Home Wayfinding and directional signs
Wayfinding and directional signs in Raleigh, NC
Good wayfinding signs get a first-time visitor from the street to the right door without asking anyone. We plan the whole route and build every sign along it.
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Plan the route, then the signs
Wayfinding is a system, not a single sign. It starts at the road with an entrance and parking sign, carries on to the right building and door, and continues inside with directories, hallway arrows and room signs. Each one answers the question a visitor has at that exact spot, and only that question, so nobody has to stop and read while they walk.
We start by walking the route a new visitor would take, or by working from your site and floor plans for new construction. We note every decision point, write a sign list with the wording and location of each sign, and keep colors, type and arrows consistent from the parking lot to the last hallway. Room signs in the set meet ADA requirements.
Signs along the route
Entrance and parking signs
Post and panel signs at the drive that point to visitor parking, the main entrance and deliveries.
Building and door signs
Clear names or numbers on each building and entrance, so visitors know which door to use.
Directories
Lobby and elevator directories listing suites and floors, with inserts you can swap when tenants change.
Hallway graphics
Wall graphics and displays give long corridors landmarks, which helps people remember where they are going.
Room and restroom signs
Room numbers, names and restroom signs with raised text and Braille, mounted to code.
Campus maps
You-are-here maps for schools, churches and multi-building sites.
Interior wayfinding work
Knightdale High SchoolHallway display wall wide shot
Focus ChurchRestroom wall graphics and logo
Knightdale High SchoolHallway history wall displays
What makes wayfinding work
- Decision points
- A sign belongs wherever a visitor has to choose: a fork in the drive, a lobby, a hallway junction, an elevator door.
- Consistency
- The same names, colors and arrows from the parking lot to the hallway. If the sign says Building B outside, it says Building B inside too.
- Few words
- People read signs while walking or driving. A destination and an arrow beats a sentence.
- Contrast
- High contrast and a non-glare finish help everyone, and they are required on directional signs under the ADA.
How a wayfinding project works
Walk the route
We follow the path a first-time visitor takes, or work from your site and floor plans.
Sign list
Every sign gets a number, its wording and its exact location, so nothing is missed.
Design family
You approve one look for every sign type, from parking directionals to door signs.
Build
Signs are made in our shop, with room signs built to ADA specs.
Install
Each sign goes up in its planned spot, and we walk the route again to check it.
Wayfinding sign questions
What are wayfinding signs?
Wayfinding signs are the set of signs that guide people through a property: entrance and parking signs, building names, directories, hallway arrows and room signs. They work best planned together, so the names and arrows stay consistent.
Do wayfinding signs need Braille?
Directional signs do not. They need high contrast and a non-glare finish. Signs that identify permanent rooms and spaces, like room numbers, restrooms and stairwells, need raised text and Braille.
Can you plan signs for a building still under construction?
Yes. We work from architectural plans and door schedules, so the sign list is ready when the building is.
Do you make outdoor directional signs too?
Yes. Post and panel directional signs for drives, parking lots and campuses are part of most wayfinding projects.
Can directories be updated when tenants change?
Yes. We make lobby and elevator directories with changeable inserts, so a new tenant means a new insert, not a new sign.
What areas do you serve?
We're based in North Raleigh and work across the Triangle, including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Garner, Morrisville and Fuquay-Varina.
Related reading
- ADA Sign Height Requirements: Mounting Rules Explained
ADA tactile signs mount with the text between 48 and 60 inches up, on the latch side of the door. The 2010 rules for room, restroom and parking signs.
Get a free wayfinding sign quote
Tell us what you need and where it goes. Carlo will get back to you with questions or a price.
- Free quote, no obligation
- We handle the permit
- Design, build and install in one shop
Rather talk it through?
Call 919-696-0353