Glossary of Signage Industry Terms

Welcome to our signage glossary, your go-to resource for everything you need to know about buying custom signs. Whether you're searching for business signs, outdoor signs, or storefront displays, understanding the right terminology helps you make smarter, faster decisions.

This glossary covers key signage terms, and we break down industry terminology into easy-to-understand definitions so you can choose the perfect sign for your brand, event, or promotion. Explore our glossary below to learn more and get started creating the perfect custom signage solution for your needs!

A-Frame Sign

An A-frame sign is a freestanding, typically two-sided display structure characterized by its hinged construction that forms an “A” shape when deployed.

Designed for portability and rapid deployment, A-frame signs are widely used for temporary and semi-permanent signage applications, including retail advertising, directional signage, sidewalk promotions, and event marketing.

Acrylic (plastic)

A rigid, transparent thermoplastic widely used in the sign industry as a lightweight and shatter-resistant alternative to glass. Acrylic sheets used in signage are typically produced through either cell casting or extrusion.

Cast acrylic offers superior optical quality, thickness uniformity, and surface hardness, whereas extruded acrylic provides better dimensional tolerances and is more cost-effective for high-volume production.

Adhesive Mount

An adhesive mount is a sign installation method that uses pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs), bonding agents, or mounting tapes to affix signage to various substrates without mechanical fasteners.

Ambient Lighting

The general, non-directional illumination present in an environment that contributes to the overall visibility of a sign but is not integrated into the sign structure itself.

It can be either natural, through sunlight, or artificial, and plays a critical role in determining sign legibility, color perception, and compliance with viewing standards, especially in public spaces and architectural settings.

Anchors

Anchors are mechanical fastening devices used to secure signs to structural surfaces such as masonry, concrete, drywall, brick, or metal. Anchors are critical for ensuring stability, especially in safety-sensitive or outdoor environments where wind load, vibration, and human interaction are considerations.

Awning Mount

This is a sign installation method where signage is affixed to, integrated with, or placed directly above an architectural awning structure. This mounting style typically applies to rigid or flexible sign systems attached to the face, front valance, or upper supporting frame of an awning.

Backing

The supportive substrate or structural layer positioned behind the visible face of a sign. It serves critical mechanical and aesthetic functions such as providing rigidity, supporting mounting hardware, protecting internal components, and preventing warping or deformation of the main sign surface.

Backlit Sign

A type of illuminated signage that utilizes a rear-positioned light source to project light through a translucent or transparent sign face, enhancing visibility and visual impact in both daylight and low-light conditions.

Banner Mount

A commonly used method of installing flexible printed banners by reinforcing and preparing their edges for mechanical attachment. This method involves folding and sealing the banner’s edges (hemming) to create a durable perimeter, followed by inserting metal eyelets or rings (grommets) at evenly spaced intervals.

Blade Sign

A type of projecting sign that is mounted perpendicular to a wall or building façade, typically extending outward so it can be viewed by pedestrians or motorists approaching from both directions along a street or walkway.

Positioned at or slightly above eye level, blade signs are designed to capture attention in urban, retail, or pedestrian-heavy environments where front-facing wall signage may not be easily visible.

Canvas

A durable, heavy-duty woven fabric traditionally made from cotton or linen, and more recently from polyester or blended synthetic fibers.

Canvas refers specifically to coated or uncoated textile substrates designed for use in high-resolution inkjet printing applications such as fine art reproduction, indoor banners, photographic prints, and museum-quality display graphics.

Contour Cut

A precision cutting process used in sign making, printing, and vinyl graphics production to trim printed materials along the edge of a designated shape or path, rather than a standard rectangular or square dimension.

Corrosion Resistance

Corrosion resistance is the ability of a material to withstand chemical or electrochemical degradation when exposed to moisture, atmospheric conditions, chemicals, or other corrosive agents.

Die Cutting

Die cutting is a fabrication process used to cut specific shapes or patterns from sheet materials using a pre-formed steel cutting tool known as a die. It is employed to produce custom-cut graphics, decals, labels, dimensional letters, stickers, and packaging components with consistent precision and speed.

Dimensional Lettering

Three-dimensional sign elements where letters, numbers, or logos are physically fabricated with depth, creating a raised appearance when mounted to a surface.

Commonly used for architectural signage, building identification, interior branding, and lobby displays, dimensional lettering enhances visibility, creates shadow effects, and offers a more professional and dynamic look compared to flat, two-dimensional graphics.

Double-Sided Printing

Also known as duplex printing in digital and print manufacturing contexts, refers to the process of applying printed content to both the front and back surfaces of a material.

Dots Per Inch

Dots Per Inch (DPI) is a unit of measurement that denotes the resolution or spatial printing density of output devices such as printers, digital presses, and imaging systems.

