Channel letters

Channel letters are three-dimensional sign letters, each built like a shallow box with its own light inside. They are the lit letters seen on most storefronts and shopping centers.

The parts of a channel letter

Part	What it is	Typical material
Face	The front of the letter that the light shines through	Translucent acrylic, often about 3/16 in, or polycarbonate
Returns	The sides of the letter, bent to follow its outline	Painted aluminum coil, typically 3 to 5 in deep
Trim cap	A plastic edge that holds the face onto the returns	Plastic trim, often 3/4 in or 1 in wide
Back	The flat bottom of the letter that the lights are mounted on	Aluminum sheet or ACM
Lights	The light source inside	LED modules today; older letters used neon

These are typical choices. Sizes and materials change with the letter height, the landlord's sign rules and the shop's own way of building.

Common types

Front-lit: the light comes through the face. The most common type.
Reverse-lit (halo-lit): the face is solid metal and the light shines out the back onto the wall, making a glow around the letter.
Front- and back-lit: both at once.
Open-face: no face, so the light source is visible.

Letters are mounted straight onto the wall or onto a raceway (a long box that holds the wiring and power supply).

Why cutting them takes planning

Every letter needs a face and a back with exactly the same outline, and often a second set of pieces for liners or offsets. A storefront can have dozens of letters, so the shop cuts many parts from acrylic and aluminum sheets, and wasting sheet adds up quickly.

How NestSigns handles it

NestSigns nests the flat parts of channel letters, such as faces and backs, by their real outline. Holes stay with their letter, small letters go into the open space of big ones, and letters bigger than the sheet can be divided into numbered pieces. Every part is numbered on the sheets and on the original artwork, so faces and backs are easy to match after cutting. Bending the returns is done on your letter bender, not in NestSigns.

Try it on your own job. Open your artwork, pick a sheet, and see how many sheets you need. 20 free nesting runs, no credit card. After that, $14.99 per month, cancel anytime.
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