NEON FAQs

The majority of neon signs that we supply are for internal use, and come mounted either inside an acrylic case, or on an acrylic panel (making them easily portable), complete with a normal mains plug, which can be plugged into an accessible plug socket. The sign simply needs to be fixed onto the wall, or suspended from chain that we will supply. Neon signs for permanent external use, and some large internal neon signs, will require specialist installation.

If you are looking for us to supply you with individual neon sections that are not fitted onto a backing so that they can be fixed directly onto a wall, or your own backing, then we would always advise that this is done by a neon sign installer, or an electrician with neon experience. This should always be done in accordance with IET Wiring Regulations. Please ask for further details.

It is possible to operate neon from a light switch in some situations, but there are regulations regarding this. Please ask for further information, or consult your electrician.

Most of the neon signs that we manufacture are less than 100 Watts of illumination, and many are even less than 60 Watts, which is the typical wattage of a domestic light bulb.

Whilst we don’t currently have our own installation team, we do have a network of neon sign installers in certain areas of the UK.

As we are only able to offer a delivery service which is guaranteed against breakages within mainland UK, we don’t tend to supply outside of the UK. However, if a customer is prepared to take the risk of the neon sign being damaged in transit, or have their own shipping company with whom they are able to arrange transportation, then we can work alongside this.

The typical life-span of the neon tubes should be at least 10 years. During this time the transformer which powers the neon may need to be replaced, but this is something that is quite straight forward to do.

We offer a 12 month guarantee on materials and workmanship on all of our neon signs. However, this does not extend to any damage that may occur as a result of incorrect installation, or to breakages that occur after delivery. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions, and our Instructions and Guarantee for further details.

As the majority of the signs that we supply are custom made to order, prices are worked out on an individual basis. As a guideline, prices start from around £350 +VAT plus delivery, and this would be for a neon sign consisting of 3 or 4 letters at a size of around 600mm x 300mm. Our average price tends to be around £700 +VAT (not including delivery). However, we do prefer to provide you with an accurate quotation, so please contact us with the details of your requirements so please contact us with the details of your requirements, or use our online neon sign designer (coming soon).

We tend to work to a minimum letter height of around 8cm, as we find that letters have more definition at this size. It is possible to make letters smaller than this, but larger letters do tend to look neater.

Our lead time is typically 2-3 weeks from order confirmation, but this can change on a daily basis, it just depends on how many orders we receive. Please enquire with us and we can give you an indication of up to date lead times. We are sometimes able to turn work around at 1 week’s notice.

This depends on how many letters the neon sign has, and what the height of the letters are. Usually, a neon sign would be made up from more than one section of glass. These sections are then joined together by small pieces of cable to make an electric circuit, but this doesn’t detract from the overall look of the sign. Please refer to our Gallery for examples.

Neon tubes are filled with either neon gas, argon gas, or a combination of both. Both of these gases are found in the air that we breathe. Argon filled tubes do contain a very small amount of mercury vapour, which someone would only be exposed to if the neon tube broke. Exposure to mercury vapour only becomes harmful if it happens over a prolonged period of time. At Neon Creations, we ensure that any broken tubes containing mercury are recycled, as opposed to being thrown away.

All components of a neon sign can be recycled, unlike LED signs. Most of the internal neon signs that we produce run at less than 100 watts of illumination, so whilst they do require more power to run than an LED sign, they are not as costly to run as some sources make out.

Therefore, unless you are talking about a really large neon display, the running costs of the smaller type interior neon signs that we specialise in, are not much higher than for an LED sign. It is also worth considering that much production of LEDs takes place in the Far East, so there is the environmental impact of importing such products to consider.

Whilst the neon signs that we supply are typically run from an 8,000 volt electronic convertor (also referred to as a transformer), the convertors are self-calibrating and only use as much voltage as is necessary to power the neon sign. For example, the neon sign might only need to use 6,000 volts of the 8,000 volts available. Yes this is still a high voltage, but they are only 20mA current.

The convertors and transformers that we supply with our neon signs are fitted with open circuit and earth leakage protection, meaning that if the neon tube gets broken, the power is automatically cut off, hence no risk of electrocution. We do however advise that in public areas where the sign could easily be knocked into, that the neon is supplied with a clear cover in front of it.

Absolutely not! It may get slightly warm to the touch but would not burn you. If a neon sign has been manufactured correctly, and supplied with the correct size of transformer for the amount of neon tubes, then the tubes should not get hot.

It is correct that the neon tubes are glass, and are therefore in their nature fragile. However, if they are handled correctly and carefully during transportation and installation, then there is no reason at all why the glass will get broken. We encounter glass products throughout our daily lives without any fear that they will get broken, so there is no reason to think of neon signs any differently. We do however advise that in public areas where the sign could easily be knocked into, that the neon is supplied with a clear cover in front of it.

LED signs are probably brighter than neon signs to begin with, but in our experience, LED signs fade over time, whereas neon stays bright for years. LED signs are made up from tiny individual bulbs, so if any of these bulbs fail, the LED sign ends up with dull spots on it, and ultimately the whole sign would need to be replaced.

Neon tubes are indeed a circular tube, and therefore emit a 360 degree light. The LED alternatives to neon that are available are only lit at the front, and half of the sides, and sometimes the back.

We have access to around 40 different colours in our neon range.

This will vary widely between manufacturers/suppliers for both neon and LED. We believe we offer a high quality neon product, and don’t cut any corners in production and finish. A lot of LED signs (which are falsely advertised as neon signs!) are made in China and are very poorly made, and do not carry a CE mark.