As a business owner, you want to ensure that your business stands out from the rest. Custom light box signs, aka cabinet signs or box signs, are a great way to do that. Here are five things every business owner should know about custom light box signs:

1.) What is a light box sign?

A light box sign is a cabinet sign that uses light to illuminate the sign’s face. Box signs are one of the most popular types of signage for businesses, as they are highly visible and can be seen from a distance. These illuminated signs are especially effective at night or in low-light conditions.

This bespoke light box shop sign we made for Holiday Inn Express & Suites below is a good example of a beautiful light box sign.

2.) What are the different types of light box signs?

Two primary categories of light box signs are those designed for indoor use and those that can withstand outdoor elements.

Exterior Light Box Signs

Exterior light box signs are designed for outdoor use and are typically made from weather-resistant materials. These signs are often illuminated with LED lights, which consume less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Exterior cabinet signs can be mounted on the side of a building or a freestanding pole.

Outdoor signs are typically larger than indoor signs, as they need to be visible from further away.

Indoor Light Box Signs

Indoor light box signs are typically used for lobby signs, posters, point-of-purchase displays, trade show booths, or other indoor applications. Light box signs can be made from a variety of materials, including acrylic, glass, plastic, or metal, but since they are inside, they do not need to be as weather-resistant as outdoor signs.

The circular light box sign shown below, which Dave’s Signs made for Concours Motors, uses a simple backlight that makes its vibrant colors stand out. Since it’s indoors, this round lightbox sign doesn’t need to be weatherproof, but it’s still made to catch your eye and brighten up the space.

Wall-Mounted

Wall-mounted light box signs are fixed to a wall or the side of a building. These signs are often used in markets, retail stores, restaurants, and businesses. Lit up either indoors or out, they are an effective way to advertise your business branding or promotional message to your target audience.

Advertising Visual Ideas for Your Business

Convenience store window LED lighting is a good idea since it can highlight products and draw attention to your store. On the other hand, Dave’s Signs can use light box sign panels like this one pictured for Red Barn Market to create amazing advertising visuals. They are some of the best lighting options for a convenience store market you can find.

If you are kicking around kitchen light box ideas for your restaurant, why not discuss your concept with Dave’s Signs? The Garbanzo Healthy Kitchen sign below that we made is a prime example of how expert craftsmanship meets brand resonance to create a sign and a landmark that draws people towards a gastronomic haven.

The base color scheme of the sign is green and white, which echoes the brand’s commitment to freshness and vitality. This delightful combination serves as an open invitation, promising a culinary experience that is both nourishing and delightful.

The green is a subtle nod to the verdant hues of fresh vegetables, a staple in Garbanzo’s wholesome offerings. This thoughtful selection of color evokes a garden-fresh appeal, representing a commitment to offering patrons meals as close to nature as possible, resonating with those seeking nourishment in its purest, most vibrant form.

At the heart of this vibrant canvas is the centerpiece, the word “Garbanzo,” illuminated brightly from the back in white light. This stylistic choice gives the sign a radiant glow, casting a gentle luminescence that beckons diners near and far.

Pole Mounted

Pole-mounted lighted box signs are mounted on a pylon or posts. Often called pylon signs, these outdoor signs are often used along roadways, parking lots, and at the entrance of businesses. Typically they include shopping malls, hotels, car dealerships, and restaurants trying to reach people driving by.

Before moving into the old Carrows space, Black Bear Diner hired us to install their outdoor light box sign onto an existing pole sign. Using an existing structure makes everything go much more smoothly and saves on costs.

Projecting Signs

Projecting light box signs, aka illuminated blade signs, typically feature led lighting and, because of their short setbacks, are applied in areas like downtown and shopping malls with heavy pedestrian traffic.

A good example of this is Roberta’s restaurant sign that sits outside the door leading customers to “come on in!”

Monument Signs

Monument signs are generally freestanding, double-sided, and often illuminated with outdoor lightboxes. These signs are made from various materials like brick, stone, metal, wood, or acrylic, faced with an aluminum composite, or can even be mounted on poles.

Monument signs are found in shopping malls, schools, churches, office parks, and businesses and play a pivotal role in directing visitors.

The Bed, Bath & Beyond monument sign shown here is a great example of how these structures can serve multiple purposes beyond just branding. The sign promotes the brand and can function as a house number light box.  seeking a specific location or address.

When illuminated, such signs become even more prominent at night, easily guiding visitors, customers, or attendees to their destination.

3.) What are lighted box signs made from?

The face of a letter sign light box is typically made from acrylic, plexiglass, or metal, while the sides and back are usually made from aluminum.

However, many other materials can be considered depending on the application and exposure to the elements.

Take this sign for Transmission Brewing. It’s one of many single-sided backlit signs we did using outdoor lightboxes and front-lit channel letters. It’s made from acrylic and extruded aluminum. The logo and letters are lit using regular bulbs and led lights.

4.) What types of lighting are used for light box signs?

Two of the most popular lighting technologies for light box signs are LED and fluorescent lamps. Unlike backlit signs like channel letters, a light box sign lights up the entire sign.

LED Lights

LED (light emitting diode) technology has many advantages over traditional lighting sources such as incandescent, fluorescent, and metal halide. LEDs are more energy efficient, have a longer life span, and produce little heat. These features make LED illumination ideal for light box signs – commonly called a led box sign.

Vintage Fluorescent Lighting

Fluorescent lights are commonly used in vintage light box signs because they are inexpensive and provide good illumination. In fact, fluorescent lights diffuse light better than LED lamps. They even out the light over the entire backlit display. Even though they don’t last as long as LED lighting, they are more cost-effective when replacing the bulbs.

