If you’ve visited our directional signage page, you know that directional signs are an essential part of both private and public spaces. Directional signs appear everywhere, so it can be easy to take them for granted. Most of us rely on these signs every day as we navigate buildings or even open spaces. While you may picture a directional sign as a traditional street sign on a post outside or as a hanging sign in your office building, wayfinding signs can take many other forms.
One of these forms is a floor decal. Floor decals provide an excellent medium for directional signage. Let’s talk more about floor decals and look at some examples of how they can be used to help with wayfinding. Floor decals combine form and function, making them an excellent option to consider for directional signage.
How Can You Use Directional Signage Floor Decals?
Directional signage can be used in several ways. Let’s review the four main purposes for which businesses tend to use directional signage and consider how floor decals can help accomplish these purposes.
1. Providing Directions
One of the most prominent ways directional signage is used is for providing directions. This often takes the form of an arrow along with a symbol or text to point people in the direction of exits, bathrooms, elevators, stairs, cafeterias, departments, rooms and more. Floor decals provide an effective way of directing foot traffic because of their location.
For example, at a hallway intersection, arrow decals on the floor make it clear where each hallway leads. Pointing people in a forward direction can be difficult with hanging signs, but floor decals make it easy. Providing directions tends to be one of the best uses for wayfinding floor decals.
2. Labeling Rooms or Areas
Another important function of wayfinding signage is to label areas or rooms so people know when they’ve reached their destination. This can include reception areas, common areas, conference rooms, offices, restrooms and customer service desks.
A variety of signage types can be used to label areas, including floor decals. Floor decals make an especially effective means of labeling areas during events where more permanent signage isn’t a practical choice. For example, a floor decal can let community members know they have arrived at a drink ticket booth at a street fair.
3. Designating Distinct Zones or Areas
Another function of directional signage is to designate certain areas, showing that they are distinct from their surroundings. This could include dedicated smoking areas, drive-through lanes, areas where personal protective equipment is required and no-diving pools. Using signs to label these areas can help people know what’s allowed in an area or where they should or shouldn’t be.
You can label these areas in a variety of ways, but in many cases, floor decals work exceptionally well because they grab people’s attention where they are already likely to be looking — on the floor or ground in front of them.
4. Providing Instructional Information
Not all directional signage is used to label spaces or direct traffic. Another application for wayfinding signage is sharing important information. Examples that fit into this category include displaying store hours, directing customers to use a certain door to enter your building or specifying the maximum number of items for a speedy checkout lane.
While other types of signage may work best in some of these situations, floor decals can be a great choice in some scenarios for providing instructional information. For instance, a floor sign can be applied in front of a reception desk that prompts visitors to check in with the receptionist when they come in.
What Are the Benefits of Custom Directional Floor Decals?
So, with all the sign types out there, why should you consider using floor decals to help with wayfinding in your facility or event space? Floor decals offer some valuable advantages as directional signage. Floor decals are a great option to consider since they:
1. Grab Attention
One of the biggest advantages of floor decals compared to other signage options is that they grab the attention of people looking down. Signage is only useful if people see it, so when creating new signage, visibility should always be a top concern. When people are trying to find their way to a certain room or area, a directional floor decal is likely to get their attention since it’s right there where they are walking and likely looking. Research shows people are especially likely to look down at their feet if they are in a hurry.
Many people are more likely to notice a sign on the floor than one hanging above them since they are looking down at their phones. One study found that the average person today spends over three hours on their phone every day. That isn’t hard to believe when you consider how many people you see in public are looking down at their phones. While these people may miss signs at a higher eye level, they’ll likely notice a floor decal in front of them.
2. Spruce Up Your Space
Another benefit that directional floor decals offer is that they can spruce up your space. While wayfinding signage always has a practical purpose, it can also serve a decorative purpose. You can use bright colors, custom fonts and images to turn a directional floor decal into a focal point that enhances your space.
Most floors are a blank space that can serve as a canvas for decorative signage. This is especially helpful in open spaces where walls are scarce, such as department stores or even outdoor spaces. Wherever there is a floor, sidewalk, parking lot or any other walking surface, you can add decoration through custom floor decals.
3. Look Professional
You can purchase generic directional signs for businesses that label or point to common amenities such as restrooms and exits. You may also be able to use prefabricated signs to label rooms if you stick to names like 1A or 2B. While these generic signs may be better than nothing, custom directional signage can help you maintain a more professional image and gives you the freedom to label rooms more creatively and specifically.
Floor decals, in particular, are an excellent means of assisting with wayfinding while branding your space. Having a signature color as part of your branding improves brand recognition by 80%. Your company likely already has a signature look, including colors and fonts, that go into your visual branding, so why not incorporate it into your wayfinding signage? This way, you can reinforce your branding throughout your facility.
4. Work Indoor and Outdoor
A very practical advantage of floor decals is that they can be used in both indoor and outdoor settings. This is good news since most facilities include wayfinding signage inside their buildings as well as outside.
