Most neon we make today is LED neon: flexible silicone tube lit by LEDs, which looks like classic glass neon but runs at low voltage, stays cool to the touch and survives knocks. We still source glass neon for projects that need it. Below you will find what we make, what it costs, which sizes work, how neon copes with Dubai heat, and the 2026 rules that apply if the sign goes on your shopfront.
Custom neon signs for shops, cafés and offices
We make custom neon signs for businesses: logo signs, name signs, neon board signs for shopfronts, Arabic neon, window and open signs, feature walls with a slogan, and signs for events and launches. Each one is designed from your artwork, bent to shape by hand, mounted on a backing that suits the wall, and tested before it leaves our workshop.
Here is what businesses in Dubai most often ask us for:
- Logo neon. Your logo traced in neon, usually for a reception wall, a counter back wall or the inside of a shop window. This is the most requested custom neon sign we make.
- Neon board signs for shops. The shop name in neon on an acrylic or aluminium board, fixed to the fascia or hung as a projecting sign. See our shop signs for the full frontage.
- Arabic neon signs. Connected Arabic script suits neon unusually well, because the letters flow into one line. We design the Arabic and English together so both read at the same weight.
- Slogan and feature walls. A line of text or a hashtag for a café, salon, gym or office that customers photograph and share. This is where neon advertising signs earn their keep: people post them for you.
- Window and open signs. Small neon for the glass: "Open", opening hours, "Coffee", "Nails". We make these to order in your brand colour. See open signs.
- Event and launch neon. Signs for stands, pop-ups and launches, which can be reused afterwards in your office or store.
If you want lit lettering that looks more solid and corporate than neon, compare halo-lit letters or LED sign boards. Neon has a softer, hand-drawn look. Built-up letters look more formal. Some of our best frontages use both: 3D letters for the name and a neon element for character.
Looking for a neon sign for a bedroom, wedding or gift? Those are made the same way. See personalised neon signs.
LED neon vs glass neon: which is right for you?
For almost every business in Dubai, LED neon is the better choice. It runs at 12 or 24 volts instead of several thousand, uses a fraction of the power, stays cool, and is far harder to break. Glass neon still has a warmer, more even glow that some designers prefer, but it costs more, is fragile, and needs a specialist to repair.
| LED neon (neon flex) | Glass neon | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | LEDs inside a flexible silicone or PVC tube with a diffuser | Hand-bent glass tube filled with neon or argon gas, lit by a high-voltage transformer |
| Operating voltage | 12V or 24V DC | Several thousand volts (commonly quoted at 10,000–15,000V) |
| Energy use | Low. LED neon uses up to 80% less energy than glass neon (LEDYi) | Higher, plus a transformer that gets warm |
| Heat | Warm at most | Tubes and transformer run hot |
| Durability | Flexible, survives knocks, safe for public areas | Breaks if hit or dropped |
| Colours | Any colour, plus RGB and tunable white | Set by the gas and tube coating |
| Look | Smooth, even line; very close to glass from a normal viewing distance | The classic glow, slightly softer and deeper |
| Repairs | Replace a section or the power supply | Needs a glass bender to re-make the tube |
| Best for | Shops, cafés, offices, events, anywhere people can touch it | Heritage bars, art pieces, designer-specified projects |
What this means in practice: choose LED neon unless your designer has specified glass for the look, and the sign will sit out of reach. Glass neon's high voltage also means stricter rules on where and how it can be installed, so it adds cost beyond the sign itself.
Single colour, RGB or tunable white?
LED neon comes in three lighting types, and the choice affects price and how the sign can be used:
- Single colour is the standard. Each line is one fixed colour, which gives the richest, most even light and the simplest wiring. Most business signs use it, and it is what a shopfront name needs.
- RGB (colour-changing) lets one line cycle through colours from a remote or app. It suits bars, events and feature walls, but the colours are slightly less pure than dedicated single-colour neon, and it needs a controller.
- Tunable white moves between warm and cool white. Useful for offices and hotels that change the mood between day and evening.
If you are unsure, go single colour in your brand shade. It is the cheapest, the most reliable and always compliant on a shopfront.
How much does a neon sign cost in Dubai?
A custom neon sign in Dubai typically costs from a few hundred dirhams for a small single-colour window sign to several thousand for a large outdoor logo. The price mostly depends on how many metres of neon flex your design needs, the size and type of backing, the number of colours, and whether the sign is built for outdoor use.
Here are our starting prices. Your exact quote comes with your mockup.
| Neon sign | Typical size | Starting from | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small window or open sign | 40–60 cm wide | AED 350 | 3–5 days |
| Logo or name sign, indoor | 80–120 cm wide | AED 900 | 4–7 days |
| Large feature wall sign, indoor | 150–250 cm wide | AED 2,200 | 6–9 days |
| Outdoor neon on a board or box | Made to your frontage | AED 2,500 | 7–10 days |
| Arabic + English neon shop sign | Made to your frontage | AED 3,500 | 7–10 days |
For more sign types, see our sign board prices.
