Bayan Signage fabricates built-up letters in acrylic, ACP, aluminium and stainless steel in its Ajman factory, from 250 mm shopfront names to building letters made in sections. We match the material to how long the sign must last, brace and vent every outdoor letter, and give outdoor signs a 5-year warranty on LEDs, finish and structure.
Built-up letters are 3D sign letters fabricated as hollow boxes: a face cut to the letter shape, with side strips called returns joined around its outline and usually a back panel. Because the depth comes from the returns rather than the sheet, a built-up letter can be 30 to 200 mm deep and over two metres tall without the weight of a solid block. Neighbourhood shops, warehouses, offices, banks and rooftop names across the UAE use them.
The material decides how the letter looks and how long it lasts. Acrylic box letters with solvent-welded acrylic returns are a UAE staple for shopfronts; ACP letters, routed and folded from composite panel, are economical for big short-term names; aluminium and stainless letters are folded and welded for long life. What separates good from poor work is the joint between face and return, the bracing inside, and drainage at the bottom of every outdoor letter.
Bayan Signage is the production arm of Bayan Advertising, part of the UAE market for 15 years, and our factory at Alam Square, Industrial Area 2, Ajman has fabricated letters since 2016. CNC routing, laser cutting, letter bending, welding, powder coating and LED assembly all happen under one roof, and galvanised steel frames for large letters are welded by the same team. Clients are welcome to see their letters in production.
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Every built-up letter has the same parts; the material changes the price, the finish and the life. These are the families we make, with pages for each.
Acrylic faces with heat-bent, solvent-welded acrylic returns. Glossy, easy to light and economical for shopfronts, interiors and shaded mall units.
View details →Routed and folded aluminium composite panel. Light and economical at large sizes for warehouses, site offices and signs with a shorter planned life.
View details →Folded and welded aluminium, powder-coated to any RAL. The long-life choice for coloured facade names and rooftop letters.
View details →Brushed, mirror or PVD stainless with ground, refinished seams. Premium and durable for banks, towers and corporate entrances.
View details →Hollow letters fitted with LEDs for front, halo or dual lighting. See channel letters for the full range of illuminated builds.
View details →
We measure the facade, check the wall and access, and ask how long the sign must last. A two-year lease and a head office name need different materials.
Draftsmen set depth, bracing and fixing points. Letters wider than about 2.4 m are split into sections at the drawing stage so they fit on a truck and through doors.
Faces are CNC-routed or laser cut to ±0.1 mm. Acrylic returns are heat-bent and solvent-welded, ACP is V-grooved and folded, and metal returns are folded and welded.
Acrylic joints are checked for bubbles; metal seams are ground and refinished. Letters above about a metre get internal aluminium or steel bracing to keep faces flat.
Letters are powder-coated, painted or brushed, fitted with LEDs if lit, and given weep holes. Each is checked against the approved artwork before dispatch.
Small letters go up on studs from a template; large ones hang on a pre-set rail or galvanised frame. Sections are joined on site, penetrations sealed and lit letters tested after dark.
This is what we usually specify for each material on an outdoor sign. We adjust it to the site and budget, and every choice is itemised on the quote.
| Material | Our standard | Upgrade options | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylic | 3 to 5 mm cast acrylic face and returns, solvent-welded | Aluminium returns with acrylic face | Clean and easy to light, but moves and fades more in full sun. |
| ACP | 3 or 4 mm ACP, V-grooved and folded | Aluminium back and bracing | Economical at large sizes; folded edges are its weak point over many years. |
| Aluminium | 1.5 to 3 mm sheet, welded, powder-coated | Architectural-grade powder, metallic finishes | Light, any colour and long life when pretreated and coated properly. |
| Stainless steel | 1.2 to 1.5 mm 304 or 316, brushed | Mirror or PVD finishes | Premium metal look with no paint to fade; grade must suit the coast. |
| Bracing | Internal ribs above about 1 m | Full internal frame, galvanised sub-frame | Stops faces rippling in heat and flexing in wind. |
| Drainage and fixings | Weep holes, stainless studs | Rail system, sectioned joints with hidden brackets | Water and fixings decide whether a hollow letter stays sound outdoors. |
Built-up letters can be made from almost anything, which is exactly why the choices matter. These are the points we raise before we quote.
We always ask how long the sign is meant to stay. A site office, a launch campaign or a two-year lease does not need stainless steel; ACP or acrylic is the honest recommendation and can halve the cost. A head office, bank branch or building name is different: there, aluminium or stainless pays for itself by not fading or opening at the seams after five summers.
As a rule we make box letters about 50 mm deep at 300 mm tall, 100 mm at 600 mm and 120 to 150 mm at a metre. Shallower than that, large letters look like cut-out panels from the street; much deeper, small letters look chunky. Lit letters may need extra depth for the LEDs, which we balance against any landlord limit.
