Signage for offices and shops: letters, light boxes, decals

For most businesses, signage comes down to three things: 3D letters on the facade or behind reception, a light box that's still visible in the evening, and vinyl decals on windows and doors. The choice depends on where people need to see you from (the sidewalk, a car or the lobby), whether you need light, and what the local authorities require for that spot.

3D letters

These are individually cut letters mounted on the wall with standoffs, so they cast a shadow and have depth. They're made from expanded PVC, acrylic, aluminum or stainless steel, and they can be:

• unlit, for receptions and lobbies that are well lit anyway;
• front-lit, with LEDs inside and an acrylic face, so the whole letter glows;
• back-lit, with the light hitting the wall around each letter. The effect is subtle and looks good on dark facades.

3D letters say "established business." They do need a clean wall, an accurate vector version of the logo and, on a facade, a properly done installation. A logo with fine details or very small text gets simplified first, otherwise the small parts can't be cut or lit.

Light boxes

A light box is a cabinet with LEDs inside and a translucent face, usually opal acrylic or a printed fabric. It can sit flat against the facade or project from it at a right angle, with two faces, so people walking in either direction see it.

The practical upside: when your branding changes, you replace the face, not the whole box. For a pharmacy, a clinic or a shop that's open in the evening, a light box is the most visible option after dark.

Romanian law sets clear limits for projecting signs: they go at least 2.50 m above the sidewalk and stick out no more than 1.20 m from the facade. Canopies carrying the business name also need at least 2.50 m of clearance and can stick out at most 1.50 m.

Decals on windows, doors and walls

Vinyl is the most flexible option: a logo on the shop window, opening hours on the door, the company name on the wall behind reception, frosted film on the glass wall of a meeting room. It goes up fast and comes off cleanly if you pick the right film.

The film matters more than it looks. Manufacturers rate durability for vertical outdoor exposure. ORAFOL, for example, rates its cast film ORACAL 751C at 8 years for black and white and 7 years for colors in a Central European climate, while the economy film in the same family, ORACAL 641, is rated for only a few years. For a window that gets sun all day, go with cast film. For a seasonal promotion, economy film is fine.

What permits you need

In Romania, the rules come from Law 185/2013 on the placement and authorization of advertising. The law defines a business sign ("firmă") as any inscription, shape or image attached to a building that refers to a business. In short:

1. A sign on the facade (letters, light box, canopy) has to be authorized, and the law ties its placement to a building permit.
2. A sign on the shop window or entrance door doesn't need a building permit, but it still needs the authority's approval and payment of local advertising fees.
3. The city hall may have local regulations that restrict advertising in certain areas, such as a historic center.

In an office building or a shopping center, the landlord's rules apply too: where, what size, what lighting. Ask before the sketch, not after the letters are cut. The interior (reception, lobby, meeting rooms) is up to you.

How to choose

Cost depends on size, material, lighting, installation height and permits. The price comes with the quote, once we've seen the location and the logo. See what we do on our signage page and, for windows and doors, on our stickers page.