Making your business more accessible by installing tactile braille signage doesn't just make good business sense. Depending on the nature of your business, they may be legally required.
Commercial sign manufacturers can create custom braille signage suitable for any kind of business, and these signs can be made from a wide variety of different materials. If you are looking for braille signs for your business, the following sign materials can all be excellent choices:
Wood
Wooden signs are ideal for customer-facing businesses that want to add a touch of class to their indoor signage. They are a common sight in hotels, spas, and boutique shops. Attractive and eye-catching, they can be used in most indoor applications, and are durable enough to withstand years of use.
Bear in mind that untreated timber signs will feel slightly rough to the touch, which can make them more difficult to read for braille users. Make sure the signs you choose smooth, lacquered or epoxy-coated surface, so the braille stands out from its surface more clearly. Alternatively, you can choose wooden signs with plastic or metal embossed braille, providing a useful textural contrast.
Acrylic Plastic
Practical and cost-effective, acrylic braille signs are useful for any type of business, and their low cost makes them an ideal bulk purchase for larger commercial buildings.
Their waterproof surfaces are easy to clean and sanitise and will help protect your blind and partially-sighted customers and/or staff from transmissible illnesses. They are particularly useful as toilet and bathroom signs.
Acrylic plastic signs are coloured during the manufacturing process, so their colours tend to be more vibrant and long-lasting than other sign materials. This is ideal for creating high-contrast braille signage, which will be easier to use for partially sighted people.
PVC Plastic
PVC plastic braille signs have similar properties to acrylic signs and are usually comparable in price. However, PVC signage is more resistant to fading caused by UV sunlight, with brighter colours that last for years. They can be an ideal choice for exterior signage, such as entrance and exit signs, accessible bathrooms with exterior entrances, outdoor displays and dedication plaques.
Glass
If you run a luxury business and want your building's signage to be equally luxurious, the sleek, sophisticated look of glass signage is hard to beat. Glass braille signs can be etched, laser-cut, or embossed with metal or plastic to create legible braille. Like plastic signs, glass signs are also easy to clean and maintain and can be used safely in wet and/or humid environments.
Bear in mind that because glass signs are mostly transparent or translucent, they can be difficult to spot for partially sighted customers. You can supplement them with adjoining, high-contrast plastic signs or integrate bright colours into their designs to make them more easily visible.
Metal
Metal braille signs are extremely versatile. You can leave them unpainted and use laser etching or engraving to create braille, plain text and designs, or brighter, high-contrast signs coloured with paints or powder coatings. They can be a fine addition to both luxury and essential businesses and can be used safely in indoor and outdoor contexts.
If you choose metal braille signs for exterior use, opt for aluminium instead of steel. While aluminium signs are more expensive, they are virtually immune to corrosion when exposed to moisture and do not require protective coatings. With a little care and attention, these signs can last for decades.
For more information about braille signs, contact a local company.
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