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All over the region, businesses are installing ADA signage. Some of the signs are designed and mounted correctly. Others are not. The regulations for ADA compliant signs are fairly straightforward for signage experts who have been following them for decades. There are just a few basic aspects and key rules to ADA markers that should always be followed.

On the other hand, companies fail to meet the requirements for two main reasons. They either do not know what is needed, or they simply ignore the guidelines. Either way, you leave yourself open to thousands of dollars in fines when you fail to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Trending Signs has put together a list of some of the most prevalent mistakes with ADA signs in Doral FL to help you avoid stiff penalties.

Text and Symbols that Are Too Small or Large

There are several simple requirements for tactile characters, such as they must have a depth of 5/8” to 2”. But, when the design does not have enough room for Braille and compliant tactile characters, this rule is often ignored. You can get away with half-inch tactile characters when you have a dual message sign, where the raised symbols and lettering are the same color as the background.

Missing or Incorrect Braille

Sign makers can manufacture compliant Braille signs using a variety of different methods. There are specific guidelines addressing the placement, structure of the dot, and cell spacing set out in the 2010 ADA Standards. There is specific language covering this aspect, but basically, in the Miami-Dade County region, you must have Grade II Braille.

Poor Text Spacing

One of the trickier parts of the ADA is the letter spacing, called kerning. There must be at least 1/8” between the two closest points of any tactile characters according to the latest standards. When certain letter pairs are naturally closer together, this can lead to difficulties.

Incorrect Mounting Position

With the 2010 Standards, the mounting rules for ADA signage changed. Signs can be mounted at heights of four to five feet above the floor. In the code, most of the installation details are spelled out. Yet, we will ensure that your signage is at the right height.

Hard to Read Fonts

“Font” is usually a nasty four-letter word when it comes to design. Many organizations do not realize that the tactile fonts on ADA signs have to be San Serif. For these purposes, Helvetica is a commonly requested typeface. We recommend using dual message signs if there is not a San Serif typeface that goes well with your branding.

If you are scratching your head after reading all of these rules, leave the dirty work to the professionals at Trending Signs. We will travel to your venue, perform a site survey, and make suggestions for what signs you need to be in compliance. We can then manufacture your markers to comply with the laws and mount them for you. Contact us today for a free quote on ADA signs in Doral FL.