Sign Cabinet Design Guide
Cabinet construction basics, material selection, depth guidelines, and face material options.
Design the Cabinet Around the Light
Construction & Materials
Most cabinets are extruded aluminum frame systems or fully fabricated aluminum boxes. Design for service access (hinged or removable faces), drainage/weep holes on outdoor cabinets, and internal surfaces that reflect rather than absorb light.
Cabinet Depth
Depth sets how far light spreads before reaching the face. Deeper cabinets let wide-beam modules like the Midi 4 (170°) or Midi 3 (160°) cover more face area per row; shallow cabinets need tighter row spacing or perimeter edge lighting with the Midi Edge-lit to avoid hot spots.
Face Materials
Acrylic, polycarbonate, and flexible face material each diffuse light differently. Higher diffusion hides module patterns and evens out brightness but reduces total transmission — balance diffusion against output when planning module counts.
LED Selection
Face-lit cabinets: Midi 4 or Midi 3 rows on the Midi Stick. Shallow or perimeter designs: Midi Edge-lit, whose 15°×45° beam throws up to 7 ft across the face. Size supplies with official per-model load limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep should an LED sign cabinet be?
There is no single number — depth interacts with beam angle and row spacing. Wide-beam face-lit modules need enough depth for the beam to spread evenly across the face; shallow cabinets are better served by tighter spacing or by edge lighting with the Midi Edge-lit, which is designed to throw light across the face from the perimeter.
What face material should I use?
Acrylic is the standard for rigidity and clarity, polycarbonate adds impact resistance, and flexible face material suits very large cabinets. Choose the diffusion level that hides module rows at your planned spacing without sacrificing too much brightness.
Face lighting or edge lighting?
Face lighting (Midi 4 / Midi 3 rows) is the default for standard-depth cabinets and delivers the most output. Edge lighting (Midi Edge-lit) suits shallow cabinets, perimeter-only access, and lightbox designs — its 15°×45° directional beam reaches up to 7 ft.
How do I plan the power system at design time?
Total the module wattage from the lighting layout and apply official TMT per-model load limits per Class 2 circuit, then choose 12V or 24V supplies from 60W to 240W. Leave service space at the supply location. See LED Power Supplies.