signs are also used for large logos, as you can select which parts of a sign to illuminate for greater effect.

2. Front-Lit

Large signs, monuments, and statues often use front lighting to create a certain effect or to pick out details. Lights are positioned above the sign and angled down or below the sign and angled up to achieve the optimal illumination.

Use an appropriate ratio of lights to sign size to ensure the whole sign is visible—approximately one large light for every 10 feet of sign. Many of these types of lights are solar-powered, so they’re cost-effective, especially if you live in an area that gets lots of natural sun.

3. LED

LED signs are a cost-efficient choice for businesses that need to change their sign information frequently. These circuit boards are made up of “pixels,” where each pixel is a tiny LED light. The more pixels your sign has, the more detailed the artwork can be. The sign programs individual lights to activate at certain times or in a particular order, which is what gives the effect the sign is moving. An LED bulb has no filament like an incandescent bulb, so it can’t burn out, which makes it incredibly reliable and long-lasting.

Rodgers Sign Service in Elizabethtown, KY, has used outdoor signs to help business owners in Hardin County stand out from the crowd for over 50 years. Their team of highly experienced and creative professionals works with you to design the perfect sign solution for your needs. They manage the whole process, from conception to design to installation, and their comprehensive 24-hour support service means you have expert assistance whenever you need it. Call (270) 765-8319 today to discuss your project, or go online to find out more about their products.