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    Home · Signage · Illuminated signs
    Signage · Barcelona

    Illuminated signs

    So you're seen at night too

    Light boxes, back-lit letters, LED neon and channel letters. Photometric design, manufacturing and installation with our own team.

    • Day and night simulation before manufacturing
    • Electrical certificate and installation certificate
    • Accessible driver for maintenance

    Get a price for your sign

    We reply the same working day.

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    What an illuminated sign is

    What an illuminated sign is and when it's worth it

    An illuminated sign is a sign with built-in lighting, nowadays almost always LED, that keeps the brand legible when the light fades. The light can come from the whole surface, as in a light box; from the face of each letter, as in channel letters; from behind the letter, casting a halo onto the wall, as in back-lit letters; or from a flexible tube that reproduces the look of classic neon without gas or high voltage.

    It's worth it when the business opens or is visible at night, when the street is dark or full of premises in a row, and when the sign needs to be read from a distance or from a car. If your premises close in daylight and the façade is already well lit, an unlit sign is usually enough, and in that case we'll tell you: you'll find it on our page for commercial signage for façades and shop windows.

    Here we focus on the lighting system: which one to choose, what's inside it and how it's processed. If what you're after is individual raised letters, with or without light, the materials and finishes are covered in 3D letters for façades and receptions. And if you want to see the rest of our solutions, take a look at Unical's full range of signage services.

    Lighting systems

    Every system lights up
    in its own way

    The difference between an illuminated sign that reads at a hundred metres and one that looks patchy lies in the lighting system and how it's calculated. These are the systems we manufacture, with how they actually behave at night.

    Loading 3D scene
    System01 / 05

    The most common system and the most cost-effective per square metre. An aluminium structure with an acrylic or translucent tarpaulin front lit from inside with LED modules. It lights the whole surface evenly and lets you change the graphics without touching the structure.

    Quote for a light box →

    Materials and finishes

    What's inside
    a sign that lasts

    An illuminated sign is two things: optics and electronics. If either one is cheap, it shows within a year as dark patches, blotches of light or flickering.

    Branded LED modules

    Modules with their own lens and heat sink, not generic strips. They keep luminous flux above 80% at 50,000 hours and don't yellow.

    LocationIndoor and outdoor
    Durability50,000 h

    Drivers with power headroom

    We size the power supply above the actual consumption. A driver running at its limit is the number one cause of faults in the second year.

    LocationIndoor and outdoor
    Durability5-8 years

    Opal acrylic

    Diffuses the light and hides the LED points. The thickness and level of opacity are calculated according to the box's depth, which is what prevents the blotchy effect.

    LocationIndoor and outdoor
    Durability10 years

    Aluminium and lacquered steel

    The structure and frame. Aluminium profiles for boxes and trays, and lacquered steel on parts that need to withstand wind or vandalism.

    LocationOutdoor
    Durability15+ years

    Translucent vinyls

    Vinyls specific to back-lighting: they let light through in a controlled way and keep their colour at night, something a normal vinyl doesn't do.

    LocationOutdoor
    Durability5-7 years

    IP65 watertightness

    Gaskets, cable glands and drainage on every outdoor part. Water pooling inside a light box is what wrecks the electronics.

    LocationOutdoor
    DurabilityPermanent

    How we work

    From light calculation to
    sign switched on

    1. Step 01

      Site visit and light study

      We measure the façade, check the available electrical supply and assess the street's ambient light, which determines how much power the sign needs to be legible.

    2. Step 02

      Design and night simulation

      You receive the photomontage in two versions, day and night, over an actual photo of your façade. It's the only way to decide the lighting system with confidence.

    3. Step 03

      Manufacturing and lit test

      We assemble it in the workshop and leave the sign switched on for several hours before it leaves, checking light uniformity, driver temperature and watertightness.

    4. Step 04

      Installation and certificate

      Installation with our own team, connection to the supply, and delivery of the electrical installation certificate that the town hall or your insurer may request.

    01 / 04
    Comparison

    Which lighting system to choose

    The six systems solve different problems. This is the quick comparison we run through with every client before moving on to the night simulation over their façade.

