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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a stipulation that spells out the types of signage products a business owner must put up to comply with the law. This law applies to retailers as well as companies doing business out of an office. Are you in compliance? More importantly, are you doing so with custom ADA signs?

How are ADA Signs Different?

The Act affects primarily wayfinding and safety signs. Geared toward the needs of the visually impaired, these products must make it possible for someone to find the desired location independently.

• Notable color contrast. No matter what color palette you favor with your interior décor, the color difference of a compliant ADA sign must be about 70 percent. A good example would be the color pairing of navy blue and orange.
• Touchable components. Wayfinding signs need to feature raised numerals, lettering, symbols, and Braille II dots. For a blind consumer who reads information in this way, the dots must clearly communicate the same message as the lettering.
• Mandated installation locations. The Act spells out where and how your compliant signage must display. The instructions are so detailed that they feature the exact height measurement from the bottom of the sign to the ground.

It is fair to say that compliance is not something you leave to chance. Eyeballing the display locations and moving a sign from right to left simply to make it look nicer is not acceptable. We recommend working with our specialists to schedule a walkthrough that lets us inventory your compliant signs and note products you are missing.

Marketing and Branding Message Communication with ADA Signage

There used to be a time when standardized signs from big box office supply stores would be the beginning and end to compliant signage. Clashing with interior decorating schemes and color choices, ADA signs have been the bane of many a company owner’s existence for years. Fortunately, you no longer have to make do with generic signs. In fact, it is possible to integrate your corporate color palette into the design of the products and present markers that are legal and look great in your space!

For example, did you know that cast metal plaques are ideal ADA signs? Durable, paintable, and visually attractive, they add chic and style to any setting. The use of metal instantly emphasizes the pizzazz of your office, store, or campus. By adjusting the material selection, cast metal looks at home in a minimalist setting as well as in traditional surroundings. Additionally, metal fits in almost anywhere. We integrate a corporate color and then use the ideal contrast feature to comply.

Acrylic is another excellent material option for this purpose. Its durability allows for constant touching while the versatility of the material lets you combine multiple colors, raised characters, and style elements. For example, envision the use of a soft image vinyl overlay that features your corporate logo. We present the ADA-compliant lettering with the proper color contrast and allow you to communicate a room’s function or a wayfinding direction while also adding a branding message.

Do not ignore compliance or mar your setting’s good looks with lackluster generic signs; order custom ADA signs. The experts at the Black Dog Sign Company can schedule a compliance walkthrough or consultation appointment today!