Braille Dots – Homegrown at Heartland Signs and Graphics

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires braille signs in all buildings with public access, including a font similar to Helvetica, in upper case lettering, 1/32″ deep, and in high contrast to the sign’s background.  The lowest tactile characters should be at least 48″ above the finished floor, with the highest tactile characters no ore than 60″ above the finished floor.

Braille is the trickiest component of ADA signs to produce.  Indeed many sign shops outsource this component of production, due to the precision of the holes that must be engraved to properly hold the braille beads in place.  If the hole is 2% too wide or too narrow, the braille bead will not fit properly, and will fall out.  The hole should also be just the right depth, for if the hole is too deep, the braille dot will not protrude above the surface of the sign between 0.025″ and 0.037″.  Many large and well-established shops indeed outsource this work so they can focus on other specialities.

Generally speaking, only sign companies that produce ADA and Wayfinding signs in large quantities have mastered this technique and have the correct equipment and processes to add braille dots efficiently and correctly.  Heartland Signs and Graphics utilizes a state-of-the-art Laguna laser and maintains a detailed proprietary procedure manual for its manufacture of ADA, Braille and Wayfinding signs and Directories.  We do this right here at our location in Greater Milwaukee.  This provides a more consistent quality product and enables a faster turnaround for our customers.

Heartland also produces many other kinds of signage at its location in Mount Pleasant, WI, including lobby signs, vinyl, post and panel, banners, and more.   

Call Heartland today at (262) 800-6009 to learn more, or visit us at iconHeartland-signCustom Sign Company in Mount Pleasant, WI | Heartland Signs & Graphics | Serving Greater Milwaukee