The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has considerably enhanced the quality of life for millions of Americans. The far-reaching law requires that parking lots, buildings, restrooms, and nearly every facet of everyday life be accessible to those with physical impairments. The law has enabled those with disabilities to live more robust, independent lives. To ensure that public spaces are accessible to those with disabilities, the law requires that most buildings meet certain signage requirements.
The ADA requires that buildings have signage located at all doorways, including restrooms, entrances, exits, stairs, elevators, and areas of refuge. If a doorway is not accessible, there must be directional signage noting the location of the closest accessible doorway. The signs must be mounted between 48-60 inches above the floor so they are easy to read even if someone is in a wheelchair. The sign should be installed on door handle side of the doorframe. Mounting the sign consistently in the same spot enables people to find and read the sign faster.
Signs denoting an entrance to a room require Braille lettering on them, however, signs denoting other spaces, such as directional signs, elevator signs, and stair signs do not. Since many visually impaired individuals do not read Braille, signs that require Braille also must have raised text as well. To make the signs even easier to read, many ADA-compliant signs require or recommend pictograms. Specifically, signs that require images are any areas that are wheelchair accessible, public text phones, public amplified phones, and assistive listening systems. The ADA recommends that signs identifying rooms use pictograms. Most buildings have pictograms to help identify their restrooms.
To make the signs easy to see and read, they must feature high contrast colors (e.g. black and white, navy blue and white, etc.). The signs should also be made from a non-glare finish and feature a non-italic or non-script font.
These tips are only a brief overview of the many details required for ADA-compliant signage. Sign Partners is an expert at designing and installing signage that meets ADA regulations. Many businesses throughout Boca Raton and South Florida rely on our knowledge and experience to create ADA compliant signage that is inclusive, attractive, and on-brand. We are a full-service company and can visit your business to make recommendations for where to place signs, design your signs, manufacture them, and install them. Contact us today to learn how we can help you with your ADA-compliant signage needs.
Sign Partners is a licensed and insured sign company in South Florida, proudly serving West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and surrounding areas. Our experts specialize in bringing your business to life through branded visuals throughout your building and beyond.
Our experienced team can craft all your signs: lobby and office signs, ADA compliant signs, monument signs, illuminated signs, business signs, vehicle wraps, trade show displays, outdoor signs, interior signs, window graphics, vehicle lettering, decals, and custom street signs, using state-of-the-art technology.
Contact us today at 561-270-6919 for a free consultation and let us provide you with a superior sign buying experience.