    SystemIdeal useReading distanceGraphic changeRelative cost
    Light boxHigh-street retail, franchises, frequent rebrandsGoodYes, just the frontLow per m²
    Back-lit lettersOffices, clinics, hotels, high-end retailMediumNoMedium-high
    Front-lit channel lettersShopping centres, large façades, roadsideMaximumNoMedium-high
    Front-lit + haloBrand image that needs to stand out day and nightMaximumNoThe highest
    Flexible LED neonHospitality interiors, handwritten signatures, shop windowsShort, indoorsNoLow-medium
    Illuminated projecting signNarrow streets and premises in a rowGood perpendicularYes, in box formatLow

    If you're torn between two systems, the usual approach is to decide by seeing both simulated at night over a photo of your façade.

    Send us a photo of your façade and we'll tell you which system fits →
    Pricing

    How much an illuminated sign costs

    We don't publish fixed rates because with an illuminated sign the price depends as much on the façade as on the sign itself. We quote each sign as a whole: manufacturing, electronics, installation and documentation, after seeing where it's going. These are the factors that move the figure:

    • Surface area and system

      Lighting a box from inside doesn't cost the same as manufacturing each letter as a piece with its own light.

    • Type of front

      Opal acrylic, translucent tarpaulin or back-lit vinyl, depending on the box's depth and the finish you're after.

    • Structure and fixings

      Façade-mounted, perpendicular projecting sign or a custom bracket, and the type of wall it needs to be fixed to.

    • Access and equipment

      The mounting height and whether a lifting platform or public-road occupation is needed.

    • Electrical installation

      Whether the previous sign's line can be reused or a dedicated line has to be run from the distribution board.

    • Council processing

      Technical report and night photomontage, which tend to be more demanding in historic centres or protected buildings.

    • Switching control

      Astronomical timer, twilight sensor or double-sided lighting on projecting signs.

    Request a technical visit for your façade →

    Google reviews

    What our clients say

    5,044 reviews on Google

    • 5/5

      Confiamos en Unical para rotular todo un edificio y fue todo un éxito. Muy buenos profesionales con un trato excelente. Experiencia de 10.

      Gerard Duran egeaGoogle · Original review in Spanish

    • 5/5

      Los mejores profesionales del sector. Siempre que pedimos algo, lo hacen a la perfeccion y encima super eficientes. Tienen mucha vista y el asesoramiento es muy bueno. Sitio de confianza.

      Pere Company RoigGoogle · Original review in Spanish

    • 5/5

      Profesionales con Mayúsculas! Muy contento por haber dado con ellos. El resultado es justo lo que buscaba, y con un tiempo de respuesta increíble.

      GabrielGoogle · Original review in Spanish

    See all reviews on Google →
    Frequently asked questions

    We answer your questions

    Everything people ask us before ordering illuminated signs: timelines, licences, materials, installation and warranty.

    Can't find your question?

    Ask us directly

    Do you manufacture in-house, or do you subcontract?

    We manufacture it ourselves. The sign is designed, assembled and tested switched on at our workshop in Cabrera de Mar, in Barcelona, and it's installed by our own team, without subcontractors, both here and across the rest of Spain. For you that means a single point of contact from start to finish: if something doesn't work, there's no need to work out whether it's the manufacturer's fault or the installer's, because we're the same people. And since we keep a record of the components in every sign we make, years later we know exactly what's inside yours.

    How much does an LED illuminated sign consume per month?

    Much less than people assume. A three-by-one-metre light box with quality LED modules runs at around 60-80 W, meaning that switched on eight hours a day it uses under 20 kWh a month: around three or four euros of electricity. An equivalent fluorescent sign used to consume three or four times as much and would blow frequently. Actual consumption depends on the lit surface area, the front's opacity level and whether the sign has time-based control. On larger signs we install an astronomical timer that switches it on and off according to sunrise and sunset for each day of the year, which brings the bill down significantly without you having to remember anything.

    What's the difference between back-lit and front-lit?

