How to Hang a Neon Sign [Step-by-Step Guide]

A neon Sign lets you express yourself with personalized neon art. It looks better when it hangs properly. Whether it’s for your home décor or business, hanging a neon sign is much easier than you think. But how you do it depends on the type of neon sign variant.

For instance, if you’re dealing with an LED neon, the procedure and steps will be less involved than if it’s a glass neon sign. Whichever type you have, it’s generally easier to hang a neon sign on a wall than on other surfaces.

Things to Note Before Hanging Your Neon Sign

Before starting the installation, you need to find the right spot for your neon sign. If installing for your home décor, the wall lettering or custom logo neon sign should be hung in a clearly visible spot. The area needs to be spacious enough so the neon sign becomes the focal point.

Your choice of dowels and screws will depend on the type of wall. When you order your neon sign from Oasis Neon Signs, you can choose from three types of screws: stand-off screws, mini-screws, and suspension wires. If you don’t specify how you want to install it, you’ll receive either the stand-off screws or mini-screws.

How to Hang a Neon Sign

Whichever method you choose, they apply to both LED and glass neon signs. So, in this guide we’ll look at how to hang glass and LED neon signs.

How to Hang glass neon signs directly onto a wall

Apart from offering a bigger installation surface, a wall is excellent for giving your neon sign a more focused view.

Product Components

• Neon tubes.
• Screws and dowels.
• Tube supports
• Silicon caps
• Technical drawing
• Power supply unit.

Tool Requirements

• Screwdriver
• Tape
• Marker
• Drill
• Level

Installation Steps

How to Hang LED neon sign directly on a wall

LED neon signs are not as delicate as their glass counterparts and therefore, less complicated to install.

Product Components

Screws and dowels, LED neon with PVC support rails, desktop transformer.

Tool Requirements

• Screwdriver
• Marker
• Drill

Installation Steps

Step 1: Mark Points and Drill the Holes

Place your LED neon on the wall to mark the points to drill, ensuring they’re aligned with PVC support eyelets. After marking the mount points, drill the holes and insert the dowels.

Step 2: Position LED Neon Sign 

Position your LED neon sign on the wall, ensuring it’s aligned with the holes, and screw it with a screwdriver. If the neon sign is in multiple parts, use a plug connection to join them.

Step 3: Plug Neon Sign

Plug your neon sign into a power outlet and switch it on.

Step 4: Connect Transformer

Connect the transformer to your power outlet and switch it on. Enjoy the mesmerizing glow!

What if your LED neon sign comes with an acrylic backing? In most cases, if you want to hang your sign without tacit support, you need to remove this acrylic backing. Take caution though, the neon tubing is quite fragile and may need the help of an LED neon sign installer.

If you order a custom neon sign, it may come with three options for acrylic backing:

• Acrylic backing with a black background for an enhanced brilliant glow.
• Standard acrylic backing for desktop neon signs.
• Enclosed transparent acrylic box set on a shelf or flat surface.

You may not need to remove the acrylic backing in all types of neon signs. But even with the acrylic backing still on, your LED neon sign will look equally elegant.

How to Hang LED neon signs with suspension wires

Not every situation requires you to drill holes into the wall to hang your neon sign. Sometimes, suspending the neon sign with wires is the best option. Suspension wires are ideal if you want to hang a neon sign from the ceiling, but you can also use them to suspend the sign on a wall.

Product Components

• Plastic-coated wire
• Mini screws.
• Crimps for locking wires
• Vertical wire mounts with spring-loaded entries.

Tool Requirements

• Drill
• Marker
• Twist drill bit
• Pliers

Installation Steps

Step 1. Measure and Mark the Distance

Measure the distance between the pre-drilled hanging holes near the top of the sign’s acrylic backing. Use a marker to highlight the distance on the surface that you will install the silver vertical mounts.

Step 2. Position the Vertical Mounts

Position the vertical mounts on the overhead surface ensuring the center is aligned with the point marked in the above step.

Step 3: Take Note of the Three Screw

Take note of the three screw holes around the vertical mount edges and mark them for drilling.

