ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became effective on January 1, 1992, has greatly impacted signage as an element of overall building and landscape design.

All characteristics of effective signage have an impact on ADA compliance, including conspicuity, contrast, type of finish, and use of symbols, as well as ADA-specific requirements such as tactile lettering, size of lettering, the use of Braille, and sign placement.

Architectural

Typical architectural sign uses include directional or wayfinding signage, point of purchase signage, directories, regulatory signs, and a wide variety of on-premise signs inside multi-tenant buildings.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) greatly impacts all elements of effective architectural signage, including conspicuity, contrast, type of finish, and use of symbols, as well as tactile lettering, size of lettering, the use of Braille, and sign placement.

A frameless sign made of fabric, plastic or other lightweight, non-rigid material.  Banners can be created for indoor or outdoor applications, and can be painted, screened, digitally printed or decorated with vinyl.

Banners can be fabricated in various weights, finishes, and textures and can be created in any shape, size, and orientation.  Grommets, webbing, or polepocketing can be included to facilitate installation.

General term for a traditional "box" type sign made up of a face and back or two faces, with designs ranging from simple plastic faces to metal faces with push-thru letters. Often called lightboxes, cabinet signs can be internally illuminated, externally illuminated or non-illuminated, and are good for both interior and exterior applications.

A cabinet sign can allow for a look not typically achievable with channel letters, as the background of the sign can be the element that illuminates and the copy can be either translucent (lighted) or opaque (non-lighted). Cabinet signs can also be used when small letter size or graphical elements make the use of channel letters impossible.

Campaign Signs (& Real Estate Signs)

General term for any temporary sign pertaining to a political campaign. Campaign signs are typically not constructed or intended for long-term use.

Most often made of wood or corrugated plastic, campaign signs are an economical advertising option. Non-wood versions of campaign signs installed in the ground generally use stab or step stakes and frames, requiring no tools for their installation.

Carved Signs (& Routed Signs)

A sign created by the cutting away from a solid material such as stone or wood, where the lettering and / or design is cut down into the surface of the sign blank. Traditionally one-of-a-kind, handcarved pieces, many "carved" signs are now at least partially CNC routed or machine carved.

In addition to stone or wood, carved signs can be made from High Density Urethane, (HDU), a substitute that weathers better than natural wood. It' s more difficult to do detailed painting on carved signs than it is on sandblasted signs since with carved signs the design areas are recessed, not raised.

Channel Letters

A formed or fabricated three-dimensional, individually illuminated letter or graphic. Channel letters are comprised of U-shaped metal channels into which neon glass is installed.

Standard channel letters have a U-channel base with a colored Plexiglas face. Reverse channel letters have metal faces and sides, but a clear plastic backing. Mounted an inch or two away from the wall, at night these letters create a halo-lit effect. Open face channel letters have a clear plastic face which exposes the letter' s raw neon.

Digital Printing

A technique linking computers directly to high end inkjet, laser and other presses to print directly from an electronic copy of an image, thereby bypassing the need for film.

Typically used for on-demand or short-run color printing, the benefits of digital printing over traditional off-set litho printing include faster turnaround times, lowered production costs, and the ability to personalize documents.

Dimensional Letters

A formed or fabricated non-illuminated letter. Dimensional letters create lower profile identification than illuminated or channel letters, but offer a wide variety of uses at an economical price.

Almost any material can be used to fabricate dimensional letters, particularly for indoor applications, while non-illuminated letters for outdoor use made from materials such as acrylic, wood, and aluminum can provide years of durability and service.

Electronic Displays

General term referring to any type of electronic programmable sign. Often called electronic message centers or electronic changeable copy signs, the content of electronic displays is changed or altered via electrically illuminated or mechanically driven changeable segments.

Electronic displays may project still images, scrolling images or moving images, including video and animation. Fixed message electronic displays have preprogrammed informational content, while computer controlled variable message electronic displays have content that can be changed or altered by computer driven electronic impulses.

Electronic Message Centers

General term for any type of electronic programmable sign. Often called electronic displays or electronic changeable copy signs, the content of electronic message centers is changed or altered via electrically illuminated or mechanically driven changeable segments.

Electronic message centers may project still images, scrolling images or moving images, including video and animation. Fixed message electronic displays have preprogrammed informational content, while computer controlled variable message electronic displays have content that can be changed or altered by computer driven electronic impulses.

Fleet Graphics (Vertical Graphics)

Any type of advertising applied to any type of vehicle.

