Last week we featured some ADA signs we made for XRM Media. Along with interior code signs, we also worked on their exterior signs which included two sets of channel letter signs. The first sign was the storefront sign for the entrance. This is a compound channel letter sign which means that the lighting comes out the back, as well as the front. Channel letters that have lights coming out the front are called front-lit channel letters, and channel letters that have lighting coming out of the back are called reverse-lit channel letters.
When we make a combination of the two, they’re called compound-lit or compound channel letters. Reverse-lit channel letters and compound channel letters need something for the light to reflect off of, but as you can see from the photos, this sign was installed on the edge of the awning so there is nothing behind it for the lights to reflect off of. Because of this, we made back panels in the shape of each letter which the channel letters are installed onto with spacers. The back panels are installed onto a raceway and both the letter backs and the raceway are painted to match the awning so they blend in. We used LEDs so the lighting is white, but the faces have Oracal 8500-005 Middle Blue vinyl so the faces of the channel letters light up blue at nighttime.
The sign on the side of the building is also a compound channel letter sign. This sign was able to be installed directly onto the wall so we did not make letter backs for this sign. A raceway was also unnecessary because we had electricity access behind the sign. Aside from these details, the side building sign was made the same was as the storefront sign, but it reads “XRM STUDIOS” instead of “XRM MEDIA”.