Illuminated Pylon Signs for Roadside Visibility

A pylon is for sites where the main building is not visible from the road or approach:

• Shopping centres and strip centres with several tenant panels
• Business parks and office developments on busy roads
• Motor dealerships, showrooms and service centres
• Restaurants, drive-throughs and takeaways
• Clinics, schools and institutions that need clear identification
• Industrial premises set behind fences or yards

Pylons are tall and need a proper foundation, so they involve more design, approval and installation work than a wall sign. If a low entrance feature is enough, consider an illuminated monument. Where lighting is not needed, see non-illuminated pylon signs.

Pylons are built in several configurations:

• Single-column pylons: a slim structure with one or two lit panels
• Multi-tenant pylons: stacked changeable panels for centres and business parks
• Wide-panel pylons: a large lit cabinet on one or two columns
• Combination pylons: lit panels with a digital display or price section
• Sculptural pylons: shaped or architectural forms that echo the building

Height, width and number of panels are decided by sight lines, road speed and any limits set by the municipality or landlord.

The structure is normally a fabricated steel column or frame, protected with paint or a powder-coat system suited to outdoor use. Cabinets are usually aluminium with opal acrylic faces and applied vinyl, or with routed metal faces. Tenant panels are designed to slide or clip in for easy replacement. See materials and finishes for finishes and samples.

Most pylons use LED modules inside the cabinets to light each face evenly. Panels can be lit all together or in sections, and tenant panels can be separately controlled so one failure does not darken the whole sign. Photocells and timers switch the sign on at dusk. Where a cabinet is not suitable, letter-lit or halo-lit panels may be set into the structure.

Pylons sit high and are seen across a wide area, so brightness has to be controlled: a very bright pylon can glare into traffic and nearby homes. We set brightness and, where suitable, dimming at commissioning.

Illuminated monuments are low and welcoming but cannot be read from far away. Choose a pylon when the sign must be seen over obstacles or from a fast road. Totem signs are slimmer and suit pedestrian and internal wayfinding rather than roadside advertising.

Non-illuminated pylons cost less to run and suit sites where street lighting is good or operating hours are daytime only. For forecourts, petrol station pylon signs combine services and price displays. For other freestanding forms, see freestanding business signs.

• Viewing distance and size: as a rough guide, many designers allow around 25 mm of letter height per 10 m of viewing distance. For roadside pylons the real distance and speed must be measured on site.
• Contrast: logos need strong contrast against the face so they read in a second or two.
• Mounting surface and foundation: a pylon needs an engineered foundation. Ground conditions, services, drainage and wind exposure are assessed, and a structural engineer may be required.
• Electrical access: power must reach the base and rise through the column with suitable isolation.
• Light spill and glare: brightness should suit the road and surrounding properties.
• Weather exposure: wind loading, rain, dust and heat all affect cabinet sealing and structure.
• Access and approvals: structural, electrical and municipal approval matters are checked at survey and design stage and may need the landlord, body corporate or municipality. Large roadside signs are often controlled by outdoor-advertising rules. We do not promise compliance in advance.

• Height, width and number of lit panels
• Structural design and foundation requirements
• Cabinet construction and face material
• LED modules, power supplies and controls
• Tenant panel systems
• Trenching and cabling distance from supply
• Crane or lifting equipment and site access
• Finish and any integrated display

A written quotation is prepared after the survey and engineering input.

Clean faces regularly, since dust and road film dull the light. Check lighting for failed modules and replace panels that fade or yellow. Inspect the base, anchors and paint for corrosion and have loose fixings checked promptly. Our signage cleaning and maintenance and LED signage repairs cover inspections, and ageing cabinets may suit LED retrofit.

We design and fabricate from Rivonia and arrange surveys and installations by appointment across Gauteng. Pylon signs suit commercial and industrial areas such as:

• Signage in Sandton
• Signage in Johannesburg
• Signage in Pretoria
• Signage in Midrand
• Signage in Centurion
• Signage in Germiston