A custom made neon sign starts as a file or a few words in a form and arrives at your door 10 to 12 days later, boxed, wired and ready to hang. This page walks through what happens in between: the design proof, how the artwork is redrawn for tube, how the backing is cut and the tube is shaped, the wiring and testing, and how it is packed and shipped.
We have made custom neon signs since 2014, in our production facilities in Dallas, Los Angeles and Shanghai. The steps below are the same whether the sign is a 16-inch name for a bedroom or an 8-foot logo for a showroom.
Step 1: the design proof
Everything begins with the quote form. You send a logo file, a photo, a sketch or just the words and the size you have in mind. Within one business day a designer sends back a proof: the design redrawn as neon tube, in the colors chosen, at a stated width and height, with the backing shape and the price.
The proof is the contract. Revisions are free until it is right, and nothing is made until you approve it and pay. Once production starts, the sign is built to that proof exactly, which is why we ask you to check spelling, dates and colors before approving. How artwork is prepared for neon covers what the designer changes and why.
Step 2: redrawing the artwork for tube
LED neon tube has a fixed width (6 mm as standard, 8 mm and 12 mm for larger signs), one brightness along its length, and a minimum bend radius. A logo designed for print has fills, hairlines and sharp corners that tube cannot make, so the designer converts it into a line drawing:
- Solid shapes become outlines or single center strokes.
- All line weights become one tube width; thin script is thickened and spaced.
- Tight corners are rounded to the bend radius.
- Detail that will not read at size is simplified, or marked for UV printing on the backing.
- Each continuous run of tube is planned so the joins between runs sit where they are least visible.
The result is a production drawing at full size. It shows every run of tube, the colors, the backing outline, and the positions of the mounting holes and the power lead.
Step 3: cutting the backing
The backing is clear acrylic, cut to follow the outline of the design (contour-cut) so the wall shows through. It is cut on a CNC machine from the production drawing, and the mounting holes are drilled at the same time. Black or colored acrylic, edge-cut and rectangular backings are made the same way when requested. For a UV-printed backing, the artwork is printed onto the acrylic after cutting and before the tube goes on.
Large signs that exceed the shipping size are made as two or more panels, each with its own backing, that join on the wall. The proof shows where the breaks are.
Step 4: shaping the tube
LED neon tube is a flexible silicone or PVC jacket with a strip of LEDs inside. The jacket diffuses the individual LEDs into one even glow, which is what makes it look like neon rather than a row of dots. The tube is cut to the length of each run in the drawing, shaped by hand to follow the lines, and fixed to the backing along its whole length so it holds the shape. Where a run changes color, the next color's tube starts; where the design has a gap, the tube is routed behind the backing or ended and restarted.
This is the slowest step and the one that decides how the sign looks. A clean sign has even curves, consistent spacing, and joins you have to look for.
Step 5: wiring and power
Each run of tube is wired behind the backing to a single lead that leaves the sign at the point marked on the proof, usually the bottom corner closest to the outlet. The lead goes to a 12 V power supply with a standard wall plug for your country (100 to 240 V input), and an inline remote dimmer sits between them. Signs with a lot of tube get more than one power supply, each feeding its own group of runs, so no run is overloaded.
All electrical components are UL certified. If the sign is to be hard-wired into a wall switch, a hard-wired power supply replaces the plug-in unit; that is installed by your electrician on site. Outdoor builds use a sealed power supply and the tube and joins are sealed to IP67.
Step 6: testing
Every sign is lit and run before it is packed. The check covers the full length of each run for even brightness and color, the dimmer through its range, the joins and the lead, and the sign against the approved proof for size, spelling and layout. A sign that does not pass is reworked, not shipped.
Step 7: packing and shipping
The sign is packed in a foam-lined box cut to its shape, with the power supply, dimmer, mounting hardware and the hanging kit or standoffs if ordered. It ships insured by express courier (UPS, FedEx or DHL Express) with tracking sent to your email. Express shipping is included in every quote.
Production takes 5 to 7 business days from payment; rush production ($150) moves the sign to the front of the line, usually 1 to 3 business days. Shipping takes 2 to 5 days after that. Together that is the 10 to 12 days from payment to your door, at any size.
What is in the box
- The sign, built to the approved proof, on its backing
- 12 V power supply with the right plug for your country (more than one on large signs)
- Remote dimmer
- Screws and wall anchors for the pre-drilled holes; standoffs, a ceiling hanging kit or a stand if ordered
- Care instructions: unplug and dust with a soft dry cloth, no liquid cleaners
The warranty
Every sign carries a 2-year warranty on the LEDs, the power supply and the workmanship, extendable to 4 years at purchase. If a run fails or a power supply dies, we replace the part or the sign. Damage in transit is covered separately: send photos of the sign and the box within 7 days of delivery and the damaged parts are remade at no cost. LED tube is rated for 50,000 hours, which is more than 10 years at 12 hours a day.
How glass neon is made, for comparison
Traditional neon is a glass tube, usually 12 mm, heated over a flame and bent by hand to a full-size pattern, then joined into sections, evacuated, filled with neon or argon gas and sealed with electrodes at each end. A high-voltage transformer lights it. The color comes from the gas and from phosphor coatings inside the tube, so the palette is limited and brand colors are approximate. The glow has a depth LED does not quite match, and the tube is fragile, so glass signs ship within the US and Canada only and are quoted per project. We make both; LED is the default unless you ask for glass. LED neon vs glass neon covers the choice in detail.
How it works
- Send your design or your words through the quote form.
- Get a priced proof within one business day.
- Approve and pay. Revisions are free until it is right.
- Delivered in 10 to 12 days, express shipping included.
See what custom signs cost by size, or read the guide to every type of illuminated sign we make.
Frequently asked questions
How are custom neon signs made?
The design is redrawn as tube, a clear acrylic backing is CNC-cut to the outline, LED neon tube is shaped by hand and fixed to the backing, the runs are wired to a 12 V power supply and dimmer, the sign is tested, then packed in a foam-lined box and shipped express.
How long does it take to make a custom neon sign?
Production is 5 to 7 business days from payment, or 1 to 3 with rush production. With express shipping the sign is at your door in about 10 to 12 days, at any size.
Where are your neon signs made?
In our production facilities in Dallas, Los Angeles and Shanghai. Our headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada.
What is LED neon made of?
A flexible silicone or PVC jacket with a strip of LEDs inside, which diffuses the LEDs into one even glow. It is mounted on clear acrylic, runs on 12 volts, stays cool and has no glass.
Can I see the sign before it is made?
Yes. Every order starts with a design proof showing the sign as tube, at size, with the price. Nothing is made until you approve it, and revisions are free.
Is a custom made neon sign tested before shipping?
Yes. Every sign is lit and checked for brightness, color, the dimmer, the joins and the match to the approved proof before it is packed.