CHANNEL LETTERS

With channel letters, you can be seen from blocks away. There’s no better way to get noticed than with a sign that stands out in the crowd.

With our quality and affordable options for all budgets, we can help your business get noticed. Whether you need high-quality signage or a signage solution within your budget, we’ve got you covered.

With more than five decades of experience, workmanship and with a dynamic team, Advance Signs and Awnings produces high-quality exterior and interior signage. We’ve helped many customers attract the attention they needed to thrive their brand and business with custom signs and awnings that we design and fabricate.

CSA CERTIFICATION

A Canadian Standards Association (CSA) certified shop will ensure that your sign meets the latest safety and quality standards.

Recent Installations

LED Letters Guide

FRONT LIT

A front-lit or standard channel letter is the most common type. Back and sides are made of aluminum. Usually, channel letters are illuminated internally with LEDs, which light the “face” of each letter. Sign faces are typically constructed out of polycarbonate or acrylic. Acrylic is shinier while polycarbonate is more durable. Channel letters in the standard format are highly customizable because of the materials used.

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HALO LIT

Halo lit letters are elevated off the wall or raceway, allowing the LED lights inside them to radiate outwards and cast a glow around the letters, thus creating an illusion of a halo. On the other hand, standard channel letters only illuminate the face of each letter. Sign projects requiring a distinctive, stylish, or elegant appearance tend to use halo-lit letters.

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ALUMINUM

The aluminum letter is one of the trimless versions and usually has a halo effect. These letters are lightweight, classic and affordable compared to stainless steel. It is a great option for fancy restaurants and beauty salons in shopping malls.

– Durable aluminum alloy 5052 construction;
– Standard +090 gauge faces with .063 returns;
– Sizes up to 48” by 120” in one piece
MIG welded returns;
– Brushed, painted face and returns or anodized finish options.

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STAINLESS STEEL

Our fabricated letters are expertly crafted to meet the most exacting requirements of sophisticated clientele. With lead-free solder and MIG welding, Advance will meet your technical specifications while communicating an elegant everlasting design and feel.
It can be halo lit or non-illuminated and the face is trimless. You can choose brushed faces and a variety of colour finishing.

Lifetime Guarantee.

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NIGHT/DAY

Your building should not determine the colour of your signage. When you have a light colored building, we understand you want a dark colored sign to stand out. So what happens after sundown? It is difficult for dark colours to stand out at night, even when added light. Why don’t you make your sign WHITE so it becomes more visible at night? If you want your logo to stand out on a white surface during the day and change to white at night, the night/day vinyl is a great option. Give us a call and let us help you with signage solutions.

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INSTALLATION METHODS

FLUSH MOUNT

With non-corrosive fasteners, the letters are attached directly to the building façade. With direct mount channel letters, the power source and electrical wiring are housed behind the bulkhead wall or façade. Verify that drilling more than a few holes on the wall is approved by your landlord.

RACEWAY

Most landlords and property management companies require that channel letter signs be installed in raceways, metal boxes that hold all the wiring and the power supply for the individual letters. The raceway is usually painted to colour match the wall.

PIN MOUNT

In this type of installation, the letters are halo-lit to produce a glowing effect. Electrical wiring and power supplies can either be hidden behind a bulkhead or behind an optional backer cabinet.

Signage is an integral part of your business development, and a high-quality sign can have an impact on your business and its image. So which type should you choose?

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RESOURCES

Choose the best height for your signage

This letter visibility chart is based upon information provided by Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, Penn State University and the United States Sign Council (USSC).

Viewing Distance

Minimum Required Letter Height (inches)

100 ft

250 ft

10"

360 ft (city block)

16"

500 ft

22"

750 ft

33"

1000 ft

43"

1320 ft (1/4 mile)

57"

Calculations based on an externally (or naturally) lit sign with all up per case Helvetic letters utilizing optimal negative space. Factors that may affect required letter size are: colour scheme, font selection, traffic and weather conditions, or sign standoff.

Find here the most common questions for channel letters

1) What are the advantages of Channel letters?

Modern Look
Dimensional feel
Energy-efficient
Highly customizable
Low maintenance

2) Why Choose channel letters?

With Channel letters, you have endless customization options. They can be front-lit, halo-lit, side-lit, and can be made with various materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, acrylic, etc. Your signage works 24/7 to bring you business so you need to choose wisely what represents your products and brand.