What changes the price
- Length of neon. A neon sign is priced mostly by how much neon flex it takes. A flowing script name uses less than a detailed logo of the same width, because the logo has more lines.
- Size. Bigger signs use more neon and a bigger backing, and above about 120 cm they may need to be made in sections.
- Colours. Each colour is a separate run of neon with its own connections. Four colours cost more than one, even at the same size.
- Backing. Clear acrylic cut to shape is the standard. Coloured, printed, mirrored or box backings cost more.
- Indoor or outdoor. Outdoor signs need weatherproof neon, sealed connections, a waterproof power supply and stronger fixings.
- Effects. A dimmer is simple. RGB colour-changing needs a controller and adds cost, and it is not allowed on a trade-name shopfront sign under the 2026 rules.
- Installation. A wall at reception height is quick. A fascia at height, a mall unit with night-only access, or a new power point all add time.
What's included in our neon quote
- Design mockup on a photo of your wall or shopfront, with sizes marked
- Neon flex in your chosen colours, bent and fixed by hand
- Backing cut to your chosen shape and finish
- Power supply (driver), and a dimmer on indoor signs
- Testing in the workshop before delivery
- Installation and connection by our team, or hanging kit for self-install
- Warranty: 1 year on neon, power supply and workmanship
What a neon sign costs to run
LED neon is cheap to run. A typical 100 cm logo sign uses around 30–45 watts, so running it 12 hours a day uses about 11–16 kWh a month. At DEWA's commercial tariff of 23–38 fils per kWh plus the 6 fils fuel surcharge (DEWA), that works out at roughly AED 3–7 a month before VAT. LED neon typically draws around 8–12 watts per metre of flex, depending on the product. We give you the exact wattage on your quote.
What size neon sign do you need?
Choose the size from where people will read the sign, not from the size of the wall. A window sign read from the pavement can be 40–60 cm wide; a reception logo seen across a room works at 80–120 cm; a shopfront sign read from across the road usually needs to be 150 cm or more. Too small is the most common mistake we see.
| Where it goes | Read from | Typical width | Main line height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside a shop window | 2–5 m | 40–60 cm | 8–12 cm |
| Counter or bar back wall | 3–8 m | 60–100 cm | 12–20 cm |
| Reception or feature wall | 5–10 m | 80–150 cm | 15–25 cm |
| Shopfront fascia | Across the street | 150–300 cm | 25–45 cm |
| Mall frontage | Along the concourse | To the mall's design manual | To the mall's design manual |
A few size rules that come from how neon is made:
- Small letters blur together. Neon flex has a fixed width (commonly 6–8 mm for sign work), so very small lowercase letters and tight loops fill in and become hard to read. As a rule of thumb we keep main lettering at 8 cm or more and small text at 5 cm or more.
- Long text needs width. A four-word slogan at a readable height can easily need 120 cm or more. We check every design at true scale before quoting.
- Large signs come in sections. Above about 120–150 cm, signs are usually made in two or more panels that join on the wall. That keeps them strong and deliverable through a normal door.
Not sure? Send us a photo of the wall with a tape measure in it and we will size the sign for you.
Where to place it
Placement matters as much as size. A few things we check at every survey:
- Window signs face out, and sit a little back from the glass. Neon pressed against glass reflects back into the shop and glares on the glass. A gap of a few centimetres, with the backing facing the street, gives a cleaner view from outside.
- Keep bright lights off the neon. A downlight or spotlight shining straight onto a neon sign washes it out. Move the light or the sign.
- Mind the background. Neon reads best on a plain, mid-to-dark wall. On busy tiles, mirrors or white gloss, use a coloured or black backing panel.
- Think about the photo. For feature walls, put the sign where a customer can stand in front of it, at roughly head height, with room to step back.
Indoor and outdoor neon lights in Dubai heat
LED neon can go outdoors in Dubai, but only if it is built for it. Outdoor signs need silicone neon flex rather than PVC, an IP65 or higher rating, sealed joints, and a waterproof power supply mounted where it can shed heat. Indoor neon is simpler and cheaper, and it is where neon lights look their best.
The tube material matters most. Neon flex is made in two main types:
| Silicone neon flex | PVC neon flex | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat range (typical) | About −40°C to +80°C | About −20°C to +50°C |
| In direct sun | Resists UV and keeps its colour | Can yellow within 2–3 years outdoors |
| Typical outdoor life | 8–10 years | 3–5 years |
| Cost | Around 30–50% more per metre | Cheaper |
| We use it for | All outdoor signs and sunny windows | Budget indoor signs away from the sun |
Figures from Mihoray's silicone vs PVC comparison. A dark sign in a Dubai summer can reach well above the air temperature, which is why we don't use PVC outside.
