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ADA Signs on glass?

TXFB.INS

New Member
I have looked through the ADA Department of Justice 2010 Standards: and can not find my answer,

When installing ada signs onto glass is it required to place a "blackplate" on the other side of the glass?
 

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
Odd question, is there some sort of ADA note you are referring too?
 

TXFB.INS

New Member
No note, just a random thought. was visiting friends over the weekend and as I was walking by a glass framed door there was an ADA sign with a black piece of acrylic acting as a "blackplate" on the other side of the glass behind the ADA sign.

I got to wondering if this a requirement for ADA signs or a cosmetic ploy to cover the white foam tape. which got me to thinking why not use clear VHB and not have the issue of having to align the "blackplate" to the sign
 

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
It is a "cosmetic ploy"... one I use, but I usually use vinyl, even with clear adhesive, the back of most ADA signs collect crap from spray happy cleaners or normal use, also, most signs are not finished enough to be presentable.
 

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
I had to show this, this is from a high end apartment property at the fitness center somewhere in Minnesota. As you can see, lazy install... it should be obvious, use a backer or at least a clear tape, I see this a lot.
 

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Rick is on it as always. Not a requirement just makes the job look 'finished' & professional. I as well usually recommended a vinyl swatch but in some situations you just know busy fingers are going to eventually do some damage & a simple metal oraluminum panel can be a quick easy solution.

I've also had opportunities that have allowed me to upsell jobs considerably because of this. For example a large state office building with hundreds of small offices which all had glass windows floor to ceiling on both sides of the door.

in this particular case the state originally called for the required room identification but to make it look 'planned' on the opposing side of the door we worked with the architect & co-created a same sized sliding 'message' system & then on the backside (inside the offices) we placed two equidistant brushed black anodized mixed medium panels with the state agency's logo on each. It was a great looking 'solution' that more than quadrupled the original approved work request..caching :)

but evenon a small scale I've found it to be an easy upsell to suggest an aluminum backer with a company logo, company 'core values' (sigh) & even custom made picture frames.

a great way to add a few bucks to a project while also improving the finished look,especially in high end or architectural settings where they are often less than 'happy' about having to invest to comply,gives 'designers' & architects a way to spend more client's money & sometimes enhance the building decor.
 

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
Rick is on it as always. Not a requirement just makes the job look 'finished' & professional. I as well usually recommended a vinyl swatch but in some situations you just know busy fingers are going to eventually do some damage & a simple metal oraluminum panel can be a quick easy solution.

I've also had opportunities that have allowed me to upsell jobs considerably because of this. For example a large state office building with hundreds of small offices which all had glass windows floor to ceiling on both sides of the door.

in this particular case the state originally called for the required room identification but to make it look 'planned' on the opposing side of the door we worked with the architect & co-created a same sized sliding 'message' system & then on the backside (inside the offices) we placed two equidistant brushed black anodized mixed medium panels with the state agency's logo on each. It was a great looking 'solution' that more than quadrupled the original approved work request..caching :)

but evenon a small scale I've found it to be an easy upsell to suggest an aluminum backer with a company logo, company 'core values' (sigh) & even custom made picture frames.

a great way to add a few bucks to a project while also improving the finished look,especially in high end or architectural settings where they are often less than 'happy' about having to invest to comply,gives 'designers' & architects a way to spend more client's money & sometimes enhance the building decor.

On rare occasions when I was working on higher end projects, I have called out metals, one in particular was pretty thick oil rubbed bronze that an architect insisted on, another was stainless with a light etch pattern.

My favorite one was we proposed a photopolymer panel and reversed etched out a graphic pattern. They ended up not using it because of budget, but it would have finished it off real nice. I used the idea on another project with room i.d. panels, looked real clean.

Those types of jobs are few and far between now.
 

visual800

Active Member
we put up some in a hospital on glass and for aesthetic reasons we cut the backs out of 1/8 pvc and they were painted "close" to match the plaques and placed these on the back sides. I wasnt about to spend another few dollars to but a black from the plaque compnay
 
that's a good solution as well. There is a wide variety of materials you can use when this situation arises, as noted I have just had bad luck using vinyl because people pick @ it, cleaning people get aggro,etc.

but more importantly even if it is just a couple more bucks for each sign,if you can sell them on the idea of 'using' that space versus a blank substrate on a piece of glass,be it their company logo, maybe a reminder to turn off lights when leaving the room, take 2 pieces & make a changeable picture frame...on a sizeable project with many offices/cubicals/rooms this can be an easy way to increase your margins & provide a solution that imo is better than the alternative (visable adhesive).
 

Moze

Active Member
I had to show this, this is from a high end apartment property at the fitness center somewhere in Minnesota. As you can see, lazy install... it should be obvious, use a backer or at least a clear tape, I see this a lot.


It also doesn't look like they wet it out very good.

(how do you quote photo attachments?)
 
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