Foam cut to the shape of the sign, inside a double wall carton, with the accessories in their own compartment. Nothing rattles and nothing bears weight.
LED neon is far easier to ship than real glass, because silicone tube flexes instead of shattering. Damage in transit is rare and it is covered.
How it is packed
The sign is wrapped, then set into shaped foam that supports the backboard across its whole area rather than at the corners. That is the important detail: a board supported only at the edges can flex if the box is dropped flat, and flexing is what stresses the bond between tube and board.
The accessories, adapter, dimmer, chain, clear cable and mounting hardware, travel in their own foam compartment so nothing loose can move against the tube.
When it arrives
- ✓ Photograph the outer carton before opening it if there is any visible damage. It takes ten seconds and it settles any claim immediately.
- ✓ Open it flat, on the floor or a table, rather than standing it on end.
- ✓ Lift by the backboard, never by the tube. The tube is bonded to the board, not structural.
- ✓ Power it on before you drill anything. Five minutes on the floor is better than discovering a fault after it is on the wall.
- ✓ Keep the box until you are sure, and afterwards if you are likely to move house.
Shipping and timing
| Standard | Express | |
|---|---|---|
| Total time from drawing approval | 18 to 25 days to your door | 7 to 12 days to your door |
| Large or complex pieces | Top of that range | Build time is unchanged |
| Tracking | Yes | Yes |
The quoted time is to your door, not to a depot, and it is counted from the moment you approve the drawing rather than from when you order. Express shortens the delivery leg; it does not compress the build.
If something is damaged
Tell us with photographs, of the carton and of the sign, and we will sort it. This is rare, and it is precisely what the packing is designed to prevent, but it is not your problem to absorb when it happens.
Beyond transit, every sign carries a two year warranty covering free repair. Repair rather than replacement is deliberate: a fault is almost always a component, and replacing that component is faster and less wasteful than rebuilding a sign that was made for you.
Plug it in on the floor before you put a hole in a wall. It is the one step people skip and the only one that costs anything to skip. Everything else in this article is precaution for something that very seldom happens.
Frequently asked questions
How is a neon sign packaged for shipping?
Wrapped, then set into foam cut to the shape of the sign so the backboard is supported across its whole area rather than at the corners, inside a double wall carton. The adapter, dimmer, chain, cable and mounting hardware travel in a separate foam compartment so nothing loose can move against the tube.
Do neon signs get damaged in transit?
Rarely. LED neon uses flexible silicone tube that bends and returns rather than shattering, which is why it can go by normal courier while real glass neon needs crated freight. If something does arrive damaged, send photographs of the carton and the sign and we will resolve it.
What should I do when the sign arrives?
Open the box flat rather than on end, lift the sign by the backboard rather than the tube, and plug it in on the floor to check it before you drill anything. Keep the packaging until you are sure, and afterwards if you might move house.
How long does delivery take?
7 to 12 days to your door with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping from when you approve the drawing, including logistics. Large or complex pieces sit at the top of that range. Express shipping shortens the delivery leg to 4 to 6 days but does not compress the build.
My clear backboard looks cloudy. Is it faulty?
Almost certainly not. Acrylic ships with a protective film on both faces and it is easy to miss. Look for a tab at the edge and peel it off before assuming there is a problem with the finish.
We have made neon since 1998, and we still make it ourselves. If something here does not answer your question, ask us.
