Lit and non-lit boards
- Backlit board: the light is inside, behind the face. This is the usual glow sign board.
- Frontlit board: the light comes from outside, for example a lamp aimed at the sign.
- Non-lit board: no light at all.
A non-lit board can still have a bright, clear design. What it lacks is its own light. After dark it is hard to read unless some other light falls on it. See glow sign board for the lit kind.
Where a non-lit board makes sense
- A shop or office that opens only in the daytime.
- A sign inside a building, where the room is already lit.
- A direction or room sign in a school, factory or office.
- A board on a lane that is already well lit by street lamps.
- A short-term sign, such as one for a sale or an event.
No light also means no wiring and no power bill for the sign. That is a plain fact of having no lamp. It is not a promise about cost, because boards differ in size, material and make.
A made-up example
Say a coaching centre in Bhopal is open from 8 am to 6 pm. This is a made-up example. Most students arrive in daylight. The centre sits on a busy road with street lamps. A non-lit board outside is enough. The owner puts more thought into the name, the size of the letters and the colours, so that a student can read it from across the road.
Now say a restaurant in the same town opens at 7 pm and runs till midnight. Its sign must work in the dark. A lit board suits it better.
How to decide
- When do most people see the sign: day or night?
- Is there already light on that spot?
- How far away should it be readable from?
- What are the local rules for signboards where you are? Check with your local civic body.
- What material does the maker suggest, and why? Ask for samples.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a non-lit board for a business that trades mostly at night.
- Small letters that cannot be read from the road.
- Low contrast, such as light grey text on a white board.
- Placing the board where a tree, a hoarding or a pole hides it.
- Skipping the local rules and the landlord's permission.
To plan a full set of shop signs, read about visual merchandising.
Related terms
- Glow sign board: a sign that is lit from inside or behind.
- POSM (point of sale material): displays and signs placed at the shop.
- Visual merchandising: arranging a shop so products and signs catch the eye.
- OOH (out of home advertising): ads placed outside the home, such as hoardings.
To plan signs for a shop or an outlet, see our signage and retail branding work.
