Installation
Exterior Signs
The installation of exterior signs requires coordination of several criteria. Careful
consideration should be given to the following:
Criteria
Character and configuration of the roadway system.
Desired path of travel on the roadway system for visitors, employees and
deliveries.
Location of buildings on the facility campus in relation to roads, parking and
walkways.
Location of building entrances.
Weather...like wind and snow.
Utilities and landscaping.
Adequate light on and around directional signs.
Placement of signs in locations where people are expecting them to be.
Visibility These elements help establish the basis of a clear sign program.
Exterior signs function to communicate to both drivers and pedestrians and their
placements need to be planned relative to the intended viewer. Sign visibility to the
user is a principal objective that is the basis of correct sign placement.
Readability Signs that are to be read from a car moving down a road need to be installed in
location that provide for clear readability without obstructions.
Equally important is that the installation of signs needs to take into account the
potential effects on drivers. Sign with to much information can cause a driver to
stop or slow to a very low speed, thus creating a traffic hazard.
Coordination Coordination needs to take place with things like irrigation systems, electrical
service and other underground utilities.
Climate Every site has different climate conditions that effect an exterior sign program.
Wind load on signs effects the footing requirements. Considerations for snowfall
and frost line will also have an impact on post length and footing depth.
Footing Within this installation section of the guide there is a table to provide assistance
in determining the size of a footing for various signs. This is a general guide and
structural engineering maybe required to adequately confirm that a particular
footing will be adequate for a sign in the required conditions at a particular site or
sign location.
Engineering Structural engineering should be consulted to ensure building walls can
adequately support large "skyline letters and logo" before having them fabricated.
Monument signs should also have their bases designed by a structural engineer to
insure that the signs can withstand wind loads in the signs location.
Mounting Sign mounting methods have been standardized to create visual uniformity for
all signs placed around a facility. Mounting heights and locations have been
determined for ease of reading.
There are two principal methods of mounting signs. These are:
Ground Mounted: Placing a sign panel on one or more posts fixed in the
ground or sign cabinets mount to masonry bases.
Wall Mounted: Placing a sign on a vertical surface such as the wail or
door of a building or fence.
Viewing Each type of sign utilizes a mounting method appropriate to the viewing
requirements.
During the course of installation, always insure that the signs are positioned with a
clear line-of-sight from the viewing point to the sign face.
Planning A sign program for a campus, that works well, is one that has been planned as an
integrated whole. All the way from the main identification sign, directional signs,
building and building entrance identification through to the parking lot signs.
Proper placement is part of a well-planned program.
Page 2- 10-1
02/2005
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