Custom Signs
Acrylic Signs Chicago for Lobbies, Offices, and Storefronts
Acrylic that is cut too thin or fixed too tight bows and cracks at the mounting holes, and a cracked lobby logo means paying for the piece twice. SignFreaks surveys your wall first, then designs, cuts, finishes, and installs your acrylic signs in Chicago, so the sign that goes up is the one you approved.
- Laser-cut, polished edges
- Standoff or flush mounting
- Optional LED backlighting
- Design, permit, build, install
- Own shop, own crew, own lift
- Laser-cut and polished edges
- One company, fully accountable
The problem
Where acrylic signs usually go wrong
What businesses tell us before they call, and what SignFreaks does about each one.
What usually goes wrong
- Clear acrylic disappears against a busy wall, so the logo is hard to read from the door.
- Panels bow or crack at the holes because the fixings were tightened with no room to move.
- Lobby signs and suite numbers are ordered piecemeal, so no two pieces match in thickness.
- Backlit pieces arrive with a power supply and no place in the wall to hide it.
How SignFreaks handles it
- Test the contrast. We check the sign against your actual wall and switch to frosted or painted-back acrylic when clear would wash out.
- Leave room to move. Standoffs and oversized holes let each panel expand and contract with the temperature without cracking.
- Spec it as a set. One thickness, one edge finish, and one color list, so the fourth-floor sign still matches the lobby.
- Plan the power. We locate the LED power supply and the wire run at the survey, before any panel is cut.
What you get
Six kinds of custom acrylic signs in Chicago
Each one is built in our own shop, and here is what each does best.
Clear
Polished edges and a mount that floats off the wall. It reads best against a plain, even paint color.
Frosted
A soft, matte face that reads on light and dark walls and shows fewer fingerprints than clear acrylic.
Colored and painted
Through-colored sheet keeps its color on the edge, and reverse-painted clear adds depth behind a glass-like face.
Backlit and edge-lit
LEDs light the wall behind the panel or the edge of it, and the power supply needs a place to hide.
Dimensional letters
Cut-out letters and logos in thick acrylic that stand off the wall and cast a real shadow in reception.
Layered
Two or more panels stacked at different depths, for logos with a foreground and a background element.
Compare
Acrylic sign mounting methods compared
How the sign meets the wall changes both its look and what the wall has to do.
| Method | Look | Wall requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Standoffs | Floats off the wall, visible hardware, strong shadow | Any solid wall, with a few small holes |
| Flush mount | Sits tight to the wall, no visible fixings | A flat, true wall |
| Concealed studs | Small float, no visible hardware | A drilled wall, and holes are harder to make good |
| Halo (backlit) | A glow of light around the panel on the wall | Power behind the wall and a light surface to reflect |
Swipe to see the full table.
How it works
How we build acrylic signs in Chicago
Six steps, run by one SignFreaks team.
Survey the space
We measure the wall, check the lighting and viewing distance, and set the mounting height.
Design and proof
You approve the layout, finish, and thickness on a scaled proof before any sheet is cut.
Cut and finish
We laser-cut the acrylic, then polish the edges and add paint, vinyl, or layers in our shop.
Wire the lighting
Backlit and edge-lit pieces get LED wiring and a power supply matched to the piece.
Install
Our crew mounts the sign on drywall, brick, or glass and checks its alignment to the proof.
Repair and upgrade
Cracked panels get replaced, old graphics get swapped, and a plain sign can be made lit.
Approvals
What acrylic signs in Chicago have to get approved
Chicago permits most exterior signs, and lit acrylic brings in an electrical contractor.
A sign that needs a permit and goes up before it is issued is subject to citation. Window signs in film or paint are exempt under 25% of the glass, and so are incidental signs with no name or logo, such as an address or hours sign.
Accessibility is the indoor approval, since permanent room signs must meet the ADA’s rules for raised characters, braille, and mounting height. SignFreaks prepares the drawings, handles the sign permits, and completes the sign installation, so the permit work and the build stay with one company.
City sign permit
Most exterior on-premise signs need one, filed with a drawing, dimensions, and a location diagram.
Electrical contractor
Any lit acrylic sign needs a registered electrical contractor listed on the permit and doing the wiring.
Public Way Use
Any sign over a sidewalk, parkway, street, or alley needs a permit and a City Council ordinance.
Accessibility rules
Permanent room signs need raised characters, Grade 2 braille, and mounting heights set by the ADA.
Beyond acrylic
Signs that pair with acrylic
Acrylic carries the interior, and these custom signs from the same shop cover the exterior and the wayfinding.
Channel Letters
Lit aluminum letters for the exterior wall, built to carry the same logo as the lobby sign.
Learn moreCNC Router Signs
Routed panels in other materials, for the places where acrylic is the wrong choice outdoors.
Learn moreSign Boards
Flat boards for directories and wayfinding that sit alongside an acrylic brand wall.
Learn moreLightbox Signs
Internally lit cabinets for storefronts that need more brightness than a flat panel gives.
Learn more
Our work
Acrylic sign projects we have built
Acrylic signs for Chicago businesses, photographed on site.
Acrylic lobby sign — Pain & Vascular 
Acrylic logo sign — Giants Software 
Reception acrylic sign — Cubework 
Acrylic signage — Barbra's Bookstore 
Acrylic signs — The Nest Schools 
Storefront acrylic sign — Play It Again Sports
Proof
Google reviews for our Chicago office
Excerpts from our Chicago office’s Google reviews, quoted as the customers wrote them.
