A mirror backboard doubles the tube visually and gives you a decorative object even when the sign is off. A brushed backboard reads as metal and kills reflections.
Both are included in the price. So are all twelve stocked finishes, and any other color can be made to order.
Mirror finishes
The board is a mirrored acrylic. Lit, it reflects the tube, so a single run of neon reads as two and the sign looks denser and more expensive than the same design on clear. Unlit, it is a mirror, which is the real argument for it: the sign remains a deliberate object on the wall rather than disappearing.
We stock Silver Mirror, Gold Mirror, Rose Gold Mirror, Blue Mirror, Red Mirror, Green Mirror and Purple Mirror.
Brushed finishes
Silver Brushed and Gold Brushed have a fine directional grain, like brushed stainless steel. They do not reflect, so there is no doubling of the tube and no mirror image of the room. What you get instead is a solid metallic panel that reads as a manufactured object rather than a sheet of plastic.
Brushed is the safer choice in a bright room or opposite a window, where a mirror board spends most of the day showing you a reflection of the glare rather than your sign.
Choosing between them
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| Sign is off more than it is on | Mirror |
| Opposite a window or bright light | Brushed |
| Bar, salon, retail interior | Mirror |
| Office or reception with a brand palette | Brushed |
| You want the wall to show through | Clear acrylic, the default |
| Dark room, want the board to vanish | Black acrylic |
Two practical points
- ✓ Mirror shows fingerprints. Not a problem on a wall, worth knowing on a table top piece. Dry microfiber only, never glass cleaner.
- ✓ Mirror is heavier than clear on a large sign, which matters if you were planning to use adhesive strips rather than the chain.
- ✗ Do not pair a colored mirror with a clashing tube. A Blue Mirror board under a Tomato tube fights itself. Match the family or go neutral.
All twelve finishes are shown on the backboard color and material page, and the five cut shapes are on the shape page.
Clear acrylic is the default for good reason: it disappears and lets the tube be the whole sign. Choose mirror when the sign is somewhere it will be seen switched off as often as lit, a bar or a salon or a hallway. Choose brushed when there is a lot of daylight, or when the sign belongs to a brand rather than to a room.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mirror backboard on a neon sign?
A mirrored acrylic panel behind the tube. Lit, it reflects the neon so a single run reads as two and the sign looks denser. Unlit, it is a mirror, so the piece still works as an object on the wall rather than becoming an invisible sheet of plastic.
Does a mirror or brushed backboard cost extra?
No. All twelve stocked finishes are included in the price, as are all five cut shapes. Any other color can also be made to order at no extra cost.
What is the difference between mirror and brushed?
Mirror reflects, so it doubles the tube and shows the room. Brushed has a fine directional grain like brushed steel and does not reflect at all. Mirror is more dramatic; brushed is safer in bright rooms and reads more like a manufactured brand object.
Which backboard is best in a bright room?
Brushed, or black acrylic. A mirror board opposite a window spends most of the day reflecting the glare rather than showing your sign, which undoes the reason for choosing it.
Can I get a backboard in my brand color?
Yes. The twelve stocked finishes are the ones that photograph best, not a limit. Send the color with your quote request and we will make the board to match at no extra cost.
We have made neon since 1998, and we still make it ourselves. If something here does not answer your question, ask us.
