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EL Poster Size Chart: What Fits a Fridge, Shelf or Window
Most EL poster orders fail on size, not design. Here are the practical panel sizes for fridge doors, shelves, windows and walls, the edge clearance to leave, and the measurement mistakes that cost buyers a second production run.
The problem in one line: most EL poster orders go wrong on size, not on design. A panel that is 40 mm too wide will not sit flat on a fridge door, and a panel that is too small disappears inside a shop window at three metres.
This guide gives you the practical size ranges we build every week, the measurement mistakes that cost buyers a second production run, and the questions to ask before you approve artwork.
Quick facts before you measure
| Item | Practical range |
|---|---|
| Common thickness | 0.15-0.3 mm; the panel adds almost nothing to the mounting depth |
| Practical single-panel size | Up to roughly 80 x 150 cm; larger surfaces are built from tiled panels |
| Minimum readable graphic | Around 8 mm cap height at 2 m viewing distance; smaller disappears when lit |
| Bend radius | Keep flat for posters; gentle curves only on stickers and wearable items |
| Edge clearance | Leave 5-8 mm clear of the cut edge for the electrode zone |
| Power by size | Battery suits small panels; anything past A3 usually wants 12V |
| Lead time impact | Oversized panels add cutting and lamination steps, so confirm the date early |
| MOQ | Low MOQ accepted; mixed sizes allowed within one run on the same material |
What an EL poster size actually decides
Size is not just area. It drives four things at once: which power supply is realistic, how visible the animation is, how the piece is packed and shipped, and how much of your artwork survives the print.
1. Power. A small badge can run on coin cells. An A2 poster on a fridge door runs comfortably from a battery box. A metre-wide window panel almost always wants a 12V adapter, because the battery would need replacing too often to be practical for staff.
2. Animation legibility. Animation works by switching lit zones on and off. On a small panel, four zones will read as a flicker. On a large panel, the same four zones read as a deliberate sequence. If animation is central to your idea, the panel has to be big enough for the eye to track it.
3. Packing and freight. Panels above roughly 60 cm on the long edge usually ship flat in a reinforced carton rather than rolled, and volumetric weight becomes the dominant freight cost. This is the number buyers forget when they compare quotes from two suppliers with different packing methods.
4. Artwork survival. Thin strokes, small serifs and fine gradients are the first casualties of the print and lamination steps. A 2 mm stroke looks crisp on screen and disappears when the panel is lit from behind.
Size chart by application
| Where it goes | Practical panel size | Power that works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fridge door / cooler front | A5-A4 (148 x 210 mm to 210 x 297 mm) | Battery box, magnet or hook-and-loop | Staff swap these often, so keep the wiring simple |
| Bottle or can neck label | 60-120 mm wide strip | 12V or coin cell | Curve must be gentle; sharp wrapping cracks the electrode |
| Shelf talker / price rail | 100-200 mm wide, 60-90 mm tall | Coin cell or AAA | Sits at eye level; keep the message to one line |
| Counter card | A5-A4 on a stand | Battery or 12V | Angled stand improves readability from standing height |
| Shop window | A2-A1 (420 x 594 mm to 594 x 841 mm) | 12V adapter | Needs the brightest build; check daylight exposure |
| Bar menu board | A1 or tiled A0 | 12V, hard-wired | Mount behind glass to stop cleaning damage |
| Trade show backwall | 1-3 m wide, tiled | 12V, multiple drivers | Plan the seam positions with the booth layout |
| Stage backdrop | Project-specific | Mains inverter bank | Site survey required before quoting |
How to measure the surface properly
Measure the surface, then subtract what you cannot use. Frame rebates, door handles, glass beading and shelf lips all eat into the usable area. A fridge door measured at 600 mm wide often gives you 540 mm of genuinely flat mounting surface once the handle and the seal are excluded.
Step 1. Photograph the surface with a tape measure visible in the frame. This single habit prevents most size disputes, because we can see what you are working with instead of relying on a number in an email.
