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Sign Terminology from A-Z
7/13/2022
Sign installation has a language all its own. Each physical location, whether insider or outside, also has its own set of specific requirements for the best results. While it’s not essential that you speak a sign maker’s or installation’s language, it does help with conveying what it is you’re looking to accomplish.
Here is a glossary of sign terminology, compiled by and credited to the International Sign Association.
- Awning: A building mounting sign that provides shelter.
- Backlighted Letter: A channel letter, with an open or translucent back, that is illuminated. Light is directed against a surface behind the letter, producing a halo effect. Also known as a silhouette or halo lighted
- Building Fascia: The part of a building that extends vertically from the grade to the top wall or eaves and horizontally across the width of the building. Signs may be affixed to the fascia.
- Building-Mounted Sign: The broad category for signs that are attached to a building; within this category are a number of other signs, which more specifically label where the sign is mounted (fascia, wall, roof, etc.)
- Cabinet Sign: A sign structure comprised of a frame and face or faces. Though a cabinet sign may include electrical components or support structure, the cabinet sign refers only to the frame and face.
- Canopy: A permanent fixture, often made of metal or glass, that is attached to a structure. It differs from an awning in that its aim is not to provide shelter.
- Canopy Sign: This term refers to either a building-mounted sign that serves as a marquee, or a sign mounted on a canopy or marquee.
- Changeable Copy Panel: A sign composed of individual letters or numbers that are mounted on or in a track system. Also known as a readerboard.
- Channel Letter: A three-dimensional letter that may include a light source.
- Coated Tubing: Clear glass tubing that is coated with a phosphorous powder on its interior. This produces a variety of different light colors, depending on the mixture of the powders used.
- Deck Cabinet: An electrical enclosure that provides mounting and a background for a sign.
- Dimensional Letter: A letter, logo, or symbol that has been cut-out, cast, fabricated, or molded from material such as metal or plastic.
- Directional Sign: Points the way for pedestrians or drivers and can be especially useful when a business is not clearly seen from the entrance to a complex.
- Directory Sign: Used in an office complex or building to identify the tenants.
- Double-Faced Sign: A sign with back-to-back faces.
- Exterior Illuminated Sign: A sign that is illuminated by a light that is directed towards and shines on the face of a sign; also called direct illumination.
- Fascia Sign: A sign installed on a building’s fascia, the vertical surface that runs from the grade to the roofline and horizontally the width of the building.
- Freestanding sign: A sign that is not attached to a building.
- Front Lighted Letter: An illuminated letter with a translucent face; typically used with channel letters.
- Ground sign: A freestanding sign with no visible support.
- H Channel Letter: A letter with baffles at the center to provide support for neon tubes and a location to mount transformers.
- Interior Signs: Signs that are located inside a building, even though they may be visible from outside.
- Joint Tenant Sign: Displays the various tenants of a business complex or shopping center and is most likely located near the entrance to the property.
- Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): Electronic devices that channel light through tubes to create patterns that can produce changing video displays. Both are becoming more common in signage. LEDs often provide more energy efficiency while LCDs provide sharper displays.
- Luminance: The perceived brightness of an illuminated sign. The standard measurement is candelas per square foot.
- Menu Board: A variable-message sign that allows a retailer to list products and prices.
- Mobile Sign: A portable sign mounted on a trailer.
- Monument Sign: A ground sign with low overall height. (See freestanding sign.)
- Neon Sign or Tube: A sign that uses a cold-cathode gas-discharge tube that may be straight or formed. This is generally referred to as neon, though the gas contained inside may be a mixture of two or more inert gases, such as argon, helium, krypton, or xenon. Neon tube lighting is custom designed and may include letters, tubing, outline lighting, and decorative art. A cold-cathode tube has a relatively long life, compared to a hot-cathode fluorescent lamp or an incandescent bulb.
- Off-Premise Sign: A sign that is not located on the property of the business which it is advertising. Also known as a third-party sign or outdoor advertising. This is considered out-of-home media.
- On-Premise Sign: A sign that is located on the property of the business which it is advertising. On-premise signs are not considered out-of-home media.
- Open Channel Letter: A letter that has no face, though a clear face may be used to protect internal components. If illuminated, the light source is visible.
- Outside Panel: Where two or more panels are positioned side by side, this is the advertising panel located closest to the edge of the street.
- Painted Wall Sign: A sign painted directly on a building surface. If the sign is a third-party/outdoor advertising display, it may be several stories high and designed for high-impact visibility. (See building-mounted sign.)
- Pan Channel Letter: One of the most common types of signage; each letter is constructed with four sides—a face, sidewalls and a back—making the letter a solid unit.
- Pan Face: A plastic sign face molded into a three-dimensional shape. Also called molded face, molded and embossed face, or molded and debossed face.
- Point of Purchase: A sign or display located at the point of sale. Studies have shown that the right signage can have a dramatic impact on a product’s sales.
- Pole or Pylon Cover: An enclosure for concealing and/or decorating poles or other structural supports of a ground sign.
- Pole Sign: A freestanding sign with visible support structure.
- Portable Sign: A sign not permanently attached to the ground or a building, and easily removable using ordinary hand tools.
- Post and Panel Sign: A sign which uses one or more visible posts and is unlighted.
- Push-Through: A letter or logo that is cut out of a backing material as thick or thicker than the sign face. The material is then mounted on the inside of the sign face so that it is flush with or extends through and beyond the front of the sign face.
- Pylon Sign: A freestanding sign with a visible support structure. It may or may not be enclosed by a pole cover.
- Raceway: An electrical enclosure which can also be used to attach a sign to the structure.
- Regulatory Sign: A sign used to convey information about rules, ordinances, or laws.
- Retainer: A framing member designed to attach a face to the cabinet and/or to provide a decorative trim. It is mounted around the perimeter of a sign face and attached to the sign cabinet structure.
- Retroreflective: The quality of a surface that reflects light directly back toward its original source.
- Return: The side of a channel letter.
- Reveal: An indented detail on a sign.
- Reverse Channel Letter: Letters mounted away from a wall, forming a halo behind the letters, often lighted by neon.
- Roof Sign: A building-mounted sign erected upon and completely over the roof of the building.
- Sandwich Board/Sidewalk Sign: A sign not secured or attached to the ground or surface upon which it is located, but supported by its own frame, which is typically in the shape of an A.
- Sign Band: In a complex with multiple tenants, a sign band runs along the top of the building, with room to accommodate each business’s signs.
- Sign Face: The area of a sign on which words and images are placed.
- Single-Face Sign: A sign with only one face plane.
- Temporary Sign: Any sign intended to be used for a limited period of time, not for a permanent installation.
- Under-Canopy Sign: A sign mounted underneath a canopy.
- Variable-Message Sign: A sign that allows the message to be easily changed.
- Vehicle Wraps: A vinyl graphic applied to a car, truck, van, or trailer, essentially creating a rolling billboard.
- Vinyl (Flexible Face): A substrate upon which an advertising message is rendered, either by computer production or hand painting.
- Wall Mural: A display applied directly to a building’s exterior. Painting may be the most common method, though a painted or printed vinyl substance may be applied as well.
- Wall Sign: A building-mounted sign attached to, displayed, or painted on an exterior wall in a manner parallel with the wall surface, and not projecting more than 16 inches from such surface.
- Wayfinding: A type of sign that allows users to find their way, using information provided along the travel path.
- Window Sign: A sign that is painted on, attached to, or suspended directly behind or in front of a window or the glass portion of a door.
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