"Real" Neon Signs: Traditional Neon vs LED (2024)

FAQs

"Real" Neon Signs: Traditional Neon vs LED? ›

LED neon, though, makes no noise, has only mild warmth, can be made shock-proof, and is really hard to break. Also, traditional neon uses almost ten times the power consumption as LED neon for a very similar lighting effect.

This looks almost identical to traditional neon but is much more flexible in terms of how it can be customised. LED neon is also more energy efficient and environmentally friendly and has capabilities that traditional neon simply doesn't—it can change colour, dim or create a strobe effect, for example.

Energy savings - Here, an LED sign is the clear choice as it can be up to 10x more energy efficient than the same sign made from glass neon tubes. Versatility - LED lights come in a much wider range of colors and can be bent much more tightly, giving you better options as regards shapes and styles of signage.

Because LED lights last longer and use less energy, they are a much more environmentally friendly than neon lights. Since your sign has a longer life expectancy, you won't have to worry about replacing your sign, which will be better for the environment and your budget.

Yes, there are still craftspeople who make and repair real neon signs. Not as many as there once were, but they are still made and appreciated. Well made neon can last for years.

Made with neon and/or argon gas, traditional neon signs are fragile and easily shattered. They make a buzzing sound, are hot to touch, and the pieces are dangerous when they get broken. LED neon, though, makes no noise, has only mild warmth, can be made shock-proof, and is really hard to break.

Neon signs are created by taking glass tubing and heating them in order to bend them into the right shape. The glass sections are pumped with neon or argon gas, which creates the colour inside the tube. Neon gas creates that unmistakable red glow, while argon gas is used for many other colours.

Neon sign costs have everything to do with how they're made. While all of our LED signs are still handmade with love, the traditional production method of blowing glass and filling that glass with gas is not how we do it. Much of the high cost of traditional neon signs is a result of how rare they are now.

LED neon signs generate little heat and are safe to touch, unlike neon signs that become extremely hot when on. The range of colours available for LED signs is almost limitless. This makes it easier to express image more closely is easier because of this, maintaining brand integrity.

Convert your neon sign lighting to LED

Ease of installation, little or no maintenance and maximum system energy efficiency generate ROI results that work. Neon-to-LED Rapid Retrofit by Ventex will lower your energy bills, reduce your maintenance costs and enhance your image.

Why are neon signs not used anymore? ›

Because of environmental and health concerns, traditional neon signage is in little use today. Manufacturers originally made the glass with lead to soften it more easily with a gas flame, but health concerns caused by the lead forced them to look for more environmentally safe soft glass options.

The Neon Revival

The biggest difference between vintage neon signs and modern neon signs is that most modern neon signs do not actually use neon – instead they simply use colored LEDs that help to simulate the colors produced by traditional neon and argon lighted signs.

LED Flex Neon is a much more affordable modern technology that does not require special glass bending and other manufacturing techniques. Typically LED Neon signs only cost 1/3 or 1/2 the price of a traditional neon sign.

More From House Beautiful. Ask designer Chauncey Boothby, though, and the trend has run its course. “Neon signs have saturated the marketplace and are teetering on kitsch at this point,” Boothby says. She suggests looking to the highlighter hues that grace the 2020 runways for a more sophisticated take on neon.

Most neon signs are expected to last between eight and 15 years, although many continue to function for much longer than that. Leaving a sign switched on for prolonged periods can shorten its lifespan, and leave it at risk of overheating or sustaining damage from electrical surges.

LED signs require minimal upkeep and are less prone to issues such as flickering, dimming, or bulb replacements, which are common concerns with traditional neon signs.

Under normal conditions, neon gas is colourless, but it has a bright red-orange glow (discharge) when electricity is applied. Every noble gas has its own characteristic discharge colour. Those of the others are: helium: orange-yellow.

Most neon signs have either neon or mercury vapor in them, depending on whether the manufacturer wants to create colors with a cool or warm base color. When a manufacturer wants cool colors, like green or purple, he or she likely uses mercury rather than neon.