Buy Tactile Signs Online with Pinnacle Signage
Why Tactile Signage is Essential for Your Business
When you need to buy tactile signs online, you're investing in more than just signage—you're ensuring accessibility, compliance, and inclusivity for your facility.
Quick Guide to Buying Tactile Signs Online:
- Compliance: Must meet Australian Standard AS 1428.1 and Building Code of Australia requirements.
- Materials: Choose from aluminium, stainless steel, or acrylic based on your environment.
- Features: Look for raised lettering, Grade 2 Braille, and high colour contrast.
- Common Types: Restroom signs, exit signs, room identification, and directional signage.
- Lead Time: Most quality suppliers offer 2-4 business day production times.
Tactile signs are a legal requirement under the National Construction Code and Building Code of Australia for public and commercial buildings. Featuring raised text, symbols, and Grade 2 Braille, they allow people with visual impairments to steer your facility safely and independently.
Beyond compliance, tactile signage demonstrates your commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all visitors, staff, and customers. From restroom identification to emergency exits, these signs play a crucial role in wayfinding and safety. As awareness of accessibility needs grows, Australian businesses are increasingly investing in compliant signage to meet regulatory requirements and create welcoming spaces for everyone.
Glossary for buy tactile signs online:
A Complete Guide to How You Can Buy Tactile Signs Online
Finding the right tactile signage shouldn't be a puzzle. Whether you're a facilities manager or a business owner, the process to buy tactile signs online is straightforward when you know what to look for. Your signs need to meet legal compliance standards while providing genuine accessibility. Let's walk through the key considerations.
Key Features to Look for in Compliant Signage
When you buy tactile signs online, compliance is the foundation. In Australia, this means adhering to Australian Standard AS 1428.1 and the National Construction Code. These guidelines ensure your signs are genuinely effective for people who need them.
- Raised Lettering: Characters must be sufficiently raised from the surface so they can be easily traced by fingertips. The material must be durable enough to withstand constant touch.
- Unified English Braille (UEB): Also known as Grade 2 Braille, this uses contractions to make reading more efficient. The Braille dots must be correctly formed and spaced for legibility.
- Non-Glare Finish: A matte or non-glare finish is essential to prevent reflections that can obscure text for people with low vision.
- Colour Contrast: There must be a high contrast between the text and the background for clear visibility. Think crisp white text on a dark blue background.
- Sans-Serif Fonts: Use clean, simple fonts. Decorative fonts are difficult to read and should be avoided.
Our What are Braille Tactile Signs? A Simple Guide to Accessibility resource dives deeper into these requirements. For broader workplace accessibility principles, visit Safe Work Australia.
Choosing the Right Materials for Durability and Style
The right material balances durability, appearance, and performance. Consider the total cost of ownership, not just the initial price, as a durable sign that lasts for years is more cost-effective than replacing cheaper signs.
- Acrylic: A great value for indoor use. It's lightweight, comes in many colours for ideal contrast, and has a matte finish to prevent glare. It is best suited for areas protected from harsh weather or vandalism.
- Aluminium: Strikes an excellent balance between cost and performance for both indoor and outdoor use. It resists corrosion, and anodised aluminium offers a premium, durable finish.
- Stainless Steel: The premium choice for high-traffic or harsh environments. It's extremely durable, weather-resistant, and looks professional. It's often used in government buildings, hospitals, and shopping centres.
- Polycarbonate and Polyester: Specialised materials for industrial settings where extreme durability or chemical resistance is needed.
Your environment dictates the material. Indoor offices are perfect for acrylic, while outdoor entrances need aluminium or stainless steel. Our guide on How to Choose the Right Signage for Your Australian Business explores these choices in more detail.
Common Types of Tactile Signs and Their Uses
Understanding the different types of tactile signs helps you create a comprehensive and accessible environment. Each type serves a specific navigation or safety purpose.
Here is a list of essential tactile signs every public building needs:
- Restroom signs: To indicate male, female, unisex, and accessible facilities.
- Exit and entry signs: To mark evacuation routes, stairwells, and building entrances with clear "EXIT" text and Braille.
- Room identification signs: For permanent spaces like offices, meeting rooms, and classrooms, displaying room numbers or names.
- Directional signs: To guide people through complex buildings toward key destinations like lifts, stairs, and reception areas.
- Lift and elevator signs: To ensure vertical navigation is accessible, with tactile identification on floor buttons and controls.
- Tactile maps: For large public spaces like shopping centres or campuses, providing a raised-surface overview of the layout.
