How to Design an ADA-Compliant Sign

By Mike Shabluk | June 12, 2018

There are various factors to consider when designing ADA signage. Many entrepreneurs are concerned that ADA sign design might turn out to be aesthetically unattractive. However, many ADA-compliant signs are designed with not only utility as a key factor but also aesthetic appeal.

These are mostly utilitarian interior signs. But at times, strong visual design assists individuals with disabilities in being able to read ADA signage. Awareness of this fact will help you in the signage design process.

Let us understand how to create an excellent ADA sign design.

Get the Basics Right

This goal centers on how ADA signage regulations and requirements impact your design options. ADA signage should have raised (tactile) letters and/or Braille lettering for individuals who are visually impaired. The sign should use simple serif or sans-serif fonts with proper spacing between letters to enable convenient reading.

Contrast is also an important factor. ADA-compliant signs should have strong light-to-dark contrast, or vice versa. Signs with low contrast may be more difficult to read.

Color selection also relates to contrast. You should consider combinations with a strong degree of contrast but be cautious—certain color pairings may make text appear as if it is “vibrating” against the background, which can be distracting.

Be Creative and Reinforce Your Branding

With creativity, you can build brand awareness through ADA sign design. In fact, you can use requirements that may seem restrictive (such as contrast and font limitations) to actually reinforce a brand identity.

ADA signage used to be fairly basic and limited in design. However, regulations were not intended to limit creativity, visual design, or branding—as long as compliance requirements are met.

Consider this example: a business uses blue and white across its branding, including directories and lobby signage. You can subtly reinforce that identity by incorporating the same color palette into ADA-compliant restroom signage.

Using a consistent color system across ADA signage can increase brand recognition and create a more cohesive visual experience.

Criteria That Must Be Met for ADA Compliance

There are a number of criteria that must be followed for ADA sign design:

• ADA signage must use “eggshell, matte, or other non-glare” materials. This does not mean reflective materials cannot be used, but the ADA-required components must remain non-glare. Reflectivity can be measured using a glossimeter.
• ADA signs must maintain a contrast ratio of approximately 70% between tactile lettering and the background. This includes light-on-dark or dark-on-light combinations. This improves readability for individuals with low vision, but does not assist individuals who are completely blind.
• Lettering size is also specified. Tactile characters must be 1/32” raised. All lettering must be uppercase. The smallest permitted character height is 5/8”, and the largest is 2”. Other formats, such as hanging or projecting signs, follow different rules.
• Font or type style is also regulated. ADA-compliant signage is limited to simple serif or sans-serif fonts. Italics, scripts, decorative, or highly stylized fonts are not permitted. Tactile lettering must be easily readable by touch.
• There is no restriction on logos, images, or other decorative elements as long as required tactile information is present and remains clear.
• Additional type proportion requirements apply. The width-to-height ratio of characters should fall between 3:5 and 1:1. The stroke width-to-height ratio should fall between 1:1.5 and 1:10. Fonts such as Futura Regular and Helvetica Medium are commonly used because they meet these requirements.

Elements in Fabricating ADA Signage

When fabricating ADA-compliant signage, several components are involved:

• Plate: The base structure that holds all sign elements.
• Tactile Lettering: Raised characters that are 1/32” above the background surface.
• Braille: ADA requires Grade II Braille, which uses contractions to reduce character count. Grade I is not used. Most engraving software includes Braille translation tools.
• Pictogram: International symbols used on certain signs. These are typically created using the same 1/32” material as tactile lettering but do not always need to be tactile. Pictograms must be placed in a field at least 6” in height and are required on certain signage types such as restroom or no smoking signs.

The mounting location of ADA signage is also critical. Where possible, signs should be installed on the wall adjacent to the door or latch side. Installation height should be approximately 60” from the floor to the center of the sign, and at least 3” from the door frame.