All About the Neon Light Sign
For over a century, the neon light sign has played an important part in advertising and pop culture, especially in the United States. These glowing pieces of art attract people to become patrons of all different kinds of businesses. They also inspire others to develop collections of these signs. Whatever their use, the neon sign continues to find wide use for many different applications even in today’s digital world.
Neon light signs are made from tubes of glass that are shaped into almost any possible configuration that can be imagined. They can form letters or simple designs such as circles and squares. Some of these advertising pieces have appeared in more complex designs. For example, neon signs made to look like boots or a cowboy hat often adorn country-western bars and grills. Once formed into the desired shape, the tubes are filled with an inert gas and then electrified to form glowing colors.
Even though these pieces are commonly referred to as neon signs, there are actually several different gases that are used in their construction. Advertisers and artists discovered long ago that the only way to get a variety of colors for their signage would be to employ a variety of elemental gases. The elemental gases that are used for these signs are known as the noble gases — helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon. Because these gases do not react with other elements very easily, they can be safely charged with electricity without causing a fire, explosion, or other problems. This low chemical reactivity also leads scientists to classify these gases as inert gases.
Lighted neon signs may include other gases, but they are typically called neon signs because neon was the very first gas used in their construction. The early history of these advertising pieces is a bit murky. Some would date them all the way back to 1883 and the Chicago World’s Fair, but others would place their origin in the early part of the twentieth century. Whatever the case may be, the production of these pieces was a specialized craft from the very beginning. Trained artisans produce neon signs by hand, and these individuals often construct their own equipment to aid them in the construction of a sign and the sign light. Neon and other gases are also inserted into the tubes of the sign by the crafter after they have been bent into the appropriate shape.
High voltage electrical wires that ionize the gas and make the tubes glow provide the actual neon sign light. Sometimes the colors result merely from the choice of gas itself. On other occasions, the glass tubes in the sign itself are coated with some kind of phosphor. The light produced when electricity is applied to the gas inside of the tube makes the phosphor molecules active, generating a specific color depending on the material that is used. Everything from the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow to deeper shades of purple, green, and more can be created. This is especially helpful for advertisers who know the power of color and light to attract potential customers to their stores. Artists also appreciate the color versatility as it allows them to create beautiful sculptures of almost anything in nearly any shape that they desire.
As noted, these signs continue to appear in businesses all around the country today. They may sit in the windows of storefronts or restaurants. Large billboards on top of grand casinos may feature these signs. Neon lights adorn the buildings in the most famous cities in the world and the most obscure towns that are hardly large enough to merit a place on any map. In every case, however, they have proven to be successful in meeting a specific advertising need.
Because neon signs are usually handmade, they often require a larger upfront investment than other options. However, business owners should be aware that these displays also last longer than many other advertising possibilities, meaning that they can actually cost less over time than the alternatives. A bar and grill that puts up a Coors Light neon sign, for example, may get ten or more years of use out of it before having to do any kind of special maintenance work on the piece.
Thus, it is clear that putting up a neon light sign might be the very best option business owners have when in the market for a product to advertise their company. If owners take the time to explore the many neon sign options and then work with the manufacturer to design the best-looking piece, then they will end up with a display that is fun to look at and that attracts many customers. Those who order a neon sign today are not going to be disappointed with the results of their purchase.