Dog Blog
As a small business owner, you may feel that the rules and regulations regarding signs that are ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, compliant are overwhelming and that you’re in over your head. There just seems to be so much that could go wrong, you may be thinking, and how can people be expected to follow all the requirements?
Well, fear not: designing ADA signs is easier than you think. It’s not rocket science; all you need to do is learn the rules and follow them. Let’s look at a few of the rules regarding sign design to make sure that your interior signage is ADA compliant.
Rule # 1: Font and Case
One of the most critical aspects of any good ADA sign design is using the appropriate font and letter case. Your font for your sign should be sans-serif. It should not contain italics or be a script font, or in any other way appear overly decorative.
As for letter case, the characters of your sign should all be uppercase. This, along with the sans-serif font, makes your sign easier to read for those with vision impairments. It can also be helpful for people with a learning disability such as dyslexia.
Rule # 2: Color
While you may want to use your company’s color scheme for your ADA sign, be aware that certain colors placed next to each other make it hard for your sign to be read. You want to choose colors that have a strong level of dark-to-light contrast between them. But be careful. Too much contrast can make your sign look garish and actually cause it to be less easily read.
On the other hand, don’t hesitate to utilize your brand’s colors if they work well together in terms of contrast and readability. For example, if your company’s colors are dark red and white, you could design an ADA sign that has a dark red background with white lettering. These two colors have a high level of contrast between them, so the sign should be readable.
Rule # 3: Braille
ADA signs require Braille, which is a language used by those with vision impairments. It consists of raised bumps, or Braille dots, which allows the visually impaired to read the sign with their fingertips. Your Braille dots should have a rounded shape and should be placed underneath the corresponding text.
Design Your Own ADA Sign Today
If you’re ready to design and install quality ADA signs, give Black Dog Sign Company a call. We are your one-stop shop for ADA signs as well as many other types of signage. Contact us today for a free quote.