Step 2. Mark the usable rectangle on the photo, not the full surface. Leave clearance for hinges, handles and any moving part.
Step 3. Decide the viewing distance before you decide the size. Two metres is a shelf; five metres is a window; ten metres is a wall. The graphic has to be sized to the distance, not to the available space.
Step 4. Confirm where the power will come from. If there is no socket within reach, the answer is a battery build, and battery builds want smaller panels.
The three size mistakes we see most
Filling the whole surface. A panel that touches all four edges of a frame has nowhere to expand, and any tolerance in the frame shows as a wrinkle in the panel. Leave 3-5 mm of clearance inside the frame.
Designing at screen scale. A layout that looks balanced on a 1920 px canvas often reads as cramped on an A4 panel, because the print resolution and the lit area change the visual weight.
Ignoring the electrode edge. The conductive trace runs along one edge. If your graphic bleeds to that edge, the trace becomes visible when lit. Keep 5-8 mm of dead space, or design a border that hides it.
Features, advantages, and what they change for your budget
| Feature | Advantage | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Single panel up to ~80 x 150 cm | One piece, one driver, no seams | Fewer parts to fail and simpler installation |
| Tiled panels beyond that | Built to wall dimensions | Large surfaces without a custom light box |
| Thin profile 0.15-0.3 mm | Mounts on doors, glass and curved shells | No recess or frame depth needed |
| Low power per area | Battery builds are practical | No electrician on site for small pieces |
| Die-cut outline | Lit area equals the brand shape | The silhouette does the work, not a border |
| Zone animation | 2-8 sequenced zones | Motion without a screen or media player |
When a different product is the better answer
If the surface faces direct sun for most of the day, EL will look washed out next to a backlit LED box, and we will tell you that instead of taking the order. If you need to change the message weekly, a printed poster inside a frame is cheaper than a new EL panel every time. If you need video motion, EL is the wrong technology entirely.
Sizes we build and how they are specified
Why Choose BESDA EL Banner
1. Direct factory source, better quality control. Panels are printed, laminated and wired in our Foshan facility. No trading layer between you and the line, so a spec change reaches the operator the same day instead of a week later.
2. 15+ years professional & expert experience. We have been producing electroluminescent displays since the early 2000s for beverage, FMCG and event clients. That history is why we can tell you in the first call whether your idea will print cleanly.
3. Smooth communication & fast response. One named contact handles your order from quote to shipping. We reply within 1 hour, 24×7, and we answer in writing so nothing depends on a phone call you cannot forward to your team.
4. Small qty acceptable. Most custom EL products start from 5 pcs. You can test a market, a single store or one event before committing to a production run.
5. Cooperated with more than 100+ global brands. Work from beverage, cosmetics, telecom and retail clients across Europe, the Middle East and the Americas has taught us the artwork and compliance quirks of each market.
6. Stable lead time & fast delivery. Production slots are booked when your deposit lands, and the sampling and bulk dates are confirmed in writing. If a deadline is unrealistic we say so before you pay, not after.
Common questions
What is the largest single EL panel you make?
Around 80 x 150 cm in one piece. Anything larger is tiled from multiple panels with colour matching and overlapping print at the joints.
Can I get a size between standard sizes?
Yes, panels are cut to your drawing. There is no standard-size price list to fit into; we quote the size you actually need.
Does a bigger panel cost more to ship?
Usually the freight, not the panel, is what jumps. Above roughly 60 cm on the long edge we ship flat, and volumetric weight takes over from actual weight.
How small can text be on a lit panel?
Plan for about 8 mm cap height at 2 m viewing distance. Below that the glow bleeds and the letters merge.
Can I reuse the same panel size for a second campaign?
Yes, and you should. Keeping the size and driver and changing only the printed layer is the cheapest way to run repeat campaigns.
Send us the surface and the quantity
Send the size, quantity and destination country. We reply within 1 hour with feasibility, MOQ and lead time in writing.
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