Wayfinding Signage serve a very important role for your facility and as a facility or property manager it’s important to understand the difference between the types of Wayfinding Signage. These types of signs come into place in different types of facilities like communities, multi-family housing, malls, hospitals, office buildings or any other public building.
In this article we will explain four different types of Wayfinding Signage including directional, identification, regulatory and informational.
Directional Signs
Directional Signs are often confused with Wayfinding Signs, while actually they are a type of Wayfinding Sign. This type of sign basically gets you where you need to be. Therefore they are most often used in large parking lots at junctions and areas without a clear traffic flow. A good directional sign avoids people getting lost plus it creates a safe environment. Directions can be communicated via illuminated or non-illuminated signs with arrows or simply with colored lines on the floor.
Identification Signs
After a good directional sign brings you to your location, an identification sign actual tells you when you reached that location. Think about a much smaller type of sign, but not less important. When you reached the hospital, you still want to make sure to reach the correct department. This is where identification signs come into place.
Regulatory Signs
Perhaps the least fun type of sign, but one that cannot be forgotten. The focus of Regulatory Signs is on safety and liability. At Sequoia Signs & Graphics we always try to incorporate your branding into your signs, however Regulatory Signs often need to comply with local, state or national rules. ADA compliant Signs are an example of regulatory signs.
Informational Signs
Informational Signs are the ones that actually should answer questions. Do you have a waiting room? What are your opening hours? Where is the pick-up location? Do you have WIFI? Informational Signs give answers to these questions. As a result symbols are often used for this type of sign, to make the information more clear and to the point.
One important factor that all wayfinding signs have in common, is that they need to be uncluttered and straight to the point. They can definitely be branded but our designers will make sure that the main message does not get lost. We will use the correct fonts, sizes and contrast for your sign design.
Need some advice on the correct type of Wayfinding Signage for your facility? Our experts are available to assist with your request and provide a free consultation at your location. You can call us at (925) 300-1066 or email to [email protected].
We had the pleasure of working with Dettaglio Construction (DCI) on a recently completed exterior signage project for1716 Lofts entrance signs in Walnut Creek. DCI Construction is a Walnut Creek-based construction company that truly cares about delivering excellence down to the last detail. Dettaglio is an Italian word that translates to “the art of detail” and this theme is truly seen throughout their work. This characteristic also made them a perfect fit for Sequoia Signs because we share a love for detail.
DCI approached us with a fairly tight timeline so we really had to jump into this project quickly! Our first step with DCI was to meet with the architect and lead management to understand the scope and theme of this exterior signage project. While some try to move quickly past this step, we feel it is essential that we are on the same page. This ensures that there is consistency throughout the entire project and allows us to offer options for future signage needs.
The signs at the building entrance were the highest priority; as the saying goes, “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” The plans involved an address sign on the awning and a halo-illuminated sign in the entrance lobby. Both of the signs added a degree of luxury to the project, and combined, they really set the tone that this is a great place to live.
The awning sign consists of individually formed polished exterior aluminum letters that are mounted to a base plate. Installation was tricky because the base plate needed to be welded to the awning, but the heat from this process could have potentially damaged the letters. Our solution was to assemble the sign such that the exterior letters could be removed during the welding and reattached after – this worked perfectly.
Just inside the entry is the beautifullobby signthat required some careful planning by Sequoia Signs. It was initially mounted on a wood cladding, but the lobby design changed, and we needed to mount the sign directly to the finished cement wall. In addition to maximum penetration requirements, we also had to be careful to run the wiring in such a way that the casual observer does not see them. Because of our precision, the end product came out terrific!
We enjoyed working with DCI for their exterior and lobby signage and, in particular, appreciate their attention to every detail. The next time you are in Walnut Creek on North Main Street, look for the 1716 Lofts sign!
When opening a new restaurant, marketing and signage is important. There are a variety of signage options that restaurants use to make their interior/exterior eye-catching and attractive. Here are some helpful tips to maximize the impact of your restaurant signage.
Exterior Restaurant Signage
Restaurant signs should stand tall and get noticed so they can be spotted by all those who pass by. If you want your business to really stand out, investing in Channel Letters will make a lasting impression on anybody who passes by. A channel letter is a custom-made, 3-dimensional letter sign fabricated from sheet metal (usually aluminum or plastic). They can remain unlit or they can be illuminated so that marketing doesn’t have to stop when the sun goes down. As a result, illuminated channel letters will help your business be seen and noticed even when it’s dark out.
Utilize your Store Front Windows, and Interior Walls
Utilize your store front windows and doors and your interior walls with vinyl decals and graphics! Made from adhesive vinyl, decals make displaying restaurant hours, promotions, logos and food photography a piece of cake! Furthermore, there are many options of vinyl that you can use to be creative with your window or wall graphics. You can use clear decals, perforated window film, static clings and more!
Show Off your Menu
Show your customers why they should eat at your restaurant by displaying a clean and attractive menu on your walls! These menu signs should display your current menu while promoting your restaurant brand. They can be made from several different materials, but one of our most popular signs are made from aluminum with a printed vinyl overlay. Furthermore, if you need help establishing a design for your brand or menu, our in-house graphic design services can work with you directly to turn your creative vision into reality!