- Illuminated storefront sign
“Sign Freaks did an amazing job, Debby helped from start to finish[,] loved my new sign[,] highly recommend [S]ign Freaks”
Naresh DhamijaGoogle review - Showroom installation
“Highly recommend for anyone looking for quality work, great service, and true professionalism from start to finish.”
Nicholas LippaGoogle review - Fast turnaround
“Very quick and thorough! … the sign was delivered with really great quality. Great communication, speed and quality!”
Laura RoeGoogle review
Who uses it
Acrylic signs for Chicago businesses, by building type
Each building type brings its own look, lighting, and accessibility needs.
Corporate Buildings
Reception logos, tenant names, and suite numbers in one matching thickness and finish.
Learn moreHospitals
Room and department signs with raised characters and braille, checked against ADA rules.
Learn moreHotels
Lobby logos, meeting-room signs, and door plates that match the finishes in the rooms.
Learn moreSalons
A backlit or standoff logo behind the front desk that fits the decor and photographs well.
Learn more
Budget
What moves the price of acrylic signs in Chicago
Biggest cost drivers first.
We do not publish price lists, because a number without your size, site, and deadline attached would be fiction. Give us those three and you get a real written quote.
- Thickness and overall size, which set the material cost of every piece.
- The finish: clear, frosted, colored, painted, or layered, since each takes different work.
- Edge finish, because polished edges take more labor than sawn ones.
- Backlighting, which adds LEDs, a power supply, and a more involved installation.
- Quantity, since a full wayfinding set costs less per sign than one lobby logo.
- Installation: the wall type, the working height, and any fixings that must be concealed.
Get a real quote for acrylic signs in Chicago
Send a photo, a rough size, and your deadline. SignFreaks returns a written quote for your custom acrylic signs, with a line item for every cost.
Coverage
Where we install acrylic signs in Chicago and beyond
SignFreaks is a sign company in Chicago with three by-appointment offices, serving the city and the suburbs around it. Every village writes its own sign code, so the code check comes before the design.
Questions
Acrylic sign questions, answered
Call (872) 250-4743, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Questions we get asked
Where can I get custom acrylic signs made in Chicago?
Custom acrylic signs in Chicago are made by SignFreaks, which designs, cuts, and finishes each piece in its own shop and then handles the permit and the installation. Three by-appointment offices serve the city and the suburbs, so a project starts with a site visit rather than an online order form.
How much do custom acrylic signs cost in Chicago?
Custom acrylic signs in Chicago cost what their thickness, size, finish, edge work, lighting, and installation add up to, so the number comes from a written quote rather than a range. Send a photo, a rough size, and your deadline, and we return a quote with a line item for every cost, including the installation.
What acrylic signs work best for an office or lobby?
The best acrylic signs for an office or lobby are a dimensional logo on standoffs behind reception, with suite numbers and door signs cut in the same thickness and finish so the set reads as one design. Frosted or painted-back acrylic holds up better than clear on a patterned wall. The same approach suits corporate buildings, and a lightbox covers a lobby that needs more brightness.
How thick should acrylic lobby lettering be?
Acrylic lobby lettering should be half an inch thick for a reception logo, which reads as substantial and holds a shadow well, and a quarter inch for smaller text and suite numbers. Thicker costs more, and past about an inch the extra depth is hard to see from normal viewing distance. Heavier panels also need sturdier fixings, which we plan into the installation.
Will clear acrylic show the wall through it?
Clear acrylic does show the wall through it, which is the point on a clean painted wall and a problem on a busy one. Against wood, stone, or a patterned finish, frosted or painted-back acrylic reads far better because the letterforms stay legible. We test the choice against your actual wall at the survey that comes before installation.
Do acrylic signs need to be ADA accessible?
Acrylic signs need to be ADA accessible when they identify a permanent room or space, such as a restroom, a suite, or an office. The 2010 ADA standards call for raised characters between 5/8 inch and 2 inches tall, raised at least 1/32 inch, with Grade 2 braille below them. The baseline of the lowest tactile character sits at least 48 inches above the floor, and the highest no more than 60 inches. A decorative brand wall is not covered, and we flag which of your signs fall into which group at the survey, then mount them as part of sign installation.
Can acrylic signs be used outdoors?
Acrylic signs can be used outdoors when the build allows for Chicago’s weather: sheet rated for exterior use, and mounting that lets the panel expand and contract with the temperature instead of cracking at the holes. For letters on an exterior wall, channel letters are the usual choice, and CNC router signs cover other materials. Any exterior sign also needs a sign permit.
How does a backlit acrylic sign work?
A backlit acrylic sign works by mounting LEDs behind the panel so they light the wall around it, which gives the halo look, while an edge-lit sign puts the LEDs along the edge so the face glows. Both need a power supply and a wire run, so we plan where they go at the survey. A registered electrical contractor makes the final connection, and a failed LED or power supply is a sign repair job later.
Do acrylic signs need a permit in Chicago?
Acrylic signs in Chicago need a permit when they are exterior on-premise signs, with a few narrow exceptions such as incidental signs that carry no name or logo and window signs in film or paint that stay under 25% of the glass. A sign installed before its permit is issued is subject to citation. For signs inside the space, we ask for the building’s sign rules at the survey. We prepare the drawings and handle the sign permits.