    With front-lit (channel letters), the light comes out towards the viewer through the face of the letter, so the brand glows directly and can be read from very far away: that's what you want on a large façade, in a shopping centre or beside a road. With back-lit, the letter is opaque and the light comes out from behind, casting a halo onto the façade; the brand doesn't glow, it's silhouetted against the lit wall. The result is much more elegant and discreet, ideal for offices, clinics, hotels and high-end retail, but it reads at a shorter distance and requires the wall behind it to be in good condition and a colour that reflects the light. There's also a combination of both, with the letter lit from the front and with a halo, which is the most striking and the most expensive option.

    Do I need a special licence because it's an illuminated sign?

    Yes, and the process tends to be more demanding than for an unlit sign. Many town halls regulate the maximum permitted luminance, the switch-on hours, and light pollution towards the flats above. In Catalonia there's also night-sky protection legislation, which classifies the territory into zones and limits the intensity and type of light allowed in each. We prepare the technical report with the sign's values, the electrical installation certificate and the night photomontage, which is exactly what the municipal technician usually asks for. If your premises are in a historic centre or a protected building, expect the approval to take longer and possibly require an adjusted intensity.

    Can it be repaired if a part blows?

    Yes, and it's one of the reasons we manufacture the way we do. The LED modules run on independent chains and the driver is always placed somewhere accessible, usually in a side hatch or at the bottom of the box, so it can be replaced without dismantling the whole sign or bringing back a lifting platform. If one area goes dark, in most cases it's the driver or a specific chain, not the whole system. We keep a record of the components in every sign we make, so years later we know exactly which module is in yours.

    How long does the lighting last before losing brightness?

    The modules we use are specified to keep more than 80% of their luminous flux at 50,000 hours. At an average of ten hours a day switched on, that's around thirteen years. What tends to fail first isn't the LED but the driver, which is an electronic power supply and suffers with heat and humidity; that's why we oversize it and keep it accessible. The other common cause of light loss is the yellowing of acrylic in cheap signs, which can rob a third of the brightness within five years. With quality acrylic, that doesn't happen.

    Can I change just the graphics without changing the sign?

    On a light box, yes, and it's one of its big advantages: the front is a translucent tarpaulin or a sheet of acrylic with vinyl that gets replaced while keeping the structure, lighting and fixings. It's usually sorted in a single visit and costs a fraction of the full sign, so it's the natural choice for rebrands or changes of tenant. With 3D letters or channel letters it isn't possible: each letter is a piece manufactured in that shape, and changing the name means manufacturing new letters.

    How long does an illuminated sign take once I approve it?

    Three to five weeks, somewhat longer than an unlit sign. The difference comes down to two points: the electronic components and the custom-cut acrylic have their own supply lead time, and before the sign leaves the workshop we leave it switched on for several hours to check light uniformity, driver temperature and watertightness. We never skip that test, because a fault caught in the workshop costs an afternoon, and the same fault caught on the façade costs a lifting platform.

    Do I need a new electrical supply line?

    It depends on what's already there. Ideally you leave a dedicated, protected line running from the premises' distribution board to the sign's location, and if the premises are being refurbished that's the moment to do it, because afterwards it means chasing walls or running visible trunking. If a line from the previous sign already exists, we check it: many old installations don't meet current regulations and the wiring needs replacing or residual-current protection needs adding. We check this during the technical visit and tell you what you're dealing with before quoting, not after.

    Can switching on and off be scheduled?

    Yes, and we recommend it on any outdoor sign. The usual solution is an astronomical timer, which calculates sunrise and sunset for your location every day of the year and switches on and off by itself, without anyone having to touch anything or reprogram it for daylight-saving changes. A twilight sensor that reacts to actual ambient light can also be added, useful on very shaded streets. And under some local ordinances it's directly mandatory to switch off after a certain time, so the timer stops being a convenience and becomes a requirement.

    What warranty do illuminated signs come with?

    We provide a two-year warranty on manufacturing and installation, and we pass on the manufacturer's warranty for the electronic components, which for the LED modules and drivers we use is usually five years. The warranty covers the whole unit, not each part separately, which is the advantage of us both manufacturing and installing: if something fails you don't have to work out whether it's the LED manufacturer's fault, the installer's or the electrician's. What no warranty covers is vandalism or storm damage, which is why it's worth having the sign declared on the premises' insurance policy.
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    Make your sign readable from a hundred metres

    We manufacture in Barcelona and install throughout Spain. A lighting study is included in the quote.

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