Three more things decide how long an outdoor neon sign lasts:
- The power supply. It is the part most likely to fail. We use an outdoor-rated driver, size it with spare capacity, and mount it somewhere shaded and ventilated where it can be reached for service.
- Sealed connections. Every joint between neon sections and cables is sealed. Humidity and dust getting into a joint is the usual cause of one section going dark.
- The backing. Outdoors we mount neon on aluminium, ACP or UV-stable acrylic, not standard indoor acrylic, which can go brittle in the sun.
One point few neon sellers mention: neon is dim compared with Dubai's afternoon sun. A neon sign on a sunny, west-facing frontage can be hard to read at 3pm. If your frontage gets direct sun, we design it to read by day as well: coloured backing that shows the name without light, neon over printed lettering, or 3D letters with a neon accent. At night the neon takes over.
Neon on a shopfront: the 2026 rules
If your neon sign is your shopfront sign, it has to follow the rules Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) tightened in May 2026: one trade name only, Arabic above English, horizontal, static, and no bright white backgrounds. Neon suits these rules well, as long as the design is planned around them from the start.
The rules, reported by Gulf News and Khaleej Times, affect neon in specific ways:
- Static only. The trade-name sign cannot animate. That rules out chasing, flashing or colour-changing RGB effects on the shop name. A steady single colour, or a fixed combination of colours, is fine.
- Arabic above English. Both names must match your trade licence. In neon, we set the Arabic line first and balance the English under it (see Arabic neon design below).
- No bright white backgrounds. Neon on a dark or coloured backing fits the rules naturally. Avoid a white light box behind the neon.
- Controlled brightness. Brightness must stay within approved levels. We fit a dimmer or set the driver so the sign is visible without glare.
- One trade name. A neon slogan inside the shop is décor. A second name or brand on the facade is not allowed.
Signs inside your shop that are purely decorative generally sit outside shopfront signage rules, but anything facing the street and naming the business is treated as a sign. We check this at the survey, prepare the drawings, and submit the permit where one is needed. Read our signage approvals guide for the full process.
Backing, mounting and finishing options
The backing is what the neon is fixed to, and it changes the look as much as the neon itself. Clear acrylic cut to the shape of the design is the standard choice for indoor signs, because it almost disappears on the wall. Outdoor signs, shopfronts and signs on busy walls usually need a solid board, box or metal frame.
| Backing | How it looks | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Clear acrylic, cut to shape | The neon seems to float on the wall | Reception walls, cafés, feature walls |
| Clear acrylic rectangle | Clean, simple, easy to hang | Windows, events, hanging signs |
| Coloured or black acrylic | The neon sits on a brand-colour panel that reads by day too | Busy walls, patterned tiles, daytime visibility |
| Printed acrylic | Your logo or artwork printed behind the neon | Detailed logos where only part is lit |
| Aluminium or ACP board | Solid, outdoor-grade panel | Shopfronts, fascias, outdoor walls |
| Metal box (neon on the face) | A deep sign box with neon lettering | Projecting signs, pylons, larger frontages |
| Neon in stainless steel reverse letters | Metal letters with neon set into the face or edge | Premium frontages mixing 3D letters and neon |
| Metal frame, no backing | Neon held on a thin frame or rods | Glass partitions, windows, art pieces |
Mounting options:
- Stand-off fixings. Metal spacers hold the sign 10–25 mm off the wall and hide the screws. The most common finish.
- Hanging kit. Chains or wire from the ceiling, for windows and glass partitions.
- Flush or rail mounting. For signs fixed to a fascia board or into a shopfront system.
Cables can be hidden into the wall if we know early, or run neatly to the nearest socket. Tell us where your power point is at the survey.
Designing your neon sign: what works in neon
Good neon design starts from a simple rule: every line in your design becomes a tube of light of fixed width. Bold, open shapes and flowing script look best. Fine detail, tiny text and filled areas do not translate directly, so most logos need small adjustments to work as a neon sign. We do this adaptation as part of your free design.
Fonts and lettering
- Script and rounded fonts look most "neon", because one line can form a whole word.
- Block capitals work well for shop names and read clearly from a distance.
- Thin serif fonts lose their detail; we simplify serifs or suggest a similar font that bends cleanly.
- Keep counters open. The holes in letters like a, e and o need space, or they fill with light.
Turning a logo into neon
We trace the outline and key lines of your logo rather than filling shapes, because neon draws lines, not areas. Where a logo has a solid area or photo detail, we print it on the backing and add neon to the outline or the name. Send your logo as a vector file (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG). If you only have a JPG, we can redraw it.
