Personalized Neon Signs

Personalized neon signs are made of thin glass tubes filled with inert gasses (neon being one) and lit by cathodes in a similar manner to televisions. They are arguably the most modern of the modern house numbers.

Potentially Stunning Results

Typical home signage include engraved wooden signs or brass name plates that are highly varied in their construction. In the case of custom made neon signs construction is restricted to using straight lines of glass tubing with no lit fill, carefully and tastefully designed personalized neon signs can have great effect. Imitations of 1950's and 60's style Googie architecture create a great nostalgic vibe, while Vegas-style exhibitions can create an exciting and glamorous feel.

Color Options

Color options can also be quite limited, with the five available inert gasses producing particular shades of orange, blue, red, yellow and purple only. Creative use of light-filtering paint and different inert gasses increases the range of potential colors but also tend to reduce brightness, occasionally leading to inconsistent brightness across different colors which can have a negative effect on end results if not intentionally accounted for.

It Can All Go Wrong

Personalized neon signs are eye-catching in an appropriately lit context. However it is important to consider that during the day, personalized neon signs look quite tacky and dilapidated. To keep a sign looking good during the day, be sure that wiring is not visible. Tubing painted with light-blocking paint, often used to create an entire sign out of one continuous tube to significantly save on costs, is nearly invisible at night but all too visible in the light of day. Personalized neon signs with solid color backgrounds can make it difficult to even tell a sign is neon during the day, and add to the effect of lighting up in the dark.

Custom Only

Due to the construction methods behind personalized neon signs, where glass tubing must be manually heated, bent to shape, connected and carefully cooled, almost all personalized neon signs are custom built, either to a specific design or a template. The labor and expertise involved can lead to a high cost, you get what you pay for in terms of quality.

A Sign Of The Times

Personalized neon signs have a great niche use for businesses that need to attract customers at night, and for using in areas of a home that are often used to entertain guests. With carefully considered usage and a decently sized budget, personalized neon signs can be used to great effect, but in recent years backlit plastic signs have superseded the somewhat anachronistic art of neon signs. Use carefully and with purpose. Go for a more conventional choice like a slate house sign if neon seems a bit too crazy.