Step 4: Drill the Hole

Equip your drill with the twist bit and drill holes on the exact points you marked earlier on the overhead surface in step 3.

Step 5: Secure the Overhead Surface

Using the vertical mount and screwdriver drill bit, drive the mini screws to secure them into the overhead surface.

Step 6: Cut the Desired Sizes Using the Pliers

Measure the length of how far down you want the sign to hang from the ceiling. Transfer this length onto the plastic-coated wire and cut the desired sizes using the pliers.

Step 7 Leave Enough Length For The Crimped Loop

Leave enough length for the crimped loop to retain the neon sign on the other end of the wire from the vertical mount.

Step 8: Grip The Wire Securely

Push down on the spring-powered mouth of the mount to feed the wire into the opening. Release the mouth to allow it to grip the wire securely, holding it firmly in place.

Step 9: Loop The Wire Back Into The Other Crimp Hole

Take a small silver crimp and thread your suspension wire through one of its two holes. Insert the same end of the wire into the pre-drilled hole in your neon sign’s acrylic backing. Now, loop the wire back into the other crimp hole.

Step 10: Compress the Crimp at the Center

Use pliers to horizontally compress the crimp at the center, locking the wire in place. Repeat this process for the other suspension wires.

Step 11: Connect LED Neon Sign to the Transformer

Connect your LED neon sign to the transformer, then the latter to the power outlet. Ta-daa! Enjoy the beautiful glow from your suspended LED neon sign. 

How to Hang a neon sign on a backdrop

Planning your wedding décor with a wedding neon sign Unlike a wall, a backdrop isn’t as steady, so you need to consider the material it’s made from. This is especially important as it determines whether the neon sign display is permanent or temporary.

Also, your choice of materials and colors must be important considerations while creating your wedding backdrop. This procedure on hanging a neon sign assumes that you’re using a fabric backdrop.

Product Components

• LED neon sign with pre-drilled hanging holes.
• Silver vertical mounts
• Small silver crimps
• Clear suspension line
• Curtain clips or S-hooks

Tool Requirements

• Pliers
• Marker
• Measuring tape

Installation Steps

Step 1: Find the Right Spot and Determine the distance 

Find the right spot and height on the backdrop where you’d like to hang your neon sign. Determine the distance between the pre-drilled hanging holes on the neon sign’s acrylic backing.

Step 2: Mark The Points And Attach Clips

Mark the corresponding points on the backdrop. Attach the curtain clips or S-hooks to the backdrop at the marked spots. These will hold the suspension wires for the neon sign. Securely fasten them to support the neon sign’s weight.

Step 3:Cut Two Lengths of the suspension line

Cut two lengths of the suspension line, each long enough to suspend the neon sign at the desired height.

Step 4:Compress the Crimp with Pliers to Secure the line

If using crimps, pass one end of the suspension line through a crimp. Next, pass it through the hanging hole on the acrylic backing of your neon sign. Compress the crimp with pliers to secure the line. Do the same for the other side.If you’re not using crimps, just tie the suspension line through the holes of the neon sign’s acrylic backing.

Step 5: Securely Adjust Neon Sign

Adjust the neon sign as you see fit to ensure it is level and blends perfectly against the backdrop. Ensure the neon sign is securely fastened and secure any excess suspension lines for a tidy installation.

Step 6: Connect Neon Sign to the Transformer

Connect your neon sign to the transformer and then plug the latter into a power outlet. Enjoy the awe-inspiring glow of your newly installed neon sign on a backdrop!

As you can see, you don’t have to struggle much to hang a neon sign at a wedding. With a few materials and no drilling, you can easily set the right ambiance for your big day and create lasting memories. Here are neon wedding sign ideas to make the wedding stand out by adding a unique and personalized touch that will leave a lasting impression on guests.

This same procedure can apply when you want to hang a neon sign in a window. In place of the backdrop, the window creates the support for your neon sign. With a few adjustments and customizations, you can use this procedure to hang neon signs in the windows of your business premises.

Conclusion