A walkthrough of your facility can help identify all decision points where signage is needed to ensure no critical locations are missed.
The Process for Ordering Custom Tactile Signs Online
Custom tactile signs allow you to use unique room names, incorporate specific symbols, or match brand colours while remaining fully compliant.
- Provide Specifications: Give your manufacturer the exact text, symbols, dimensions, and colour preferences. All tactile elements and Braille must still adhere to AS 1428.1.
- Select Material and Finish: Choose a material based on your environment and aesthetic needs, ensuring the finish is non-glare.
- Approve Design Proofs: You'll receive a digital proof showing the final design. Review it carefully to catch any issues before production, as changes afterwards can be costly.
- Manufacturing: Advanced techniques like UV printing create precise, durable tactile elements and Braille dots on your chosen material.
- Turnaround and Delivery: Custom signs typically take 7-8 days after proof approval. Australia-wide delivery ensures your signs arrive safely.
For more guidance on buying signs online, see The Ultimate Online Shopping Guide for Safety Signs.
Final Checklist and Finding Quality Signage
As you prepare to buy tactile signs online, this final checklist will help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure your purchase delivers maximum accessibility and compliance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Buy Tactile Signs Online
Being aware of these common mistakes can save you time, money, and compliance headaches.
- Incorrect mounting height and location: A compliant sign is ineffective if installed incorrectly. Australian standards specify where signs must be placed for consistent and easy location, such as on the latch side of a door and at a specific height.
- Poor colour contrast: Don't assume "dark on light" is enough. The colour of the text and symbols must have a high contrast against the background to be easily readable.
- Non-compliant fonts or symbols: Stick to simple, sans-serif fonts and universally recognised symbols. Decorative fonts or non-standard pictograms can cause confusion and fail compliance.
- Choosing the wrong material: An indoor-rated acrylic sign won't last outdoors. Match the material's durability and weather resistance to its installation environment to avoid costly replacements.
- Overlooking local council requirements: While national standards apply, some local councils have additional rules. A quick check can prevent future issues.
- Ignoring Braille quality: Poorly formed or incorrectly spaced Braille dots are unreadable and defeat the purpose of the sign. Ensure the Braille is high quality and legible by touch.
For more guidance, see our Safety Signage Australia: Your Guide to Clear and Compliant Signs.
Your Trusted Partner for Tactile Signage in Australia
Buying signs online saves time and offers a wider selection of materials, designs, and custom options. It allows busy facility managers to order compliant signage anytime, from anywhere, streamlining the procurement process. As regulations and awareness grow, Australian businesses are investing in tactile signage not just for compliance, but to create genuinely inclusive environments.
At Pinnacle Signage, we deliver high-quality, compliant tactile signs that stand the test of time. We are committed to providing premium products with excellent customer service and reliable delivery. With most items ready for dispatch within 2-4 business days, we help keep your projects on schedule. We are your trusted partner in creating accessible and safe environments across Australia.
Ready to improve your facility's accessibility and compliance?
Explore our full range of compliant Braille & Tactile Signage or contact us today to discuss your specific needs. Our team is here to guide you through the process.
Shipping & Pick Up
For most deliveries within Australia, we use courier services such as FEDEX; please note that couriers cannot deliver to PO Boxes, so provide a valid daytime delivery address. To ensure safe delivery, a signature is required upon receipt. You must be available to accept courier deliveries; re-delivery charges will apply if you are not present. Include a daytime phone number with your shipping details if we need to contact you about your delivery. For items weighing over 50kg, a tailgate delivery is usually required for residential addresses. This service is included in our standard shipping. Alternatively, you can choose to pick up the item from a nearby depot.
Free Shipping
Free shipping is available for orders over $100 AU Wide. Free shipping applies to most items on the site. However, some bulky items additional shipping costs will apply for deliveries to WA, North QLD, NT, TAS, and island areas. Our staff will reach out to you after your order if these charges apply.
Shipping & Production Time
Most items are ready for dispatch or pickup within 2-4 business days of receiving your order and payment confirmation. Delivery times are estimated as follows:
- 1 - 2 days: Sydney, ACT, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast
- 2 - 4 days: Rest of NSW, Rest of VIC
- 3 - 6 days: SA, North QLD, Perth
- 5 - 9 days: TAS, NT, WA
Pickup
Pickup is available at our warehouse, located at Unit 4/28 Nagle Street, East Wagga Wagga NSW. The warehouse is open from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. We are closed on weekends and public holidays. If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to contact us.