ADA Signs – You Have To Have Them, So Why Not Make Them Great? – Hampton, VA

Every business owner wants to make sure that they are doing everything possible to make their business welcoming and accessible. This is integral for the growth of the business as limited accessibility will hinder potential growth and inhibit building a returning customer base. Having signs that everybody can use is a simple and easy way to create an environment for every person, not to mention ADA signs are required by law. With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, business owners are responsible for having signs that are compliant with all the requirements of this act. This works to ensure that people with disabilities have the same access to a business or other establishment as people without disabilities. ADA signs have to meet a number of different criteria in order to be considered ADA compliant.

Some of the requirements for a sign to be an ADA sign include:

• Signs identifying a particular room must be located adjacent to that room for easy identification.
• Signs in Braille must have tactile lettering, in order to assist those patrons who have trouble seeing or who cannot see at all.
• Signs with visual design characteristics, such as arrows or wheelchairs, must have a dark background with these design characteristics in a lighter color.
• ADA compliant signs must be glare-proof.
• Signs must be in easy-to-spot locations and highly visible to everyone.
• Font type is limited to only Sans-Serif style fonts.

Despite these requirements, there is no need for an ADA sign to have a bland or otherwise unappealing visual design. There are ways to work within these requirements and still have a high-quality sign that is creative and visually interesting. The team of designers at James River Signs has experience working with businesses designing ADA compliant signs that are not simply the bulk-standard design. By working to create a design while still staying within the guidelines set by the ADA, your signs can be unique and eye-catching, helping them to serve their purpose and make an impression. One way that this can be accomplished is by working with a color scheme that is easily associated with the business. ADA signs do not have to conform to the typical – businesses can integrate these signs into their vision while complying with federal guidelines.