Below roughly 150 to 200 mm, returns become fiddly to form and the joints are hard to keep clean. A solid acrylic or flat-cut metal letter looks sharper at that size and usually costs less. Many signs combine both: a built-up company name at 400 mm with a small strapline or Arabic subtitle in solid cut letters.
The face-to-return joint is where cheap box letters give themselves away. Bubbles and white haze in solvent-welded acrylic, or visible weld lines on metal, look poor at close range and are weak points over time. Ask any supplier for a sample letter or close-up photos of finished joints. We are happy to show you letters on the bench in Ajman.
A letter wider than about 2.4 m will not fit on a standard truck or through most doors. If that is discovered on delivery day, the letter is cut and rejoined on site, and it shows. We split large letters into sections at the drawing stage, with hidden internal brackets and joint lines placed where they are least visible.
We price built-up letters from the drawing and the material. Send your logo, the sign size, a photo and how long the sign should last, and you will receive an itemised quote, usually within 24 hours.
ACP and acrylic are usually the most economical, aluminium sits in the middle, and stainless or brass costs the most in material and finishing.
Bigger, deeper letters use more material, take longer to form and need bracing. Sectioned letters add joining hardware and site work.
Return length drives fabrication time, so long words, script fonts and Arabic calligraphy multiply the bending, bonding or welding.
Standard colours are quickest. Custom paint matches, brushed or mirror metal and multi-colour faces add finishing and curing time.
Lit letters add LED modules, drivers, translucent faces or backs and wiring to every letter, plus a full-brightness test.
Rooftops, high facades, galvanised frames, lifting equipment and permits can be a large share of the total on big signs.
Outdoor built-up letters normally need approval before installation. In Dubai that is usually Dubai Municipality or the relevant free-zone authority such as JAFZA, DMCC or TECOM; signs near major roads may involve RTA. In Sharjah and Ajman, the local municipality handles signage, and malls and communities add rules on size, depth and lighting.
Very large or rooftop letters may also need structural drawings for the frame and the building owner's consent. Our draftsmen prepare the elevation, shop drawings, structural plans where needed and Arabic and English wording checked against your licence. Requirements vary and change, so we confirm them for your exact site at the survey.
Acrylic, ACP, aluminium and stainless box letters are all fabricated in our Ajman factory, so we recommend on merit rather than on what we can make.
Galvanised steel frames for large and rooftop letters are designed and welded by the same team that makes the letters.
Outdoor fabricated letters are covered for 5 years on LEDs, finish and structure, with a warranty document at handover.
We match the material to the sign's expected life, which is often the biggest saving on the whole quote.
Our crews install in all seven emirates, from ground-floor fascias to high facades, and the crew that fabricates installs.
More than 500 clients across the UAE, including national retail groups and international brands, many of them repeat customers.
It depends mostly on material, size, depth, perimeter, finish, lighting and installation. Acrylic or ACP letters on a ground-floor shop are economical; braced stainless letters on a high facade cost far more. Send your logo, sizes, a photo and how long the sign should last, and we will send an itemised quote, usually within 24 hours.
Built-up letters are hollow boxes made from a face and returns, so they can be deep, large and illuminated. Flat-cut letters are cut from one solid sheet, so their depth equals the sheet thickness. Flat-cut suits small text and short names; built-up suits medium and large letters and anything lit.
It depends on budget, exposure and lifespan. Acrylic is economical and easy to light, ACP is cheapest at large sizes for shorter-term signs, aluminium gives long life in any colour, and stainless gives a premium metal finish. For exposed long-term facades, aluminium or stainless usually give the best value once replacement is counted.
We make letters from 100 mm up to 2,500 mm as standard, and larger names are built in sections and joined on site. Letters over about a metre get internal bracing and are mounted on a rail or galvanised steel frame designed for the wind load at that height.
It depends on the material. ACP and acrylic letters in full sun usually look good for around five to eight years before needing refreshing. Well-coated aluminium and stainless letters often last ten to fifteen years or more. Shade, good sealing and regular cleaning extend life for every material.
Yes, for shaded or partly shaded shopfronts, using UV-stable cast acrylic and well-made joints. In full sun on south or west walls they fade and move more with heat, so aluminium returns with acrylic faces, or fully metal letters, last longer there. Under a canopy or arcade, acrylic box letters perform well.
Yes. Because they are hollow, these letters can hold LED modules for front lighting, halo lighting or both. Faces and backs are chosen to suit the lighting style and the return depth is set so light spreads evenly. Drivers sit in an accessible, ventilated box outside the letters.
Yes. Our crews install across Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah from our Ajman factory, including high-access work with boom lifts. The site survey is free in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.
Send your logo, the fascia size and a site photo. Our estimating team replies with options and an itemised price, usually within 24 hours.