It has been said that leases and building codes frequently stand in the way of the most beautiful channel letters in Lake Bluff IL. Even as we agree that, sometimes, lease agreements and zoning departments interfere with what our clients would like to see on their facades, there is no reason why they should hinder your planned channel letter sign. In fact, a quick look at some raceway sign examples proves how a simple design modification can allow you to comply with all rules and still come out ahead with a fantastic sign.

Anatomy of a Raceway

The raceway is a slim, aluminum box. Crafted from the same material as the letters themselves, it is typically no taller and wider than about four inches. Lengths can vary between 12 feet and 20 feet. That said, we gladly customize the product to fit your planned channel letter display without a problem. The front of the raceway attaches to the box with a hinge mechanism. The ends close off with aluminum caps.

It opens to let us put in all the electrical components your sign needs. If there is ever a need to service the power supply or wiring, the sign just folds out to allow our technicians access. Our installers mount the back of the raceway to the wall with a few well-placed fasteners. We install the channel letters to the front. Management companies and zoning officials like this setup because it requires fewer holes to be drilled in a façade.

But … Does it Looks as Neat as Flush-mounted Channel Letters?

If you are asking whether you are compromising the good looks of a building front in favor of having channel letters installed on a raceway, the answer is a resounding no. Raceway-mounted letters can look just as good – in some cases, better! – than their flush-mounted cousins.

Installing Channel Letters to a Glass Surface

Can you install channel letters to a glass front building? Typically, we would have to say no. Some clients have gotten around this problem by mounting their channel letter signs very high toward the top of the building where the glass ends and the building material picks up. But for a first or second story display, you need something that stands between the letters and the glass. A raceway that becomes part of the sign design is the ideal solution. (And no, curvatures are no problems.)

Giving the Illusion of a Floating Letter Setup

Because we paint the raceway in the exact color of the wall substrate, it is frequently impossible to detect the presence of the four-inch-tall box. However, when you want to capitalize on the four-inch gap between the wall and the letters, you can give the product a floating impression. When the sunlight hits your sign just right, the shadow play further heightens the 3D presentation, which gives the setup a chic appeal.

Learn More about Raceway-mounted Channel Letters in Lake Bluff, IL

The product specialists at Apex Signs & Graphics, Inc. know the ins and outs of zoning regulations and ideal installation options. Our full-service sign shop is located in Lake Bluff, IL, but we serve the business communities in and around Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Gurnee, Vernon Hills, and Waukegan.

Call us today to find out how an easy-to-include raceway can make channel letters a possibility for your facade, too!