Your Guide to Custom Made Neon

Custom made neon signs present you with a striking way to promote your event or business, as well as adding extra décor to a room. From weddings to trade shows to your bedroom, if you want to turn heads, neon signs are the perfect way to do so.

With so many neon signs already out there, and their popularity continuing to grow, we understand that you might want a one-off, custom made neon sign that is tailored to you perfectly. So, if you’re intrigued about how your neon sign comes into existence, check out our special process!

The Design Process
The process for custom made neon always starts with the artwork provided by the customer; after all, who better to design your own sign than yourself? Likewise, if drawing isn’t really your thing, we can help you to create the foundation of your new sign.

Using this artwork, we will create a full size glass drawing. It’s always drawn out in reverse, so that any hidden parts are at the back when the sign is made. Once this is finished, glass tubing is measured against the drawing. We make a pencil mark at the points where the tubing needs to bend. Read our guide on the process of designing to creating.

The Creation
Using a flame, the glass tubing is heated and bent into the required shape while in the flame itself. Once we’re happy with the right shape, the glass is cooled down quickly by using a cooler flame.

We match the bent glass to the drawing throughout the creation process to ensure the original design is replicated perfectly. Sometimes, custom neon can include intricate details such as lots of small parts or letters. We may make these as individual parts which will be joined together by heating and fusing.

Next, electrodes need to be placed on both sides of each section of the glass. All air is eradicated from the sections via a vacuum pump. The tubes are then subject to high voltage electricity; this heats the electrodes and tubes to an extremely hot temperature.

Then comes the fun bit! Using argon or neon gas, sections of glass are pumped with the gas. The gas we use depends on the final colour of the sign; red is the main colour with neon, but other colours tend to use argon. We then hang the glass on an ageing bay and connect it to a transformer. This makes sure the gases have burnt enough. We may use block out paint at this point to paint some of the glass.

The Finishing Touch
The neon sections are now put together, putting the transformer inside the acrylic case or sometimes attached to the backing panel. Tube supports hold the neon in place, while separate sections of glass are wired together to create a circuit.

We use silicone end covers to shield the bare wires. At this point, any final adjustments that are necessary will be made to your custom neon sign.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding regarding the process that is involved when it comes to creating a custom made neon sign. From branding to artwork, these signs have a wide range of uses, and they have the benefit of being much more striking and eye-catching than any other type of sign available today.