Alternative Channel Letter Mounting Solutions

[204SignGuy]

As it always seems to go, we've got a client who has ordered channel letters, and now that they're ready to go, they do not want us to put holes in the wall to install. We've got two large sets for them, one halo lit and the other regular lit. The wall is insulated metal panels, where the manufacturer has clearly laid out exactly how to mount, via holes through the wall and nothing else.

What are some ways you have mounted channel letters, other than screwing/bolting to the wall?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Walk away and tell them good luck.. Tell them to call Robert Armadingdong and he will suspend them with drones hovering over the wall.

 

[204SignGuy]

Make a big frame from tube, mount the letters to the tube, route electrical through the tube, then hang it over the side of the building. It won't look great. Type of tube will be dependent on size/qty of channel letters. This will probably look rough with some halo lit letters.
Oh, and yeah, this will likely void any warranty on a flexible membrane roof. Tell them to ask the contractor which warranty they'd prefer to maintain, wall or roof.

This was actually one of the ideas we proposed for the regular lit letters. The wall looks (roughly) like what you have drawn, but for the halo letters, there is basically no way.

Texas_Signmaker: Walk away and tell them good luck..

Boy would I be a much less stressed-out man, but their deposit is in and the letters are all fabricated. We are a little past the point of no return on this one.

 

[204SignGuy]

This is where the Halo's are supposed to go, for reference. It's a 48' wide sign...

 

[MikePro]

something that big would need a massive raceway/wiringpanel....which would require drilling the wall as well.
if they're hellbent on it, you could easily install some framework with minimal holes either from the roof or through the wall, but they're hmm & haww'n their way to a $5-10k+ upgrade.

if you did go that route, however. its GOTTA be a panel. just throwing reverse-lit lettering on a simple raceway looks absolutely awful when it casts that hard-line shadow across the fascia.

 

[Z SIGNS]

How do you enter into an agreement without everyone involved knowing all the details like what it looks like and how it's being installed? Keep the deposit. Deduct the install fee and bill them for the balance. Drop the letters off at their front door. Tell them to hire a magician for the install.

 

[SignEST]

Use automotive adhesive after you grind off the paint to glue them right to the bare metal. Lord Adhesives makes it for the sign industry. https://www.lord.com/industries/building-and-construction/sign-adhesives/large-outdoor-assemblies
Reason why I say grind paint off is because this stuff is really toxic and will eat away at it. It will glue ACM to straight metal and you will not be able to seperate it without cutting it from the metal. This is the stupid customer takes liability approach that's also in writing.

Where is the power coming in from? Magical power cable that comes through the non-hole in the wall?

Have to make sure they all wear hard hats on site due to possible fall hazard after the day of the installation. That's the price these geniuses want to pay for perfectly insulated warehouses.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I've seen channel letters mounted like how Jburton is talking about on skyscrapers here in Dallas. They hang off the edge. Not sure how that would look on your building..plus you have that overhang

 

[bowtievega]

I would think your best bet would be to install the letters onto background panels. Build a mounting frame that attaches to the wall with a lot less holes than individual letters. You will end up with much better lighting as well. Also, they would only have a single point of power going thru the wall as you could do all of the wiring behind the panels then run a single wire thru the wall. No way of doing something like that without drilling some holes in the wall, at least not in a cost effective manor lol.

 

[MikePro]

i'd also be worried about attempting to mount any structure to a fascia, where the client has potentially demanded the contractor assemble the building without using any mechanical fasteners.