Your shop front should be easy to recognise from a distance. It is the one piece of branding every passer-by sees, so it is worth choosing carefully rather than simply picking the biggest or brightest option.
Acrylic, ACP, aluminium, stainless steel and illuminated letters all give different results. The best choice comes from looking at your location first.
Start with the location, not the material
Before choosing a sign, check these four things:
- Building rules. Malls, community centres and many Dubai buildings set the size, position and lighting of shop signs, and sometimes even the colours. Ask your landlord or mall management for their signage guidelines before any design work starts.
- Available space. Measure the fascia or wall area. Your sign should sit comfortably inside it, with some breathing room around the letters, rather than being squeezed edge to edge.
- Viewing distance. A sign read from across a main road needs much taller letters than one read from a mall corridor. Size the lettering for the furthest point you want customers to read it from.
- Daylight and night traffic. If most of your customers arrive in the evening, lighting matters more than the material. If the fascia faces strong afternoon sun, colours and finishes need to stand up to it.
What each option gives you
Acrylic letters
Acrylic letters look clean and modern and come in almost any colour. They work well indoors and on shaded shop fronts, and they can be lit from the front or behind.
ACP panels
ACP (aluminium composite panel) gives you a smooth, flat fascia. It is often used as the backing for 3D letters and is a cost-effective way to give a street-facing shop a neat, finished look.
Aluminium letters
Aluminium letters are lightweight, will not rust and can be painted to match your brand colours. They are a practical choice for outdoor signs and large letters.
Stainless steel letters
Stainless steel letters in brushed, mirror or gold finish give a premium look. They suit boutiques, salons, clinics and showrooms that want their shop front to feel high-end.
Illuminated letters
Illuminated 3D letters keep you visible after dark. Front-lit letters glow through the face, while halo-lit letters cast a soft glow onto the wall behind. Remember they need a power point near the fascia.
Matching the sign to the shop
- A café on a busy street: an ACP fascia with front-lit acrylic letters, readable from passing cars day and night.
- A boutique in a mall: brushed steel or halo-lit letters, sized and placed to the mall’s guidelines.
- A clinic in a community centre: aluminium letters, non-lit or halo-lit, for a calm and professional look.
The most expensive sign isn’t always the best
A good signage company will help you choose based on your location rather than simply recommending the most expensive option. Sometimes a well-designed non-lit sign does the job perfectly; sometimes lighting is worth every dirham. It depends on where you are and when your customers arrive.
Opening soon? Go through our shop sign checklist, read why good signage matters, browse our shop front signage or send us a photo of your shop front and we’ll suggest the right option.
