— Neon Tubing & Colors

Neon Tubing and Color Options for Custom Signs

Traditional neon signs are made from glass tubing that is heated, bent, fitted with electrodes, evacuated, and filled with gas. The final color can come from the gas itself, colored glass, phosphor coatings inside the tube, or a combination of those elements.

Material

Glass Sign Tubing

Common Gauges

8 · 10 · 12 · 15 mm

Environment

Glass · Phosphor · Gas Fill

Graphics

Heat Bent · Pumped · Electroded

— Overview

What Is Neon Sign Tubing?

Neon tubing is glass tube stock made for hand-bent electric signs and architectural lighting.

The glass is heated over a burner and bent into letters, borders, shapes, and line art. After the tube is formed, electrodes are attached, the tube is processed to remove contaminants, and the finished unit is filled with the selected gas before being connected to the proper power equipment.

Lettering Script, block letters, logos, and custom typography formed as continuous glass strokes.

Borders & Accents Linear borders, window outlines, and architectural accent lighting.

Artwork & Symbols Icons, illustrations, shapes, and custom line art.

Channel Letter Components Neon tubing can also be used as an exposed or enclosed light source in sign systems.

— Color

How Neon Tubing Gets Its Color

Neon color is not controlled by one factor. The gas fill creates the electrical discharge, while the glass itself may be clear or colored and the inside surface may be coated with phosphor. Manufacturers combine these variables to produce a broad palette.

Clear Glass + Neon Gas Produces the familiar red-orange appearance associated with classic neon.

Colored Glass The glass body itself adds color and can remain visually colored even when the sign is off.

Phosphor-Coated Tubing An internal fluorescent coating changes the emitted color and expands the available palette.

Colored + Coated Glass Some tubing combines colored glass with phosphor for deeper or more specific hues.

Computer screens are not reliable neon color samples.

For a close color match, compare actual pumped glass samples because the tubing, coating, gas, transformer loading, and viewing conditions affect what the eye sees.

— Tube Diameter

8, 10, 12 and 15 mm Neon Tubing

Commercial neon tubing is available in several diameters. The tube size affects bend radius, visual weight, brightness, electrical loading, and how tightly a pattern can be formed.

8 mm

Fine Detail
Useful for small lettering, tight curves, and detailed artwork where narrow glass is helpful.

More delicate to handle and not the default for every sign.

10–12 mm

General Sign Tubing
Common range for lettering, logos, and many exposed-neon patterns.

Balances visual weight with practical bending for many sign designs.

15 mm

Heavier Visual Line
Useful for borders, larger letters, and designs that call for a bolder stroke.

Requires more space for bends and changes the electrical loading of the sign.

— Fabrication

How Neon Tubing Is Bent and Built

Neon is fabricated as glasswork. The pattern is prepared full size, sections of tube are heated and bent by hand, and the tube is checked against the pattern as the letter or shape is formed.

Pattern Making A full-size bending pattern controls letter shape, spacing, returns, and electrode locations.

Glass Bending Tube sections are heated locally and bent into the required curves and angles.

Electrodes & Processing Electrodes are attached and the tube is processed before the final gas fill.

Mounting & Wiring Finished units are mounted with suitable supports and connected to equipment designed for the neon load.

— Choosing the Material

When Glass Neon Is the Right Choice

The visible glass tube is part of the sign's character.
The design depends on traditional hand-bent script, line art, or exposed tubing.
You want color created through real neon glass, phosphor, and gas rather than an LED imitation.
The project can accommodate glass handling, electrical components, mounting, and future service.

Consider another system when

On This Guide

Quick Facts

Material

Glass Neon Tubing

Common Gauges

8 · 10 · 12 · 15 mm

Common Graphics

Letters · Borders · Artwork

Common Uses

Letters · Borders · Artwork

Related Materials

Not Sure Which Material Fits?

Send the sign size, location, mounting method, artwork, and a site photo if you have one.

— Need Help Choosing a Sign Material?

Tell Us What the Sign Needs to Do

We can compare materials based on the sign size, location, graphics, mounting method, project term, and site conditions.