Have questions about what type of signage you need for your restaurant? Give us a call! Our team of experts can work with you to have your restaurant ready for your grand opening! 925-300-1066
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Moraga, more than $340,000 was raised for the 5,000-square-foot La Morinda All Access Playground, located at 1425 St. Marys rd. The goal of the project was to build a playground where children with special needs and able-bodied kids could play side by side. In addition to raising the funds to produce the structure, more than 40 volunteers came together, assembled the play equipment, and poured the rubberized surface.
The play area is designed for children ages 2-12 and features more than two dozen pieces of specialized play equipment, including swings, slides, a wheelchair-accessible sandbox, drums, chimes, seesaw and metallophones. The play equipment is designed to be all inclusive and accessible for all children.
Sequoia Signs & Graphics is proud to be part of this cause, where our very own CEO, Tom Snchurr was one of the volunteers among the 40 people to assist with the assembly of the structure. Not only were we part of the assembly of the structure, our team produced the bronze plaque (pictured below) at the park honoring the memory of Russell J. Bruzzone, and recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Rotary Club, as well as the platinum, gold, silver and bronze sponsors of this amazing project.
If you have not visited La Morinda All Access Playground already, be sure to stop by with your family! They will have a blast at this unique all access park. While you’re there, take a moment and check out this very cool bronze plaque, and while you’re at it, snap a photo and tag @SequoiaSigns on social! We love producing high quality outdoor signage!
Want to know more about how we can be a partner in your next signage project? Give us a call at925.300.1066! Our team of qualified experts can turn your creative vision into reality!
We recently had the pleasure of working with the Acalanes High School to install a new monument sign and campus map at their main entrance. It was a great project and the people at Acalanes were awesome to work with.
The School has a couple of planters in the front and the main office is set back behind a courtyard, so the administration was always getting complaints from new visitors who couldn’t find their way around.
The solution: a nice new monument sign with a campus map in front.
The monument sign is fabricated from aluminum with flat-cut raised acrylic lettering. In this case, it is non-illuminated, but a similar design could easily be made to light up at night. Of course, we painted the sign in the school’s custom blue.
The map is a special high-performance product very similar to the signs you see at National Parks or other outdoor informational areas. It needed to be able to stand up to the sun and other weather elements for years to come, and this product will do the job! We worked with the school to design a simple version of the map that breaks down the main areas but does not contain so much information that the reader gets lost. It came out terrific.
Both the map and the monument sign were installed in the planter which made it fairly easy. We had to avoid any irrigation lines, but otherwise the holes were not hard to dig. One small hurdle was that school started before the map was ready, so we installed the main sign and the pedestal for the map before we had the actual map sign-face. Needless to say, we were extremely happy to find that our measurements were spot on and the map fit perfectly!
When it comes to custom signage, lettering, and graphics, a widely popular choice is outdoor business signs. This type of sign is typically seen marking the location of a business, but can also come in the way of sidewalk signs, vinyl banners, restaurant signs, yard signs, and even decals.
But why are custom outdoor signs so popular for businesses? Because they provide a high ROI and consistently work for you—here’s three ways showing you exactly how they do it.
1. Grabbing Attention
The first and most obvious use for outdoor signage is to grab the attention of potential customers. This is where an outdoor sign provides the most value to a business. They can be hung above the business, or harness the power of the surrounding sidewalk or roadside areas by being strategically placed to inform all potential customers of your business’ location.
Even more, signs can be completely customized to grab attention the right way. What does this mean? It means if your business is in an easy-to-access area, a simple hanging sign above your business may be perfect. Alternatively, if your location is in an exceptionally busy area, a bright, flashy hanging sign may be needed in attention to aluminum roadside or sidewalk signs as well.
2. Promoting Interest
If your business is having a sale, promotion, or a special event, outdoor signs are perfect for gathering local interest. These signs can be customized even more to say exactly what you want them to, in order to reach your preferred target market and draw interest toward your event.
These types of signs can be custom window decals, bold vinyl sign letters, or elaborate vinyl banners– it’s all up to you and the needs of your business! With high customization, however, comes a lot of best—and worst—practices as well, and both should be considered to make sure your signage is effective.
3. Tailored to Your Needs
Signage is not only important to a business because of gathering attention and interest, but because they can be fully tailored to meet your needs, whatever they may be. For instance, what if your business is less traditional? You may need something more along the lines of estate signs or church signs versus traditional hanging business signs.
Either way, from graphics and lettering to versatile materials like sandblasted wood and aluminum (and several in between) you can work with your local signage experts to design the perfect sign for your needs.
There are so many outstanding uses for outdoor business signs, but this post detailed the top three reasons to consider them for your business. If you’re ready to grab attention, drive interest, and create signage that is unique to your business, then contact us today for a free quote and let’s get started!
Sequoia Signs & Graphics is an architectural sign company that provides comprehensive signage solutions for multifamily housing developments, business parks, and campuses. Our innovative approach combines project branding with wayfinding to create differentiated and unique sign packages. As a full-service sign manufacturer, we manage projects from concept to installation throughout Northern California.
Identification Signs
Informational Signs
