Designing an Outdoor Illuminated Star for a Church Steeple: A Real-World Signage Case Study

Have you ever had an outdoor sign fail much sooner than expected?

Or discovered after installation that the original design did not fully account for wind, rain, sunlight, birds, mounting conditions, or long-term maintenance?

Outdoor signage is very different from indoor signage. A design that works perfectly inside a building may face very different challenges once it is installed high above the ground and exposed to the weather 24 hours a day.

At NNEEOONN, we recently worked on a custom illuminated five-point star designed for installation near the top of a church steeple.

This project gave us a good opportunity to think through many of the practical issues that can affect outdoor illuminated signs—from bird damage and wind pressure to LED protection, mounting stability, ventilation, corrosion resistance, and future maintenance.

In this article, we would like to share the design and production process behind this project, along with some of the lessons we learned.

If you have experience with similar outdoor signage projects, we also welcome your comments, suggestions, or questions.

What Challenges Should Be Considered Before Designing an Outdoor Sign?

Before discussing the star itself, it is important to understand one basic principle:

Outdoor signage should be designed around the installation environment—not only around appearance.

The same sign may require a completely different structure depending on whether it is installed:

  • under a storefront canopy;

  • on the side of a building;

  • on a rooftop;

  • on a pole;

  • or at the exposed top of a church steeple.

For this church project, the star would be installed approximately 49 ft (15 m) above the ground, near the highest point of the steeple.

There were also no surrounding high-rise buildings providing meaningful wind protection.

That meant the sign had to deal with several important environmental risks.

1. Bird Damage

One of the customer's biggest concerns came from their previous illuminated star.

The earlier design used exposed rope lights. Birds—especially crows—could reach the lighting material and damage the exposed light strips.

If an outdoor sign contains accessible silicone tubing, exposed wires, flexible light strips, or other materials that birds can peck or pull, this should be considered during the design stage.

Birds can also introduce other problems, including:

  • droppings;

  • nesting materials;

  • branches and debris;

  • claws entering openings;

  • pecking at electrical components.

For a sign located at the top of a church steeple, this is not simply a cosmetic issue. Repairing a sign at this height can require specialized access equipment and significantly increase maintenance costs.

2. Wind Pressure

Wind became another major design consideration.

Because the star would be positioned about 49 ft above ground in a highly exposed location, it could experience much greater wind loading than a typical wall-mounted sign.

A sign installed in this type of location may be affected by:

  • side-to-side movement;

  • forward and backward swinging;

  • rotation;

  • repeated vibration;

  • stress on mounting hardware;

  • deformation of large solid panels.

This means both the sign structure and the mounting system need to be considered together.

3. Rain, Moisture, UV Exposure, and Corrosion

A permanent outdoor sign also needs to withstand long-term exposure to:

  • rain;

  • humidity;

  • direct sunlight;

  • ultraviolet radiation;

  • temperature changes;

  • oxidation;

  • environmental corrosion.

For an illuminated sign, electrical protection is especially important because moisture can affect the LED system, wiring connections, and power supply.

After reviewing these conditions with the customer, we decided that a conventional exposed LED or rope-light star was not the best solution.

Instead, we proposed a more enclosed structure.

Our Solution: A 3D Hollow Metal Star Light Box

The final concept was a:

3D Hollow Five-Point Metal Light Box with Concealed Indirect LED Lighting

The main star measures:

20" × 20"

or approximately:

508 × 508 mm

The main structure is manufactured from:

304 Stainless Steel

with a:

Brushed Titanium-Gold Finish

Rather than using exposed LED tubing around the outline, the star is built as a three-dimensional hollow metal structure.

Its basic construction from front to back is:

A. Front Metal Star Frame

↓

B. Concealed Internal LED Lighting

↓

Internal Lighting Cavity

↓

C. Metal Star Backplate

The LED system is positioned behind the front metal frame and in front of the rear metal structure.

The purpose of this construction is simple:

The LED source should not be directly visible from the front.

Instead, light from the concealed LEDs reflects across the internal surfaces and rear metal area before becoming visible through the hollow star opening.

This creates a cleaner and more uniform illuminated appearance while protecting the lighting system inside the metal structure.

At night, the viewer sees the glowing five-point star—not a row of individual LED dots.

Why We Chose Concealed LED Lighting

The concealed lighting design provides several advantages for this particular installation environment.

Reduced Bird Access

Because the LED strips and most electrical components are positioned inside the metal structure, birds have much less direct access to the lighting system.

This helps address the problem the customer experienced with their previous rope-light star.

Cleaner Daytime Appearance

During the daytime, the brushed titanium-gold stainless steel remains the main visible surface.