Colours
Warm white, cool white, pink, red, ice blue, blue, green, yellow, orange and purple are the most requested custom neon colours. Colours look different lit than on screen. Warm white and pink read softer, while red and blue are strongest from a distance. For outdoor and shopfront use we match your brand colour as closely as neon allows, and show it on the mockup. Remember the 2026 rule on shopfronts: avoid a bright white background, and keep the colours fixed.
Arabic neon signs
Arabic script suits neon because the letters join, so a word can be one continuous line. A few details make Arabic neon look professional:
- Design the Arabic, don't just trace a font. Dots and short strokes need to be separate neon pieces, placed so they don't blur into the main line.
- Balance the two languages. Arabic often needs to be set slightly larger than the English to look equal in weight, and it must sit above the English on a shopfront.
- Check the spelling against your trade licence. The Arabic name on the sign must match it exactly.
We draw every Arabic sign by hand for neon and show it to you at true scale before anything is bent.
What to send us
Your logo or text, where the sign will go (a photo helps), the size you have in mind, your colours, and whether it's indoors or outdoors. That's enough for a first mockup.
Seven mistakes to avoid when ordering neon
- Choosing the colour on a phone screen. Lit neon looks different. Ask for a photo of the actual colour lit, or see it in the workshop.
- Ordering too small. Measure the reading distance first, then size the sign (see the table above).
- Putting indoor neon outside. PVC neon and plug-in adapters are not built for Dubai sun, dust and humidity.
- Forgetting the power point. A sign with a cable running across the wall looks unfinished. Plan the socket or a hidden cable route before the wall is painted.
- Skipping the dimmer. Full brightness is often too much for a small café or a reception. A dimmer lets you set it to the room.
- Colour-changing effects on the shop name. Fine inside, not allowed on a trade-name shopfront sign under the 2026 rules.
- Buying a consumer sign for commercial use. Many online neon shops sell decorative signs made overseas with a plug-in adapter, meant for a few hours a day at home. A business sign runs 10–14 hours a day and needs a commercial power supply, local repair and a warranty you can actually use in Dubai.
How we make and install your neon sign
From the first message to installation, a custom neon sign usually takes 7–14 days: a day or two for the design, 5–10 working days to make it, and a short installation visit. Shopfront signs that need a permit take longer, because the approval runs alongside production.
- Tell us about the sign. Send your logo, the wall and your rough size by WhatsApp, or book a free survey.
- Design and quote (1–2 days). You receive a mockup on a photo of your wall, with size, colours and backing, and an itemised price.
- Approve. Changes to the design are included until you are happy. Approve it from your account.
- Permit, if needed. For shopfront signs we prepare and submit the application. Indoor décor signs usually skip this step.
- Making (5–10 working days). We cut the backing, bend and fix the neon by hand, wire the power supply and seal every joint.
- Test. Every sign is run in the workshop for [24] hours before it leaves.
- Install (usually 1–2 hours indoors). Our team fixes and connects the sign and shows you the dimmer. Outdoor and high-level signs take longer and may be done at night.
Need neon for an opening or an event date? Tell us the date first. Rush production is often possible for indoor signs.
Neon ideas by business type
Neon works best where people slow down, look around and take photos. For most businesses that means the counter, the reception wall or the window, not only the fascia. These are the ideas that work well for each trade, and our design gallery shows examples with materials and sizes.
- Cafés and coffee shops. A slogan above the counter or a logo on the wall customers face while they queue. See café signboard designs.
- Restaurants and burger or juice bars. A neon brand name or menu headline on a tiled or brick wall, often in warm white or red.
- Salons, nail bars and barbershops. Pink, white or gold script behind the chairs, and an "Open" sign in the window. See salon and barbershop signs.
- Gyms and studios. A motivational line or logo on the main training wall, usually bold capitals in cool white, ice blue or red.
- Boutiques. The brand name in script on the back wall, or a neon line in the window display. See boutique name boards.
- Offices and co-working spaces. Company logo in neon at reception, or values and room names in meeting areas.
- Events and launches. A branded neon wall for photos, built to be reused afterwards.
Looking after your neon sign
LED neon needs very little care: switch it off at night if you don't trade then, keep it dust-free, and keep the power supply ventilated. A well-made indoor sign runs for years with nothing more than an occasional wipe.
- Clean it switched off, with a dry or slightly damp microfibre cloth. Don't use glass cleaner, alcohol or solvents on the acrylic backing, because they can craze it.
- Keep the driver clear. Don't cover the power supply or push it behind furniture where it can overheat.
- Use a timer. Running the sign only during opening hours extends its life and saves power.
- Outdoor signs benefit from a check before summer: connections, sealant and the power supply.
If a section goes dark, it's usually a connection or the power supply, both of which we can repair. We also repair and relight neon signs made by other companies.