SIGNS & MORE, INC. BLOG - Sign, Banner & Vehicle Graphics Facts & Information

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifies that public accommodations must comply with basic nondiscrimination requirements that prohibit exclusion, segregation and unequal treatment.  Does your facility maintain signage that is ADA compliant?  These brief points will provide a quick reference to insure that your facility maintains signage that is compliant with the ADA.  

Custom ADA Room Sign with Name Slot

Type Case:  Characters must be uppercase for easy legibility. 

Font Style:  Characters must be of a Sans Serif font style (no fancy spurs on letters); characters cannot be italic, oblique, script, highly decorative or any other unusual forms.  

Character Height.  Minimum character height:  5/8 – inch; Maximum character height:  2 inches. 

Custom ADA Restroom Sign with Logo

Raised characters and Braille.  Tactile characters must be raised a minimum of 1/32-inch.  On signs that designate permanent rooms and spaces, tactile characters must be accompanied by Grade 2 Braille.  Braille must be raised a minimum of 0.025-inch and a maximum of 0.037-inch. 

Finish and Contrast.  Characters and background must have an eggshell, matte, or non-glare finish.  For easy readability, avoid signs with a shiny or glossy finish (including certain types of glass, metal and stone finishes)

Mounting location and height.  The center of a wall-mounted sign must be exactly 60 inches above the finished floor.  Signs located near a door must be mounted on the latch side of the door 2 – 3 inches from the door jamb or to the right side of double doors.  If space is not available, signs should be located on the nearest adjacent wall. 

Perpendicular and Ceiling-mounted signs.  Signs that project from the wall or ceiling must have a clearance of 84 inches from the finished floor to the bottom of the sign.  Signs should not interfere with or block the function of any doors, emergency equipment or sprinklers. 

For more information about the ADA, visit  http://www.ada.gov/2010ADAstandards_index.htm.

Signs & More will be happy to help you with your next ADA signage project.