There is no exposed silicone LED tubing dominating the appearance of the star.

Better Nighttime Lighting

At night, the concealed LED light reflects through the internal cavity, helping create a more continuous illuminated star shape.

Additional Protection for Electrical Components

The metal structure provides an extra physical barrier between the outdoor environment and the internal lighting system.

For this project, outdoor-rated materials were selected around the lighting and electrical system, including IP67-rated waterproof protection, while the power supply also requires appropriate outdoor waterproof protection.

Additional surface and material considerations were included to improve resistance to:

  • UV exposure;

  • corrosion;

  • moisture;

  • normal outdoor weathering.

Designing the Mounting System for a High, Wind-Exposed Location

Designing the star itself was only part of the project.

The mounting system was equally important.

A lightweight sign attached at a single point can behave almost like a pendulum in strong wind.

For a star installed at the top of a steeple, we wanted to reduce the possibility of:

  • left-to-right swinging;

  • forward and backward movement;

  • rotation;

  • detachment from a single attachment point.

For this reason, we developed several possible mounting methods instead of relying on only one connection.

Three-Point Stainless Steel Safety Rings

The star was designed with three stainless steel attachment/safety rings.

The customer could connect their existing cable or rope system to these three points.

Using multiple attachment points helps stabilize the star in more than one direction and provides better control than a single hanging point.

The objective is not simply to keep the sign suspended.

The goal is to reduce unnecessary:

swinging, twisting, and rotation under wind load.

Adding a Mechanical Angle Bracket Connection

In addition to the three-point stainless steel safety ring attachment system, we also designed an additional mechanical fastening option using custom stainless steel angle brackets.

Technical design drawing of a custom illuminated five-point metal star for a church steeple, showing mounting brackets, ventilation slots, concealed LED lighting, and stainless steel construction.

During the design process, we initially considered a U-bolt connection. However, after reviewing the actual installation conditions and the structure of the existing steeple cross/support system, we determined that a welded angle bracket solution would provide a more adaptable and secure installation method.

The final design includes:

Custom 304 Stainless Steel Angle Brackets

which are welded directly to the rear housing of the star structure.

These brackets provide additional fixing points where the installer can secure the star to the existing support structure using mechanical fasteners.

The purpose of adding these brackets is to further reduce:

  • left-to-right movement;
  • forward and backward swinging;
  • rotation under wind pressure;
  • stress concentration on a single suspension point.

Unlike a simple hanging system, the angle bracket connection creates a more rigid mechanical relationship between the illuminated star and the supporting structure.

Why We Changed From a U-Bolt Concept to Angle Brackets

For outdoor signage installed in highly exposed locations, the connection method must consider not only strength but also the actual installation environment.

A U-bolt system can work well when the existing support structure has suitable dimensions and accessible locations for clamping.

However, for this project, the exact geometry and thickness of the existing steeple cross/support structure could not be fully confirmed in advance.

Pre-positioning U-bolt holes without accurate measurements could create alignment issues during installation.

Therefore, we changed the design to a more flexible solution:

Welded angle brackets + on-site drilling/fastening adjustment

This allows the installer to determine the final fixing position according to the actual conditions at the installation location.

This approach reduces the risk of:

  • incorrect hole positioning;
  • installation mismatch;
  • unnecessary modification of the existing structure.

Final Mounting Concept

The completed mounting system combines:

1. Three-Point Safety Ring System

Three stainless steel mounting lugs are integrated into the rear housing.

These provide attachment points for the customer's existing cable system and help stabilize the star.

2. Stainless Steel Angle Bracket Reinforcement

Additional welded angle brackets provide mechanical fixing points for a more rigid connection.

3. Optional Screw Fixing

Additional mounting holes are included to provide installers with another fastening option depending on the actual site conditions.

Together, these methods create a more secure installation approach designed specifically for a high-elevation outdoor environment.

A New Problem Appeared During Production: The Solid Backplate and Wind Pressure

Outdoor signage projects often change during engineering and production.

A concept that looks correct in the initial drawing may reveal new issues once the structure is reviewed or tested more closely.

Our original design used a relatively solid metal star backplate.

However, during production and our wind-load review, we found that the large solid rear surface could receive significant wind pressure.

This introduced the possibility of:

  • increased stress on the mounting system;

  • unnecessary wind resistance;

  • deformation of the rear metal panel.

Instead of continuing with the original backplate, we modified the structure.

The Solution: Ventilated Slotted Backplate

We redesigned the rear star panel with a series of elongated ventilation slots.

The purpose of these slots is to allow part of the airflow to pass through the structure instead of forcing the entire wind load against a solid metal surface.

However, simply making large openings would have created another problem.

Large openings could allow birds to reach into the internal cavity.