Though the term “floor decals” may cause you to picture these graphics on a floor inside a building, some decals are made from durable material that can stand up to the elements outside. A heavy-duty laminate with a strong adhesive back allows these decals to withstand outdoor foot traffic, wind and rain while still looking great. Concrete and asphalt surfaces work well as application surfaces for exterior floor decals. Just be careful to avoid large bumps or cracks that could compromise the decal.
5. Can Be Temporary or Long-term
Another practical benefit of floor decals is that they work well for both temporary and long-term installations, depending on the quality of the substrate and adhesive you select. Floor graphics can last six months or even longer if they are well-maintained. Since floor graphics are relatively affordable, replacing them occasionally is a sustainable plan for permanent directional signage.
For many businesses, being able to change their directional signage from time to time is an advantage since names and locations can evolve. For example, as we’ll see in the next section, a museum can use directional floor decals to point the way to temporary exhibits. Floor decals can also provide the perfect means for incorporating wayfinding signs into a temporary event space, such as a trade show or outdoor fair. Whether you need signs that last for months or a single weekend, floor decals are a versatile option to consider.
Where Can Directional Floor Decals Be Used?
Applications for wayfinding floor decals are nearly endless. Let’s look at a dozen places where floor graphics can play a valuable role when it comes to wayfinding:
- Malls: Malls use wayfinding signage to help shoppers find the stores and amenities they’re looking for. Floor decals can provide the perfect means of pointing the way to permanent installations such as food courts or flagship stores, as well as temporary installations, such as a holiday photo station.
- Hospitals: Hospitals would be difficult places to navigate if it weren’t for directional signage. Floor decals can be used to point the way to reception areas, various wards, waiting rooms, cafeterias and more. Informational signs can also help hospital staff remember to wash their hands or wear necessary equipment when entering or exiting certain areas.
- Department stores: Department stores can use floor decals to point customers toward areas such as checkout or customer service or to various departments in the store, such as cosmetics, housewares or clothing sections. Since department stores tend to have very little open wall space, floor decals provide a convenient and effective means of directing shoppers.
- Sports stadiums/arenas: Sports stadiums and arenas are large spaces that need some directional signage to help fans locate their seats or find their way to restrooms, concession stands, ticket booths and merch stores. Bulky signs can obstruct people’s vision of the court or field, making floor decals a great choice.
- College campuses: Especially for newcomers, a college campus can be a large and intimidating space to navigate, making wayfinding signage a real asset. Floor decals can be applied inside buildings to point the way to classrooms, elevators, study areas and more. For outdoor applications, floor decals can provide the perfect means of helping incoming students find their way around campus during the first weeks of the year.
- Schools: Schools can use floor decals to help students find their way to classrooms, bathrooms, auditoriums and gymnasiums. Using a custom floor decal also gives you the opportunity to incorporate school spirit into your signage by using your school colors or logo as part of the signage.
- Offices: Office directional signs help employees and clients find their way to offices, collaboration spaces, break rooms, conference rooms and more. Floor decals can help you incorporate branding and visual appeal into your office space while helping people conveniently get where they need to go.
- Airports: Airports need directional signage to remind travelers of important regulations and point the way to various terminals, gates and amenities. Especially when someone is in a hurry to make it to their gate in time, a directional floor decal can grab their attention and help to point them where they need to go.
- Warehouses: Directional signs play an important role for warehouse workers who must locate certain aisles, loading docks and other areas, as well as be reminded of safety precautions. Directional signs in a warehouse should not be in the way of people and equipment, making floor decals a great choice. These decals can also help to brand and brighten up a space that can otherwise be drab.
- Public transit stations: If you live in or have ever been to a city where you’ve used a public rail or bus system to get around, you know how important wayfinding signage is for helping travelers get on the right vehicle. Floor decals work especially well in rail stations to designate certain rail lines or platforms.
- Museums: In a museum, wayfinding signage can help guests find the exhibits they’re interested in, as well as features such as restrooms, restaurants and gift shops. Floor decals work exceptionally well as creative, custom signage that helps visitors navigate the building without ever obstructing exhibits. They also provide the perfect solution for directing guests to temporary installations.
- Trade shows: Event organizers can use directional floor graphics to help with temporary wayfinding purposes. For example, at a trade show, floor graphics can direct attendees where they need to go, such as to a registration table. Individual vendors can also use directional floor graphics, as long as they are permitted, to help consumers navigate their booth effectively.
Custom Floor Decals From SpeedPro
At SpeedPro, we believe signage should never be dull or generic. Every sign you incorporate into your facility should be visually engaging and made from quality materials that contribute to your professional image. Our national network of print studios is staffed by experts who can help bring your artistic vision to life. One of our representatives will assist you in choosing the best materials and specifications for your project.
SpeedPro is the nation’s leading provider of large-format graphics, so you can trust us to offer the very best print methods and materials, along with our expertise, to make your project shine. In addition to custom directional signs, we can help you with all your custom graphics needs so you can populate your entire space with professional, eye-catching signage. To get started, find your local SpeedPro studio today.