Channel Letter Signs in St. John’s, NL
What Are Channel Letters?
Channel letters are individually crafted, three-dimensional letters and shapes used for exterior business signage. Each letter is a hollow form — typically made from aluminum — with a face, returns (the sides), and a back. When illuminated, light shines through a translucent face or out the back of the letter, making your business name visible day and night. They're one of the most recognizable forms of commercial signage you'll find on storefronts, shopping centres, and building facades across Newfoundland.
Types of Channel Letters We Fabricate
At Leaman Signs, we fabricate channel letters in-house at our St. John's shop on Blackmarsh Road. There are several styles to choose from depending on your brand, budget, and building.
Front-lit channel letters are the most common type. The face of each letter is made from acrylic — either a solid colour or translucent — and LED modules inside the letter shine light forward through the face. These are highly visible at night and work well for most retail and commercial applications.
Reverse-lit or halo-lit channel letters face the opposite direction: the open back of the letter faces the wall, and light spills out behind each letter, creating a glowing halo effect against the building surface. This style has a premium, upscale look and is popular for restaurants, hotels, and professional offices.
Non-illuminated channel letters are fabricated from aluminum or other metals and installed without any lighting. These work well in covered locations, interior applications like reception walls, or where a more understated look is preferred.
Materials and Construction
Our channel letters are built to handle Newfoundland's weather — and that's not a small consideration. St. John's is one of the windiest and wettest cities in Canada, and signage here takes a beating that most mainland shops never have to account for. We build our letters from .040" or .063" aluminum for the returns and backs, and we specify acrylic faces and LED components rated for cold-weather performance. Every lit letter is QPS certified to CSA standards.
The LED modules we use are energy-efficient and have a rated lifespan of 50,000+ hours, meaning years of reliable illumination without frequent maintenance calls.
The Process: From Quote to Installation
When you contact Leaman Signs about channel letters, we start with a site survey of your building. This gives us accurate measurements, lets us assess the mounting surface, and allows us to identify any electrical or permitting requirements specific to your location. St. John's and the surrounding municipalities have specific sign bylaws, and we handle the permit applications on your behalf.
From there, our design team creates a layout showing your letters on the building elevation. Once you approve the design, fabrication begins in our shop. Depending on complexity and our current production schedule, lead time is typically 4 to 6 weeks from design approval to installation day.
How Much Do Channel Letters Cost in St. John’s?
Channel letter pricing varies significantly based on letter height, total linear footage, the style (illuminated vs. non-illuminated), the complexity of the letterforms, and installation requirements. A straightforward set of front-lit channel letters for a mid-size retail storefront might range from $5,000 to $15,000 installed, while larger or more complex installations will be higher.
We don't publish fixed price lists because every project is genuinely different. What we can do is give you an accurate quote based on your specific building, your brand, and your requirements. Contact us to get started.
Why Choose Leaman Signs for Channel Letters in St. John’s?
Leaman Signs has been fabricating and installing signs in Newfoundland for over 10 years. We're a local company — not a national franchise or a reseller ordering product from a distant factory. When you work with us, your channel letters are designed, fabricated, and installed by the same team, in the same shop, on Blackmarsh Road in St. John's. That means tighter quality control, faster turnaround on issues, and a team that's accountable to you because we live and work in the same community you do. We're also members of the International Sign Association and carry our COR safety certification, so you can be confident in our professional standards.
Contact us to get your channel letter project started.
info@leamansigns.ca
(709) 753-7545
77 Blackmarsh Road
St. John’s, NL, A1E 1S6