Therefore, the slot width was intentionally designed at approximately:

5 mm

This represents a balance between two different requirements:

Allow airflow through the rear panel

while also:

reducing the possibility of bird beaks or claws reaching the internal LEDs and wiring.

This is a good example of how one outdoor design problem can affect another.

Reducing wind pressure should not create a new electrical or wildlife-protection problem.

LED Placement Also Had to Change

Once ventilation slots were added to the rear panel, the LED layout also needed to be reconsidered.

We did not want the LEDs to sit directly behind the openings.

In other words:

The LED strips should be offset from the ventilation slots.

This detail helps reduce several potential problems.

It makes it more difficult for birds to reach the lighting system through the openings.

It also reduces the possibility of rain entering through a ventilation slot and immediately contacting an LED strip.

At the same time, it helps prevent visible LED points from being seen directly through the rear openings.

The final concept therefore considers both:

ventilation geometry

and:

LED positioning

as part of the same system.

Why Outdoor Sign Design Requires More Than Making Something “Waterproof”

When people discuss outdoor signs, waterproofing is often the first specification mentioned.

It is certainly important—but waterproofing alone does not make an outdoor sign suitable for every environment.

For a project like this church steeple star, we also needed to consider:

  • wind exposure;

  • structural deformation;

  • bird access;

  • corrosion;

  • UV exposure;

  • hidden electrical components;

  • drainage and ventilation;

  • mounting stability;

  • installation limitations;

  • future maintenance.

A successful outdoor sign is therefore the result of several systems working together.

The metal structure, lighting system, mounting hardware, electrical components, openings, finishes, and installation method all affect one another.

Warranty and After-Sales Support

Even with careful design, no manufacturer can predict every environmental condition a sign may experience over many years outdoors.

For that reason, this project also includes a defined after-sales support plan.

One-Year Complete Sign Warranty

For the first year after delivery, if the complete star fails to operate because of a confirmed manufacturing or electrical defect—and the failure is not caused by misuse or external damage—the complete sign can be replaced according to the applicable warranty conditions.

Two-Year Limited Warranty for Core Electrical Components

Core electrical components include items such as:

  • LED lighting;

  • power supply;

  • connecting wires;

  • related electrical components.

If a confirmed product-quality defect occurs within the applicable warranty period, replacement parts can be supplied.

If, during the second year, the issue is limited to an LED strip, power supply, wire, or another replaceable electrical component, the normal solution would be to replace the affected component rather than the entire metal star.

Manufacturing defects related to the metal structure, such as confirmed:

  • welding defects;

  • assembly defects;

are also handled according to the applicable warranty terms.

The warranty does not normally cover damage or deterioration resulting from circumstances outside the manufacturing process, including:

  • normal outdoor aging;

  • gradual UV fading;

  • environmental corrosion beyond normal material expectations;

  • incorrect wiring;

  • incorrect voltage;

  • unauthorized modification;

  • lightning;

  • hurricanes;

  • extreme storms;

  • other severe environmental or external events.

After the warranty period, replacement or repair components may still be supplied at cost where available, together with continued technical support.

What We Learned From This Church Star Project

This illuminated church star began as a relatively simple request:

Create a durable outdoor five-point star that can be seen at night.

But once we considered the actual installation environment, the project became much more than designing the shape of a star.

We had to think about:

  • how birds could damage exposed lighting;

  • how wind would interact with a solid rear panel;

  • how a sign almost 50 ft above ground could move;

  • how to reduce swinging and rotation;

  • how to protect LEDs without trapping unnecessary wind pressure;

  • how ventilation openings could affect wildlife protection;

  • how LED placement should relate to those openings;

  • how to design installation options without requiring on-site welding;

  • how future repair could be handled if an electrical component eventually fails.

The final design therefore evolved into a 20" × 20" brushed titanium-gold 304 stainless steel 3D hollow illuminated star, featuring concealed LED lighting, a ventilated slotted rear structure, multiple mechanical attachment options, and outdoor-focused electrical protection.

For us, this project is a reminder that good custom outdoor signage should not begin with the question:

“How should it look?”

It should begin with:

“Where will it be installed, and what will it need to survive?”

Once those questions are answered, appearance, lighting, materials, structure, and mounting can be designed around the real environment.

If you are planning a custom outdoor illuminated sign, rooftop sign, church sign, building logo, metal light box, or another project that will be installed in a difficult outdoor location, we hope this case study helps you identify some of the questions worth asking before production begins.

If you have questions about this project—or if you have encountered other outdoor signage challenges that we did not cover—feel free to leave a comment or contact NNEEOONN by email.

We are always interested in learning from real installation experiences and improving the way outdoor signs are designed.

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