3D letters with glass neon

Two techniques in one sign

3D letters with neon are a sign in which the 3D letter gives the form and the glass neon gives the light. The tube runs along the letter's outline, through the centre of an open letter, or forms a separate element next to the lettering. It reads like a 3D letter and glows with the deep neon light no other technology can match. The typeface can stay true to the brand logo, while the neon adds character.

It suits brands for which an ordinary illuminated sign is not enough. We combine 3D letters with glass neon and lightboxes in one design when the sign should be more than words. Below we show three options on projects from our gallery.

All of them were made in our workshop in Rybie near Raszyn, running since 2000. Letters, neon and installation are done one hundred percent in-house, with no subcontractors.

Neon along the letter outline

One option is neon run along the outline of a 3D letter. The tube follows the edge and draws the contour, while the letter body shows the shape of the lettering by day, when the neon is off.

This is how we made 3D letters with neon along the perimeter for Orlen: a red neon tube runs along the perimeter of the letters. The Good Lyfe sign was made the same way: glass neon run along the perimeter of 3D letters.

The Good Lyfe sign shows that neon along the outline does not have to stop at the letters: in the same lettering the tube also runs around the star in place of an O and around the wings. Before installation we lit the whole sign in the workshop - you can see it in the photo below.

Open letter with neon in the centre

The second option is an open 3D letter with neon run through the centre. The body frames the character and a single line of glass runs inside it. The neon is fully visible and carries the lettering. Our gallery also has a production photo of such letters, listed as neon lightboxes.

Our gallery has two such projects: ROCKSTAR and ROCKET, listed as glass neons in a lightbox. The ROCKSTAR photo shows that one sign can use two colours: yellow neon in the brand name and white in the tagline.

We decide on this option at the design stage. That is when we set the overall size, the glow colours and whether the neon will hang on the wall, on a separate structure, or be set into 3D letters.

Neon next to letters - several forms in one sign

The neon does not have to sit inside a letter. Often 3D letters carry the name and glass neon adds an ornament, a frame or a second line beside it. That is the Gruby Josek sign, combining 3D letters with glass neon: white letters surrounded by yellow neon ornaments.

We made similar combinations for other clients:

• —Pool Bar - a project combining glass neons with 3D letters, different forms in one design.
• —U Szwejka - traditional glass neon combined with 3D letters for the Szwejk restaurant chain.
• —Bracia Sośniccy Patisserie - green glass-neon lettering, 3D letters and a lightbox in one sign.
• —Design Gallery - traditional neon combined with 3D letters for Galeria Mokotów in Warsaw.

On the facade and indoors

3D letters with neon work outdoors and indoors. On a facade, materials matter: we make the letters from materials resistant to rain, frost and UV, and glass neon lasts for years, keeps its full colour and works outdoors too.

Outdoors, the neon in the letters is always glass. We recommend LED neon for interiors only, so we do not recommend it for facade signs or street-facing shop windows. Glass neon runs on its own power supply, which should sit close to the neon and be accessible for servicing.

Indoors, the same type of sign can hang in a reception or a showroom. There people see it up close, so details count more: evenly bent tubes and neat fixings.

How it differs from LED-lit letters

Classic illuminated letters have an LED light source inside. With front lighting the letter face glows, with back lighting (halo) the glow falls on the wall, and full lighting combines both.

A letter with neon glows differently. The light comes from the whole length of the tube, evenly, with no visible points, and the tube itself is decorative. The lettering has the form of a 3D letter but the character of neon.

Which to choose? For calm, even light on the face or a halo on the wall, LED-lit letters work well. When the sign should stand out with the glow of glass, 3D letters with neon are the better fit. We cover front-lit versus halo letters in a separate article.

Lighting test in the workshop

Before a sign goes out for installation, the neon is switched on and checked here. That is when the colours and evenness of the glow show in real conditions - in the dark.

With letters and neon this stage matters even more, because we judge how the glass works with the letter body and whether it all reads as one mark. The 3D letters with neon along the perimeter for Orlen, for example, had an evening lighting test in the workshop.

A correction in the workshop is simple. With large structures, a correction after mounting on the facade would mean hiring equipment again and closing the pavement.

From design to installation

A sign of letters and neon is made entirely in-house. The stages are:

• —Design and visualisation - from the logo and a facade photo we choose letter size, neon option and colours.
• —3D letters - bodies in the chosen typeface, from materials for outdoor or indoor use.
• —Glass neon - tubes bent by hand over a burner and filled with noble gas.
• —Lighting test - switching the whole sign on in the workshop before it leaves.
• —Installation - by our own team, certified for work at height, including the electrical connection.
• —Servicing - years later too.

Comparison of options

The options from our gallery side by side. A starting point - the final choice depends on the design, the site and the brand identity.

What to prepare for a quote

The quote is free and carries no obligation. Send an enquiry through the form on our contact page or by phone. Useful to include:

• —The logo or wording - ideally a vector file.
• —A photo of the facade or wall where the sign will hang.
• —Approximate dimensions or the width of the available space.
• —Whether the sign will be outdoors or indoors.
• —Your preferred option: neon along the outline, through the centre or next to the lettering - if unsure, we will advise.
• —Information about the power supply at the site.