Often referred to as a rolling billboard, fleet graphic techniques and materials include temporary magnetic signs, paint, pinstriping, computer-cut vinyl lettering, die-cut decals, full-color photo wraps, and perforated window film.

Free Standing Signs

Any sign installed in or directly on the ground where the primary structural support is not a building but rather uprights, braces, columns, poles, or other vertical members.

Common examples of free standing signs include pole signs, pylon signs, and monument signs.

Interior Signs

A sign located inside a building or facility. Typical interior signage uses include directional or wayfinding signage, point of purchase signage, directories, regulatory signs, and a wide variety of on-premise signs inside multi-tenant buildings.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) greatly impacts all elements of effective interior signage, including conspicuity, contrast, type of finish, and use of symbols, as well as tactile lettering, size of lettering, the use of Braille, and sign placement.

Monuments

A ground sign with low overall height. A monument is a detached, freestanding sign whose sign surface is attached to a proportionate solid base or structural frame.

Also called ground signs or low profile signs, monuments are typically known for their solid base and low-to-the-ground installation. They can be internally or externally illuminated.

Neon

A glass vacuum tube filled with neon gas and phosphors formed into signs, letters or shapes. Although red is the color neon gas naturally produces, different colors are obtained by mixing other gases, or by using florescent coatings.

Neon signs are illuminated by either a transformer or a switching power supply. The light-emitting tubes form colored lines with which text can be written or a picture drawn, and programming sequences of switching parts on and off can create dynamic light patterns.

Pole Signs

A freestanding sign with a visible support structure. Often called pylons, pole signs may be internally or externally illuminated and offer excellent visibility from a distance.

A pole sign is a detached sign permanently installed in or on the ground, supported by uprights, braces, columns, poles, or other vertical members which are not attached to a building, and where the bottom edge of the sign face is generally located a minimum of several feet above the base of the sign.

Pylon Signs

A freestanding sign with a visible support structure. Often called pole signs, pylons may be internally or externally illuminated and offer excellent visibility from a distance.

A pylon sign is a detached sign permanently installed in or on the ground, supported by uprights, braces, columns, poles, or other vertical members which are not attached to a building, and where the bottom edge of the sign face is generally located a minimum of several feet above the base of the sign.

Sandblasted Signs

A sign created by placing a rubber stencil over letters and images and etching the background with a high-pressure mix of sand and air. The lettering and design areas are then sanded smooth and painted.

Both wood and High Density Urethane or HDU, (a substitute that weathers better than natural wood), can be sandblasted, with HDU sandblasted signs usually resembling a stucco or sandy texture. It' s easier to do fine detailed painting on sandblasted signs than it is on routed or carved signs as with sandblasted signs the design areas are raised, not recessed.

Screen Printing (Silk Screening)

Also known as silk screening, screen printing is the technique of applying an image to a printed surface by ink squeegeed through a stenciled screen stretched over a frame. The stenciled screen is treated with a light-sensitive emulsion, then film positives are put in contact with the screen and exposed to light. The light hardens the emulsion not covered by the film, leaving a soft area on the screen for the squeegee to force ink through in the form of the desired image. Each separate color requires its own screen.

Screen printing allows printing on virtually any substrate of any shape.

Sign Painting

Hand painted signs, (in particular, hand painted lettering), as opposed to computer generated 4-color vinyl images applied to sign faces. Each hand painted sign is a unique, original work of art.

Traditional sign painting may be required for surfaces on to which vinyl film cannot be adhered, such as concrete rendered and porous surfaces, canvas shop canopies, murals, and areas that must withstand harsh atmospheric conditions, but where the higher cost of an alternative is deemed prohibitive. Hand painted signs also have the advantage of being able to be repainted as necessary.

Site Signs (Yard Signs)

General term for any temporary sign typically not constructed or intended for long-term use.

Most often made of wood or corrugated plastic, site signs are an economical advertising option. Non-wood versions of site signs installed in the ground generally use stab or step stakes and frames, requiring no tools for their installation.

Vinyl Graphics

An adhesive backed sign made of vinyl film, generally applied to windows, floors, displays or vehicles. Vinyl graphics can range from stock letters and die-cut decals to custom computer-cut lettering, logos, and full-color photo wraps.

Vinyl graphics are composed of a polyvinylchloride (PVC) film backed with an adhesive that creates a strong bond to a surface when pressure is applied. Available for a variety of short-term / long-term, indoor / outdoor applications, vinyl graphics can be applied to nearly any surface and are removable, leaving no residue.