DIY Marquee Light Signs
Making a custom marquee sign for an event offers unique benefits that standard decor cannot match! These give any space or event a brilliant, vintage-vegas aesthetic. They are easy to make and probably less expensive than most other decor. To build them, all you need is some foam board, globe string lights, cutting tools and hot glue.
When I started planning for Mila’s 1st Birthday, I was so excited about the idea of buying a MILA marquee sign-until I started seeing the prices. I couldn’t believe it-$100s for some foam board and string lights that I essentially would have to put together myself anyway?! No thanks. So I decided to make them myself and I am so glad I did!
By making them myself, I spent less on the whole thing than I would have on buying just ONE letter and now I have the materials to make more for almost no cost at all. The most expensive part are the globe lights-which have multiple uses, and the cheapest part was the signage itself which only cost a few dollars in foam board from the dollar store. They turned out amazing! They were perfect for the backdrop in photos and an instant focal point at her party. We loved them so much that we kept them up for over a month and used them as a light in her play area.
And now that I have the materials and know how, I can’t wait to create more for my next big event!
🌟 Event Benefits
- Focal Point: It creates an instant, high-impact center stage or photo backdrop.
- Massive Cost Savings: Renting large marquee letters often costs $50–$100 per letter. Building your own pays for itself immediately.
- Perfect Lighting: They provide warm, ambient light that enhances evening event photography without harsh flashes.
- Keepable Keepsake: After the event, the sign becomes a meaningful piece of home decor or a reusable asset for future parties.
🎨 Event Themes
- Weddings: Giant initials, “LOVE”, the new couple’s last name, or a WILL YOU MARRY ME? Proposal Sign
- Milestone Birthdays: Large name or 3D numbers (e.g., “30”, “50”, “16”) placed near the cake table.
- Corporate Events: Company logos or specific event hashtags positioned near the entrance.
🛠️ Required Materials & Tools
- Base Material & Border Strips: Foam Board
- Lights: Globe LED string lights (ensure the bulb covers are unscrewable).
- Tools: Hot glue gun, rotary cutter, 3″ x 18″ clear acrylic ruler with gridlines, pencil, Xacto knife
📋 Step-by-Step Build Guide
1. Create the Base Shapes
Sketch your letters or numbers onto your foam board. Carefully cut the shapes out using your rotary blade or Xato knife.
- To determine the perfect measurements for your marquee letters, you need to balance available space, font choice, and bulb size;
- Calculate Letter Height (The 1:3 or 1:4 Ratio): Measure the total height of the wall or table backdrop where the sign will live.
- Tabletop displays: Letters should be 12 to 18 inches tall.
- Floor displays/Backdrops: Letters should be 36-48 inches tall.
- The golden rule: For a balanced look, your letters should take up roughly one-third to one-quarter of the total vertical space available.
- Determine Letter Width (The Font Rule)
- To avoid letters looking squished or stretched, use standard font aspect ratios based on your chosen letter height:
- Most Letters (A, B, D, O, R): Width should be 70% to 80% of the height. (Example: A 24-inch tall letter should be about 18 inches wide).
- Wide Letters (M, W): Width should equal the height. (Example: A 24-inch tall ‘M’ should be 24 inches wide).
- Narrow Letters (I, J, L, T): Width should be 50% of the height. (Example: A 24-inch tall ‘I’ should be 12 inches wide)
- Calculate the Track Width (Bulb Clearance)
- The “track” is the thickness of the letter-Must be wide enough to accommodate your bulb + its surrounding border.
- Measure your bulb: Check the diameter of your globe bulb (standard G40 bulbs are 1.5 inches wide).
- Add border clearance: You need at least 0.5 to 1 inch of empty space on both sides of the bulb so it doesn’t touch the side walls.
- Minimum Track Width: Bulb diameter + 2 inches. (For a 1.5-inch bulb, your letter tracks should be at least 3.5 inches wide).
- Calculate Letter Height (The 1:3 or 1:4 Ratio): Measure the total height of the wall or table backdrop where the sign will live.
The Easiest Shortcut: “The Projector Method” Instead of doing math with a ruler, type your word into a computer using a bold font (like Impact or Arial Black). Project the image onto your foam board at the exact size you want, adjust the zoom until it fits your venue footprint perfectly, and trace the lines.
- To determine the perfect measurements for your marquee letters, you need to balance available space, font choice, and bulb size;
2. Map and Add Light Holes
Use a ruler to space out your light placement evenly along the center of the letter tracks. Make holes at each mark that matches the exact width of your light socket.
Spacing Guidelines by Letter Size - Small Letters (12 inches tall): Space lights 2 to 3 inches apart.
- Medium Letters (24 inches tall): Space lights 3 to 4 inches apart.
- Large Letters (36 to 48 inches tall): Space lights 4 to 6 inches apart.
Pro-Tips for Perfect Layout Size - Prioritize the Corners: Always mark and drill holes at the crucial corners and intersections of your letters first (like the points of an “M” or “W”).
- Divide the In-Between: Measure the remaining distance between those corner holes, then divide it evenly so all bulbs are perfectly uniform.
- Bulb Count Check: Before drilling, layout your actual physical light string over your pencil marks to ensure you have enough bulbs on the strand to finish the whole sign.
3. Attach the Sidewall Borders
Using your 3” wide ruler, make 3” strips matching the heights of the borders of each letter. Hot glue your border strips around the outer edges of the letters to create a 3D box effect.
4. Install the Lighting
Unscrew the globe bulbs from your light strand. Push the bare sockets through the pre-drilled holes from the back side of the sign. Secure the loose wires neatly to the back using tape or cable clips, then screw the bulbs back onto the sockets from the front.
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