How to Make Custom Neon Signs at Home

When it comes to how to make custom neon signs, there are several methods to choose from. This guide will focus on two options – the first method is best if you’re planning a continuous design, while the second works if your design has separated letters or shapes.

All You Need

• Pencil
• Paper
• String
• Metal wire
• EL wire
• Hot glue gun
• Colored tape
• Pliers

Instructions

1. Decide on your neon light design, and use your pencil and paper to sketch it out – you’ll be using this sketch as the basis of your entire light, so it needs to be precise and the right size.
2. Take the string or thread and roll it out along the entire length of your design. Then, cut the end and measure the piece of string you’ve got – that tells you how long your drawing is and how much wire you’ll need to fill it all in.
3. Cut your metal wire according to the measurements you need, and bend it along the shape of your word or design. Use pliers where needed – such as on the tight corners of certain letters, or the top line of a “T,” for example.
4. Warm up your glue gun, and then use it to stick your EL wire to the metal wire. Work slowly and methodically, letter by letter and piece by piece. And make sure to give each bit of glue around 10 seconds to fully adhere before moving on.
5. Use your colored tape to cover up the bits of wire that are still left. That will help to camouflage the leftover pieces and make your design look neater.
6. When you’re done, all that’s left to do is hang your sign up and switch it on.

The second method of how to make custom neon signs is for designs that have separated block letters or images. It’s actually quite a similar method to the first one in many ways. However, this method involves the use of a backing board. You’ll need to feed your EL wire through the board in order to hide the connections between the separated elements.

All You Need

• A base board, usually made of wood
• Some paint (optional)
• A printer and paper
• Colored pens
• String
• EL wire
• Tape

Instructions

1. Measure out your backing board so you know how much space you’ve got to work with, and paint it to match your walls if you really want your design to pop.
2. Create your design. Ideally, you should use some sort of design app, which lets you measure everything precisely.
3. Print out the various pieces of your design in the sizes you like – this might involve multiple pieces of paper, so make sure to position them all in the right order before moving on.
4. Pick pens of two different colors. With one color, mark the areas of your design where the wire should be showing. With the other color, mark the spaces where you need the wire hidden behind the board.
5. Put an “X” mark wherever the wire passes through the board, and punch holes at each “X.”
6. Feed your string through the design, following the path of your word or shape, to measure how much wire you’ll need.
7. Tape the paper onto the base board and drill holes where the “X” marks once were.
8. Remove the paper.
9. Feed your EL wire through the board, and tape any loose bits to the back of it, as well as the battery pack. Then, just mount your board and turn it on!

Making custom neon lighting can be a fun project. It can also be a hassle. Especially if you have to spend money investing in all the supplies, or if you don’t have a lot of DIY experience. For a much easier process, pick Neon Signs Now instead.

Neon Signs Now lets you design your own signs online. Then, you send them off to our expert team, and they bring them to life on your behalf. It’s an effortless way to make custom signs, while still letting you get all creative and have some fun.

• Straightforward Customization: At Neon Signs Now, creating custom neon signs couldn’t be simpler. Either type in some text or upload your own. Then, pick out the right color and size of your final light, and pick a delivery date. It’s as simple as that.
• Top Quality Products: Neon Signs Now doesn’t compromise on quality. We only make use of the finest materials and trusted production techniques to bring each design to life. This ensures that every sign is built to last, ready for years of radiant illumination.

If you’re looking to jazz up your living space with some fancy custom neon lighting, head on over to Neon Signs Now and bring your vision to life.