Neon sign backboard options: shapes and finishes

Every LED neon sign sits on a backboard. It holds the tube, carries the mounting holes and decides how the sign looks on the wall, both lit and switched off. This guide explains each shape and finish, when it suits, and how it mounts.

What the backboard is

Our standard backboard is clear acrylic, 6 mm (about 1/4 in) thick. A groove is routed into it along every line of your design, and the flexible LED neon tube is pressed into that groove. Mounting holes, 1/4 in across, are placed near the corners or the ends of strokes. The backboard is always included at no charge.

You choose two things: the shape of the board and its finish.

The shapes

Shape	What it looks like	Best for	Mounting notes
Clear, cut to shape (default)	A smooth, clean outline around the whole design	Most text and logo signs on a wall	Works with standoffs, ceiling cables and no-drill mounts; a stand needs a straight bottom edge
Clear rectangle	A rectangle with small rounded corners	Tabletop signs, windows, multi-line text, backdrops	Easy to level; four corners suit every mounting kit
Clear, cut to each letter	Each word or letter on its own small board	Large lettering on a feature wall where you want the wall to show	Each piece mounts on its own, so allow more time to space and level them
No backboard	The tube is the whole sign	Special installations, decided with us	We confirm how it is held on your proof
Printed	A full-color UV printed board with neon on top	Detailed logos, gradients, small text	Same mounting kits as a clear board

Clear, cut to shape

This is the one most people should start with. The board follows your design with a smooth outline a little outside the tube, so on most walls the eye sees the light, not the acrylic. Round logos sit on a clean circle, and text sits on a rounded outline.

Clear rectangle

A rectangle with small rounded corners looks tidy and is the easiest shape to hang straight. It is a good choice when the sign sits on a tabletop stand, hangs in a window, or has two or three lines of text.

Cut to each letter

Each word or letter gets its own small board. On a large wall this looks like lettering fixed straight to the surface, with the wall showing between the letters. The trade-off is installation: every piece mounts on its own, so there are more holes to drill and more pieces to line up.

No backboard

With no backboard, the tube is the whole sign. It can look very light and open, but it depends on the wall and how the tube is held. If you want this look, ask us first, tell us about the wall, and we will show the result on your proof.

Printed

A printed backboard carries your artwork in full color under the neon, so the sign still shows your whole logo when the light is off. It is the best choice for detailed or many-color logos and small text. The printed board costs nothing extra. Read our guide to printed backboard neon signs or see the neon sign on a printed backboard.

The finishes

Finish	Lit	Switched off	Good to know
Clear	The light floats on the wall	You see the tube and the wall	Our standard; suits almost any wall
Black	The light sits in a dark frame	A gloss black panel with the tube on it	Hides a busy or patterned wall; shows dust and fingerprints more than clear
Colors	The board adds its own color around the light	A colored panel	Stock colors, or any color to order, confirmed on your proof
Mirror	The glow and the room reflect in the board	A mirror panel	Acrylic mirror is softer than glass: clean it with a soft microfiber cloth, not glass cleaner
Flame-retardant PC	Same as clear	Same as clear	For venues or fire inspectors that require it

A few tips:

• Clear is right for most homes, weddings and offices.
• Black works well in bars, game rooms and on brick or wood walls, where it gives the sign its own background.
• Colors suit brands: a board in your brand color can carry the sign when the light is off.
• Mirror is eye-catching in salons and bars but shows smudges, so place it where hands will not touch it. Our guide to cleaning and caring for a neon sign has more.
• Flame-retardant polycarbonate (PC) replaces acrylic when a venue or fire inspector requires a flame-retardant board. Tell us before production.

Clean shapes, not wavy outlines

We keep backboards simple on purpose: circles for round logos, rounded rectangles for text, and small corner radii. When a design has separate parts, we join them with a solid band rather than thin bridges.

A wavy outline that hugs every letter with narrow bridges of acrylic looks busy on the wall, and those narrow strips are the easiest part of a board to crack. A clean shape looks calmer, hangs straighter and is easier to handle.

How each backboard mounts

Every LED sign comes with the mounting kit for the installation you choose:

1. Wall standoffs. Polished stainless standoffs hold the board about 1 in off the wall through its 1/4 in holes. They suit every shape. See the standoff mounting kit.
2. Ceiling hanging cables. Thin steel cables come down from ceiling discs, and snap hooks clip into the holes in the board. A common choice for windows and over bars. See the ceiling hanging kit.
3. No-drill adhesive mounts. A stick-on mount at each corner, for smooth, clean, dry walls, tile and glass. Our guide to hanging a neon sign without drilling explains how.
4. Free-standing base. A clear 8 mm acrylic base, shorter than the sign and centred under it, holds a straight bottom edge on a bar, counter or shelf.

For step-by-step instructions, read how to hang a neon sign.

Which one should you choose

1. A sign for a home wall: clear, cut to shape, on standoffs.
2. A sign on a table or bar: clear rectangle on the free-standing base.
3. A shop window: clear rectangle on ceiling cables.
4. A large name across a feature wall: cut to each letter.
5. A detailed logo that must show by day: printed backboard.
6. A venue with fire rules: flame-retardant PC.

Not sure? Start your design in our neon designer with the default board, and we will suggest changes on your free proof. Nothing is made until you approve it.