Wayfinding signage helps people get where they are going without asking: building directories, directional arrows, floor and room identification, parking signs and the information that tells visitors where reception, lifts and exits are.
It suits office parks, shopping centres, hospitals and clinics, schools and campuses, residential and business estates, and parking facilities, as well as the facilities managers and architects who look after them. Signs are installed on your premises, with access and after-hours work arranged per project.
About this service
Good wayfinding is planned as a system, not a collection of signs. We start with how people arrive and move: the entrances, decision points, lifts, corridors and destinations. From that we set a sign hierarchy, typically primary signs at entrances and junctions, secondary directional signs along routes, and identification signs at the destination. Each level has a set size, position and format so that visitors learn the pattern quickly.
Legibility drives the design: letter height for the viewing distance, a clear typeface, strong contrast between text and background, consistent arrows and symbols, and mounting heights that suit both standing and seated readers. Where your architect or access consultant specifies tactile lettering or braille, we produce to that specification and coordinate with a specialist maker where the format requires it. Internal signs face different conditions from external ones, so outdoor estate and parking signs need UV-resistant materials and, where there are vehicles, reflective or high-visibility options.
Fire-escape, emergency and safety signs are a separate category. They must follow the applicable SANS standards and any requirements of your fire consultant or local fire authority, so we advise you to check the current requirements and have the content and positions confirmed before production. Wayfinding must never compete with or obscure them. Illuminated, structural or post-mounted signs may require other registered trades and engineering sign-off. For signage limited to a single office reception, see reception and boardroom signage.
Suitable vehicles and common uses
- Office parks and multi-tenant buildings with directories and floor signs
- Hospitals, clinics and medical suites with many departments
- Schools, colleges and campuses with several buildings
- Residential and business estates needing street, block and unit signs
- Parking garages and open parking areas with levels, bays and exits
- Shopping centre common areas, in coordination with centre management
- Industrial sites with visitor routes, loading areas and gate signage
Available options
- Wayfinding review and a sign schedule with hierarchy, positions and messages
- Directories, directional, identification and information signs in printed or cut vinyl
- Vinyl applied to suitable substrates such as aluminium composite or acrylic panels, subject to material availability
- External signs with UV-resistant inks and laminates for estates and parking
- Reflective or high-visibility vinyl for parking and vehicle routes, subject to availability
- Tactile and braille signs to your access consultant’s specification, produced with a specialist where required
- Floor, level and bay markings in parking areas, where the surface suits vinyl
- Production of safety and fire-escape sign content as confirmed by your fire consultant or authority
Options depend on the material available at the time of your project and on your vehicle. We confirm exactly what is possible in your quotation.
Why choose it
- Visitors, patients and contractors find their way with fewer questions at reception
- A clear hierarchy makes large or complex sites easier to understand
- Consistent formats make it simple to add or change signs later
- Strong contrast and suitable letter sizes help a wider range of readers
- Interchangeable vinyl panels allow tenant or department changes without new sign frames
Things to consider
- Fire-escape and safety signs must follow applicable SANS standards and your consultant’s or authority’s requirements, which we do not certify
- Tactile and braille signs depend on the consultant’s specification and may need a specialist maker
- Outdoor signs fade over time in full sun, even with UV-resistant materials
- Some wall finishes, such as textured paint or raw brick, are not suitable for direct vinyl application
- Illuminated, post-mounted or structural signs need other registered trades and may need engineering sign-off
Preparation and installation process
- Site walk and brief. We walk the routes visitors use, note entrances, decision points and destinations, and collect any architect, access or fire consultant requirements.
- Sign schedule and hierarchy. A schedule lists every sign by type, position, message and size, grouped into primary, secondary and identification levels.
- Design and sample. Sign formats are designed for legibility and contrast, and a sample or mock-up can be checked on site at the planned height.
- Approvals. You approve the schedule and designs, and safety-sign content and positions are confirmed against the applicable requirements by your consultant.
- Production. Signs are produced and labelled to match the schedule, with internal and external materials chosen for each location.
- Installation and check. Signs are installed to the schedule, often after hours in busy buildings, and each route is walked again to confirm it reads clearly.
What affects the price
- Number of signs and sign types in the schedule
- Materials, substrates and whether signs are internal or external
- Reflective, tactile or braille requirements
- Wayfinding planning and design work needed
- Mounting method, heights and access equipment
- After-hours installation in occupied buildings, hospitals or schools
Every vehicle is different, so we quote each job individually. Your final quotation depends on the vehicle, the material, how much of the vehicle is covered, any artwork, and the condition of the paint once we have assessed it.
Turnaround
Timing depends on the size of the site and the number of signs, how long the sign schedule takes to agree, consultant confirmation of safety and accessibility items, material and substrate availability, specialist tactile or braille production, and when the building can be accessed for installation. Timing is confirmed with the quote once the sign schedule is approved.
Care and maintenance
- Clean signs with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, avoiding abrasive pads
- Avoid solvent cleaners on vinyl and acrylic faces unless confirmed safe
- Check outdoor and parking signs periodically for fading, damage or obstruction by plants
- Update the sign schedule whenever a tenant, department or room changes so replacements match
- Report any damaged fire-escape or safety sign immediately so it can be replaced
Frequently asked questions
Can you supply our fire-escape and emergency signs?
We can produce sign content and positions that your fire consultant or local fire authority has confirmed. These signs must follow the applicable SANS standards, so we advise checking the current requirements before production, and we do not certify compliance.
Do you make braille and tactile signs?
Where your architect or access consultant specifies them, we produce to that specification and work with a specialist maker for formats that need it. The specification comes from your consultant, not from us.
What is a sign hierarchy?
It is the order of sign types a visitor meets: large primary signs at entrances and junctions, directional signs along the way and identification signs at the destination. Keeping each level consistent makes a site easier to read.
Can signs be updated when tenants or departments move?
Yes. Formats can be planned with replaceable vinyl panels or inserts, so a name or arrow can be changed without replacing the whole sign.
Do outdoor estate signs need different materials?
Yes. External signs need UV-resistant inks, laminates and substrates that cope with sun and rain, and parking signs may use reflective vinyl so they read in headlights.
Areas we serve
Customers bring their vehicles to our workshop in Rivonia, Sandton from across Gauteng. All installations take place at the workshop.
