Neon sign size guide
Neon signs are sized by width, measured left to right across the longest line. The height follows from your words and the font. All sizes in inches.
How much text fits a width
Each width holds about one character, spaces included, for every 2 in of width on the longest line. Shorter lines can be any length; split long phrases over two or three lines.
| Width | Longest line | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 20 in | up to 10 characters | Olivia · Cheers |
| 24 in | up to 12 characters | Good Vibes |
| 30 in | up to 15 characters | Happy Birthday |
| 36 in | up to 18 characters | Anna & James 2027 |
| 48 in | up to 24 characters | Better Together · Est. 2027 |
| 60 in | up to 30 characters | two or three lines of a phrase |
| 72 to 120 in | 36 to 60 characters | logo walls, backdrops, storefronts |
Width by place
A common decorating rule hangs wall pieces at about half to two thirds of the width of the furniture below them. Leave a hand width of wall around the sign.
| Place | Usual width | Mounting |
|---|---|---|
| Desk, shelf, back bar (standing) | 20 to 30 in | Free-standing base |
| Above a bed or sofa | 36 to 60 in | Wall standoffs or no-drill mounts |
| Gaming or streaming wall | 24 to 48 in | No-drill mounts or standoffs |
| Wedding backdrop or sweetheart table | 36 to 60 in | Hanging cables or a backdrop frame |
| Shop window | 20 to 36 in | Ceiling hanging cables |
| Reception or logo wall | 48 to 120 in | Wall standoffs |
Letter height for reading distance
A common sign-industry rule of thumb is about 1 in of letter height for every 10 ft people read from. Script lowercase letters read smaller than block capitals at the same sign height, so go a size up for script seen from far away.
How tall will it be?
Height depends on the number of lines and the font: one line of script is usually a third to a half of the width tall, two lines closer to two thirds. The designer shows an estimate for every width, and your free proof gives the exact size.