Long Letters: For letters with descenders (“g”, “j”, “p”, “q”, “y”) we can build them by placing the other letters on a base so that everything aligns correctly.

Leaning Letters: Some Letters will not stand on their own, such as a “P” – it will fall over to the right. To work around this, double-sided tape can be used on the floor to hold the letters in place. They can be attached to a pre-built base.

Size of Letters:

• Height – Most of our TEDx letters are between 2′ and 4′ tall with 30″-36″ being the most common height. Much of this is dependent on the stage and how far away the participants are sitting. Occasionally, we will receive an order with letters being 5′ and 6′ tall – these are for very large stages. A “TEDx Austin” at 3′ tall would equate to approximately 23′ in length – the same 4′ letters would be about 30′ in length. Pricing is greatly impacted by the size of the letters.

• Width – This is an automatic calculation because the Helvetica font dictates the width, based on the height of the letter. On average, Helvetica has a width to height ratio of 75%, but this varies from letter to letter. For example if the letter is 4′ tall, the width will automatically be 3′ (75%).

• Depth – Generally, most 3′ to 4′ tall letters are 12″ deep, which is a good depth to keep letters from falling over or being accidentally knocked over. Depending on the desired look, they could be anywhere from 6″ to 36″ deep. The depth of the letters also greatly impacts the price.

• Size/pricing – a 48″ tall letter by 12″ deep letter can be over twice as expensive as a 30″ x 12″ letter.

Floating X: We can build the “x” to appear to float in the air (by using an acrylic backing or an acrylic dowel rod/with stand holding the “x” in the air). If cost is an issue the “x” can sit on the floor.

Coatings: Most of our TEDx letters are ordered without any smooth finish or without any special strength coatings. Occasionally an order will occur where someone wants a very smooth finish – this may be to accomodate the group signing their names on the front of the letters. Sometimes we will have special strength coatings applied, especially if the letters are to be used over and over. The smooth finishes and strength coatings usually apply to NON-TEDx letters.

Bases: Bases can be built in a lot of different ways, the least expensive base is with foam, but very commonly we build them with MDF, making a very solid-looking base. It is also common to build them with an acrylic or polycarbonate base and then the letters are glued in place. If the bases are painted, typically they are the same color as the location letters (Austin).

Process: After the dimensions and order specifications are finalized, our hot wire foam cutters start the process. Each letter is cut individually. We use 2 pound EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) which is common for foam letters. This means that a cubic foot of foam weighs two pounds. The letters are cut thick enough so that they will stand on their own or with the help of a base. Next comes the painting of the letters. The paint is specific to the TEDx requirements for Pantone colors. If the “x” is meant to look like it is floating, we then attach a dowel rod/stand or an acrylic backing.

At this point we ship the letters (all of them are individually wrapped). One of the most surpising things to our customers is how they are shipped. The normal UPS and FedEx carriers won’t ship these large items, so typically they are shipped via Motor Cargo. When shipping, remember that the larger the letter, the more expensive the shipping will be and it usually means that it will take a few days longer to arrive.