Dual Illumination

Dual illumination is a signage lighting configuration that incorporates both front-lit and back-lit (halo-lit) lighting techniques within the same sign element, typically in channel letters or dimensional signs.

Edge-lit

This is a type of illumination technique in which a light source, typically light-emitting diodes (LEDs), is positioned along one or more edges of a transparent or translucent panel to distribute light evenly across its surface.

Electronic Message Center (EMC)

A programmable, illuminated sign that displays dynamic content, such as text, images, animations, or video, using light-emitting diodes (LEDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), or similar digital display technologies.

Engraving

This is a subtractive manufacturing process that involves removing material from the surface of a substrate to create recessed characters, patterns, or images. Engraving is commonly used to produce tactile lettering, industrial tags, nameplates, architectural plaques, and ADA-compliant signage.

Etching

A subtractive manufacturing process used to create permanent, recessed patterns, text, or images on the surface of a material by selectively removing material through chemical, electrochemical, or laser-based methods.

Fiber Optic Lighting

An illumination system that uses optical fibers to transmit light from a centralized light source (illuminator) to remote locations, without conducting electricity or generating heat at the illumination point.

Fluorescent Lighting

A form of gas-discharge illumination that produces visible light through the excitation of mercury vapor and subsequent fluorescence of a phosphor coating inside a glass tube. When an electrical current passes through the low-pressure mercury vapor, it emits ultraviolet (UV) light, which in turn excites the phosphor lining of the tube, emitting visible light.

Freestanding

Any structure, display, or sign that is self-supporting and not physically attached to a wall, ceiling, building façade, or overhead structure. Freestanding signs are mounted directly into or onto the ground via bases, posts, or footings and are designed to maintain structural integrity independently.

Front-lit

A front-lit type of sign illumination in which the light source is positioned in front of the sign face, projecting light directly onto the surface to enhance visibility, legibility, and aesthetics, especially in low-light or nighttime environments.

Ground Mount

A sign installation method where the sign structure is anchored directly into the ground using posts, concrete footings, or base frames, without attachment to a building or elevated platform.

This method is commonly used for monument signs, post-and-panel signage, real estate signs, wayfinding systems, and regulatory signage, especially in outdoor environments such as commercial lots, campuses, parks, and roadways.

H-Frame Installation

A method used to support and display lightweight, corrugated plastic signs, most commonly yard signs, by inserting a wire or metal frame shaped like the letter “H” into the vertical flutes of the sign material. The remaining legs of the frame are then pushed into the ground to create a freestanding display.

Halo-lit

A halo-lit is a type of illuminated signage where light is emitted from the back of the sign elements creating a glowing "halo" effect around the perimeter of the design.

This effect is achieved by mounting opaque sign elements with a standoff distance from the mounting surface and placing light sources, usually LED modules, inside the structure so that light projects onto the background rather than through the face.

Hanging Sign

This is a type of sign display that is suspended from an overhead structure, such as a ceiling, beam, bracket, awning, or frame, using hardware like chains, cables, rods, or hooks. Hanging signs are used in both indoor and outdoor environments for wayfinding, identification, branding, and promotional purposes.

High-Density Urethane (HDU)

A rigid, closed-cell polyurethane foam material engineered for use in dimensional signage, mold-making, sculpting, and prototyping. In the signage industry, HDU is valued for its strength, ease of fabrication, weather resistance, and compatibility with both hand-carving and CNC machining.

Impact Resistance

The ability of a material or product to withstand sudden and forceful mechanical impacts without cracking, breaking, deforming, or losing structural integrity. Impact resistance is a crucial performance metric for determining a material’s durability under external forces such as collision, vandalism, pressure, or falling objects.

LED Modules

Self-contained lighting components that consist of one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted on a circuit board or integrated housing unit, along with electrical and optical elements designed to manage power distribution, heat dissipation, and light control.

Lightbox Sign

A type of internally illuminated signage that consists of a box-shaped enclosure, also called a sign cabinet, containing a lighting system that illuminates a translucent sign face from behind.

Marquee Sign

A type of freestanding or building-mounted sign structure typically associated with theaters, entertainment venues, schools, places of worship, and commercial properties. They often feature changeable copy areas, decorative architectural elements, and integrated illumination.

Matte Finish

A surface treatment characterized by a low-gloss or non-reflective appearance, achieved by diffusing light to reduce glare and surface sheen. A matte finish is used to enhance legibility, reduce visual distractions from reflections, and provide a smooth, muted aesthetic ideal for close-viewed or high-light environments.

Monument Sign

A monument sign is a ground-level freestanding sign structure that is permanently installed into the ground with a low overall height and a solid base or supporting framework extending to ground level.

Monument signs are designed to provide clear identification and wayfinding at entrances to businesses, residential developments, schools, medical centers, churches, and municipal campuses.

Neon Lighting

This is a type of gas-discharge illumination that uses electrically excited noble gases sealed within glass tubes to produce visible light.