3) How much do channel letters cost?

On the market today, prices range from $3k to $5k depending on size, illumination features, finishing, typography, and other factors. In addition, you need to consider the installation of your sign, as a number of variables affect the cost, including the building materials, height, location, and season.

4) Do I need a permit?

Any type of exterior signage requires a sign permit in most cities. Read more about getting a permit here.

5) Do I need an electrician?

You will need an electrical permit if your sign is illuminated and an electrician will need to hook up the final connections. Advance Signs & Awnings is CSA certified, so you don’t have to worry about extra wiring costs. We install all LEDs and apply all approved labels.

6) Can you ship anywhere?

Yes, we can package/crate and ship your sign anywhere in Canada.

7) Can I install it myself?

Although we recommend you hire a professional, there will be no warranty for improper installations. We can, however, provide you with the paper pattern and instructions.

8) Can you recover my existing channel letter?

Yes, every situation is different so it depends on the condition of your sign. For instance, we can replace the LEDs and rewire them, but if the body is irreversibly damaged, you may need to replace it. If the vinyl graphics on the faces are faded and the Lexan is in good condition, we can also restore them. For more information, please contact us.

9) How big can you make my sign?

Because the City imposes restrictions based on building sizes, the size of your signage will depend on the size of your building. You may have to comply with certain sizes for your building signs depending on the rules of your city or town.

10) What is the payment process?

We require a 50% deposit to start the work, with the balance due upon completion. Credit and debit cards, e-transfers, cash and checks are accepted. A 3% processing fee applies to credit cards.

11) How long does it take to manufacture and install?

Once the permit is approved, we can begin manufacturing your sign. In general, the permit application and approval process take between one and three weeks, depending on the city’s clearance. The manufacturing process is affected by factors such as size, material, location, and weather. It usually takes from 4 to 6 weeks for the entire process.

12) Can my sign turn On/Off by itself?

You have the option to install a Fotosensor or Timer. The Fotosensor will operate based on the exterior lighting and the Timer will operate according to the time you set. These features are not included in the price of the sign.

13) Are there grants or subsidies for awnings?

The government of Canada along with local non-profit biz improvement organizations often offer grants and subsidies for exterior signage and business improvement. We encourage you to search and apply.

Here are all the answers to your permitting questions.

A sign bylaw and sign permit process are intended to ensure businesses have equal and fair opportunities to advertise and promote while preserving the aesthetics of the community. A sign permit is required prior to a sign being constructed, moved, altered, placed or repaired in City limits.

A sign permit is required prior to any new signage; or alteration, or relocation of existing signage. The permit fee for new business signs located on a building (wall sign) is waived if you apply for it within 2 weeks of receiving Business License approval.

To obtain a sign permit, applicants need to submit an application with the requested drawings and appropriate fees to the Development Services Department at City Hall.

1) When do I need a permit?

Anytime you install new signage or awning on the exterior, you will be required a sign permit from the City.

2) Where can I find more information?

We have compiled a list of the most common questions and steps here on our website. There is always more information available on the website of your city or municipality. For Winnipeg, you can look at this link: Winnipeg Permits Portal

3) Do you take care of the permit process?

Absolutely. A small management fee is included in your quote for us to prepare the drawings, file the application, and follow up.

4) What’s an encroachment?

If your sign or awning goes over your property line, the city will charge you an encroachment fee. Your property survey certificate will be required if the city is unsure whether the sign encroaches.

5) How can I get an engineer's stamp on my plan?

In case an engineer stamp is required for your sign or awning, we work with our team of engineers. Engineer fees should be included in your quote.

6) Do I need an electrical permit?

To connect the power source to your illuminated sign, you will need a certified electrician. They will require an electrical permit in addition to your approved sign permit.

7) What happens if the Sign Permit is not approved?

We will try to find a solution to comply with the legislation based on the changes the City requires. If, however, the permit is not approved, then you will only be charged the applicable fees.

8) Can I apply for the permit?

Anyone can apply for a permit by following the City’s guidance on their website. For a small fee, we make the process simple.

9) Do I need my landlord’s approval?

Yes, we recommend getting your landlord’s approval before manufacturing the sign to ensure it complies with any technical guidelines of the property.

LEDS THAT LAST

A channel letter sign’s performance depends heavily on LEDs. Advance Signs carefully selects the LED brands for all its signs. They come with 5-year warranties from the world’s leading manufacturers.

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