Another advantage of fluorescent lights is that they provide a warmer glow than LED bulbs. So, if you feel your poster or graphics are more accurately shown in warm light, then it’s something worth considering.

You often find fluorescent bulbs in older signs, like outdoor signage in strip malls. They have been around forever and are inexpensive to replace or update when a new tenant moves in compared to other sign types.

5.) What are the most popular ways light box signs are used?

There are many uses for light box signs, such as branding and advertising for businesses, offices, restaurants, retail stores, events, trade shows, and more.

If you’re looking for a way to improve your business’s visibility and attract more customers – a light box sign may be the perfect solution.

Light Box Signs for Business

Businesses use outdoor lighted signs for a number of reasons. An external light box like the one below can attract attention to a business’s products or services, advertise sales or specials, or simply make the business more visible.

Storefront Light Box Signs

If you want to make your storefront more appealing to customers, invest in beautiful outdoor lightboxes—custom signs that help you spread the word and reach your target audience. Whether you want to replace an existing sign or looking for options in custom designs, our outdoor lighted signs go a long way in helping increase customer traffic and visibility for your business.

Restaurant Signs

There are many different types of restaurant signs, each with its unique purpose and style. Restaurant lightbox signs are a popular sign that commonly uses LED lights to illuminate the restaurant’s brand or promotional message.

Finney’s outdoor sign, pictured here, combines several sign technologies to make a lasting impression. The custom options include front-lit and back-lit channel letters, LED lights, neon, and an outdoor lightbox for “& Kitchen.”

Located downtown, this sign will definitely get the customer’s attention up and down the block.

Directory Signs

Office buildings, shopping malls, and other commercial complexes often use directory signs to help visitors find their way. These signs are typically freestanding or mounted on the wall and list the businesses in the building by name and suite number.

Light box signs are a great option for directories because they can be easily updated when tenants change. Just print out the new name of the business and slide it in – it’s that easy!

Light box material is also very durable and withstands the test of time, making it an economical choice for long-term signage needs.

Event Signs

Whether you’re hosting a small gathering or a large convention, event signs help promote your event and assist attendees with finding their way around. Light box signs are commonly used for this purpose because they can be placed just about anywhere and quickly illuminate an area.

Pylon Signs

A pylon sign is a freestanding sign that is typically used to identify businesses, especially gas stations, restaurants, and hotels.

Light post signs like these are very effective in promoting businesses, as they are highly visible and difficult to miss.

In addition, pylon signs can be customized to include information such as gas prices, vacancies, or other valuable messages to people driving by. As a result, pylon signs are an essential part of many businesses’ branding and marketing efforts.

Shopping Mall Signs

Mall signs are a type of directory sign that is found in shopping malls. These signs list the stores in the mall by name and often include wayfinding information.

Like other directory signs, light box signs are an excellent option for malls because they can be easily updated when tenants change. Plus, the bright lights make it easy for shoppers to find their way around the mall.

Theater Marquee Signs

A marquee sign is a lightbox sign commonly found in front of movie theaters. Marquee signs typically display the movie titles and showtimes.

In addition to being eye-catching, marquee signs are also very effective in promoting movies and driving ticket sales.

Check out the signage we created for the Gary Marshall Theatre in Burbank, California. It includes outdoor lightboxes for the marquee, logo, and illuminated movie poster boxes along the outside of the building. The quality of the signage is phenomenal.

Dave’s Signs often works with our customers to make their DIY lightbox sign ideas come to life. We can incorporate your vision, budget, and branding into a unique lightbox sign to enhance your business’s presence.

Whether you’re a cafe looking to illuminate your menu, a retail store seeking to spotlight a new product, or a professional service aiming to accentuate your brand, Dave’s Signs is your ideal partner.

Gas Station & Convenience Store Signs

Most gas stations and convenience stores use lightbox signs. These signs are usually mounted on poles, which makes them easily noticeable to people driving by at a high rate of speed. This is a great way to advertise your business and attract customers.

Trade Show Signs

Whether exhibiting at a trade show or setting up a booth, trade show signs help you stand out from the crowd and attract attention to your products or services. Lightboxes are commonly used for this purpose because they can be placed just about anywhere and quickly illuminate your brand message.

We Serve Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties: and Nationwide

Dave’s Signs provides custom signs to those in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties and businesses across the nation.

For the past two decades, Dave’s Signs has been designing, fabricating, and installing high-quality signs and graphics. We pride ourselves on meeting and exceeding the expectations of our clients. For any signage needs you have – whether a small storefront sign or a more complicated installation, Dave’s Signs is always eager to provide the outstanding service we are known for.

Contact Dave’s Signs with Your Questions about Lighted Signs

Dave’s Signs provides custom signs to those in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties and businesses across the nation – we ship nationwide.

For the past two decades, Dave’s Signs has been designing, fabricating, and installing high-quality signs and graphics. We pride ourselves on meeting and exceeding the expectations of our clients.

For any signage needs you have – whether a small storefront sign or a more complicated sign system with installation, Dave’s Signs is always eager to provide the outstanding service and quality we are known for.

Contact Dave’s Signs with Your Questions about Lighted Signs

Don’t spend a minute searching for light boxes near me because we have you covered! Dave’s Signs is a full-service sign company. We can help you with Planning & Permitting, Sign Design, Fabrication, Installation, Sign Renovation, Service, and Repair.

Contact us with your sign questions at (805) 641-1387‬ or reach out to us online. We are always happy to help.