The technology operates by applying a high-voltage current across two electrodes at either end of a hermetically sealed tube filled with a low-pressure gas, typically neon or argon.

The table below shows how neon lighting compares to other lighting types in signage:

Neon Sign

A neon sign is an illuminated sign created using sealed glass tubes filled with noble gases, most commonly neon, argon, or a mixture with mercury, which emit visible light when an electrical current passes through them.

The tubes are custom-shaped, often by hand, into letters, logos, or graphic elements and are energized by high-voltage transformers that ionize the gas, causing it to glow.

Offset Printing

This is a high-volume commercial printing process in which an inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, and then onto the final print surface, typically paper, cardboard, or other flat substrates.

The technique is based on the principle that oil-based inks repel water, allowing precise image areas to attract ink while non-image areas are kept ink-free through dampening.

Open Face Illumination

A type of sign lighting design in which the internal light source is directly visible through the front of the sign due to the absence of a translucent face or front covering.

This lighting style is most commonly used in channel letter signs and decorative signage where the goal is to achieve a bright, retro, or industrial aesthetic, often associated with vintage neon signs, bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

Panel Size

The physical dimensions of a flat sign component or display surface, often measured in inches, feet, or millimeters, depending on regional standards. Panel size determines the usable graphic area, affects substrate selection and structural support requirements, and plays a critical role in design layout, fabrication, and installation logistics.

Photographic Printing

The process of producing a permanent visual image on a physical medium using light-sensitive materials and either chemical or digital development techniques. Photographic printing encompasses a range of technologies designed to deliver high-resolution, continuous-tone images with exceptional color fidelity, brightness, and detail.

Pylon Sign

A pylon sign is a tall, freestanding, ground-mounted sign structure supported by one or more vertical poles or columns, typically anchored in a concrete foundation. These signs are designed for long-range visibility along highways, commercial corridors, and shopping centers and are commonly used to display business identifications, tenant listings, or branding elements.

Raceway

An enclosed metal or plastic conduit system used to house and protect the electrical wiring and mounting hardware for illuminated or non-illuminated signage. A raceway serves both a structural and functional purpose by acting as a support box mounted between the sign and the building façade, while also accommodating power supplies, transformers, and wiring required for sign operation.

Scratch-Resistant Coating

A specialized surface treatment or protective layer applied to materials to increase their resistance to mechanical abrasion, scuffing, or surface damage caused by contact with sharp or rough objects.

These coatings are commonly used in signage, displays, eyewear lenses, automotive components, and plastic glazing to preserve optical clarity, surface integrity, and aesthetic appearance over time.

Standoff Installation

A sign mounting method in which a sign panel is spaced away from the mounting surface using specialized hardware known as standoffs.

This setup creates a three-dimensional, floating appearance, enhancing visual depth and professional presentation in architectural signs, wayfinding systems, acrylic panels, glass displays, and interior branding applications.

Thermal Transfer Printing

A digital printing process that uses heat to transfer solid ink from a coated ribbon onto a substrate, producing high-resolution, durable images. The process involves a thermal printhead that selectively heats elements along its width, melting the ink from the ribbon and bonding it to the surface of the printable material.

Varnish Coating

A transparent, liquid protective finish applied to printed or finished surfaces to enhance visual appearance, improve durability, and protect against environmental factors such as moisture, abrasion, and chemical exposure.

Vinyl

A vinyl in the context of signage and graphics refers to a synthetic plastic material primarily composed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is processed into flexible films used for printing, cut lettering, wrapping, and surface decoration. Vinyl signs are used in weatherproof and long-lasting signage options.

Wall Mount

A method of affixing a sign, display, or device directly to a vertical surface such as drywall, brick, concrete, or metal cladding. Wall-mounted configurations provide a space-efficient, permanent or semi-permanent solution for securing objects at eye level or higher for optimal visibility and usability.

Wall Sign

A type of signage that is directly mounted to or integrated with the face of a building or wall surface, serving purposes such as identification, branding, wayfinding, or advertising.

Wall signs are among the most common forms of architectural signage and are used in retail, institutional, and corporate environments to communicate information for maximum visibility. In some cases, a laser-cut adhesive wall sign may be used as an alternative mounting method without permanent fixtures.

Window Mount

A window mount is a sign or graphic installation method in which signage is affixed directly to a glass surface, typically a window or glass door, for visibility to indoor or outdoor audiences. Window-mounted signs serve a variety of functions, including branding, advertising, promotional messaging, privacy screening, and regulatory compliance.

Z-Bracket Mount

A hardware mounting system that uses Z-shaped metal brackets to secure panels, signs, or architectural elements to a wall or other vertical surface. Named for their distinct “Z” profile in cross-section, Z-brackets provide a low-profile, flush-mounting solution that offers secure attachment, clean aesthetics, and easy removability of mounted components.