Interior signage is one of the most overlooked aspects of commercial building management. Tenants, visitors, and employees interact with wayfinding signs every time they walk through a lobby, down a corridor, or into a restroom. When that signage is missing, inconsistent, or non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it creates confusion, liability, and a poor first impression.
What ADA Requires
The ADA sets specific standards for signs that identify permanent rooms and spaces. These include raised text and Grade 2 (contracted) Braille, non-glare finishes, high contrast between text and background, and mounting heights measured to the tactile characters themselves — the 2010 ADA Standards set a minimum to the baseline of the lowest character and a maximum to the baseline of the highest, so the exact placement depends on the sign's character height and should be confirmed against the current standard for your project. Room identification signs, restroom signs, exit signs, and stairwell signs all fall under ADA requirements. Directional and informational signs have a separate set of rules focused on character proportion, height, and contrast.
Designing a Wayfinding System
Effective wayfinding goes beyond checking compliance boxes. A well-designed system guides people through a building intuitively — from the parking garage to the elevator, from the lobby directory to the correct suite. It uses consistent colors, typography, and iconography so that once a visitor learns the system in the lobby, they can navigate every floor without confusion. GOM Signs designs wayfinding packages that cover directories, directional signs, room IDs, restroom signs, and code-required exit and stairwell signs.
Materials and Durability
Interior signs need to be durable enough for high-traffic commercial environments. We fabricate ADA signs from acrylic, photopolymer, and aluminum substrates with applied tactile text and Braille. Finishes range from matte and satin to brushed metal and wood-grain laminates. For properties that want a premium look, we produce dimensional letters and custom plaques in metal and acrylic that integrate with the building interior design.
If your building is undergoing a renovation, a tenant change, or an accessibility review, now is the right time to address your interior signage. We will walk your space, put together a sign schedule and design package, and fabricate and install it — coordinating with your architect or accessibility consultant, who signs off on final compliance.
