Wayfinding Graphicsprinted into the wall,not stuck onto it

Wayfinding graphics are the printed directional system that tells people where they are and where to go: floor and zone identifiers, directional arrows, department names, room numbering, colour-coded routes and large-scale orientation graphics. Printed directly onto the wall, they become part of the building rather than a layer applied to it.

That distinction is the whole point in high-traffic environments. Applied vinyl in a hospital corridor meets trolleys, beds, cleaning regimes and thousands of hands. Corners lift, edges collect dirt, and once one element is damaged the whole scheme starts to look unmanaged. Printed graphics have no edge to lift and can be cleaned as part of routine maintenance.

The work is usually delivered in live buildings where the route cannot be closed for long. Instant UV curing means a section of corridor is out of use for the print itself and immediately usable afterwards, with no drying period and no odour, which is why GREENGUARD Gold certified inks matter as much here as the graphics themselves.

We are DBS checked and CHAS accredited and supply RAMS per job, so working in schools, hospitals, council buildings and secure sites is routine rather than an exception that needs arranging around.

Poor wayfinding is paid for in staff time. In hospitals and civic buildings, reception and clinical staff are interrupted constantly to give directions, and every interruption costs minutes that were budgeted for something else. Multiply that across a year and the cost of the signage scheme looks small by comparison.

It is also paid for in missed appointments and late arrivals. A visitor who cannot find the right department arrives late or not at all, which pushes clinics out of schedule, wastes slots and creates complaints. In schools and offices the same confusion turns into late starts, disrupted lessons and a poor first impression for parents, candidates and clients.

Damaged or partially removed wayfinding is the worst outcome of all. An arrow with a peeled edge, a department name half stripped off, or a route colour that has faded to something ambiguous actively misdirects people. That is when a maintenance issue becomes a safety and accessibility issue, particularly for visitors who are anxious, unwell or unfamiliar with the building.

Common mistakes we are called in to fix

• Adding signs piecemeal over years

  Inconsistent size, colour and language across a route confuses more than it clarifies. A printed scheme applies one standard throughout.

• Choosing type that is too small

  Wayfinding is read while walking, often from ten metres. Sizing must be set from real viewing distances, not from a page layout.

• Using applied vinyl in high-contact corridors

  Trolleys, bags and cleaning trolleys attack edges. Direct printing removes the edge entirely.

• Ignoring how the building is actually used

  Routes should follow the paths people take, including the entrances they really use, not the ones on the original plan.

Nothing to peel

Ink is cured into the wall surface, so there is no adhesive edge for trolleys, hands or cleaning to lift.

Cleanable to healthcare standards

The surface is washable and scratch resistant, so it survives routine cleaning regimes rather than degrading under them.

Consistent across the whole route

One printed system, one specification, one standard of legibility from entrance to destination.

No route closure overnight

Instant curing means corridors are handed back immediately, so access is only interrupted while we print.

Safe in occupied buildings

GREENGUARD Gold certified inks with no solvent odour, suitable for wards, classrooms and public areas.

Easy to amend later

Departments move. A section can be repainted and reprinted without disturbing the rest of the scheme.

We start by walking the routes the way visitors do, from the entrance they actually arrive at through to the destination. Decision points, lift lobbies, junctions, stair heads, reception thresholds, are recorded, because that is where directional information has to exist. Information placed between decision points is largely ignored.

Sizing is set from measured viewing distances. Corridor identifiers read at short range can be modest; overhead directional information at a junction seen from twenty metres needs substantially larger type and higher contrast. We specify sizes against those distances rather than applying a single default across the building.

Colour coding and zoning are printed to a consistent specification, which matters when a scheme is delivered in phases over months. Because the artwork files are held and the process is repeatable, phase four matches phase one exactly, something that is difficult to guarantee with separately manufactured signage.

Large-scale orientation graphics, floor plans, department groupings and numbering systems can all be printed at the size the space allows, up to 4 metres high and unlimited in length. That makes it possible to put a genuinely readable building map on a wall rather than a small panel people have to crowd around.

How much does a wayfinding scheme cost?

It is priced by the scale of the scheme: number of decision points, wall areas, access constraints and phasing. We survey the routes and quote for the whole system, free of charge.

How long does installation take?

It depends on the number of locations, but each individual graphic cures instantly, so corridors are only affected while we are physically printing them.

Can you work in a live hospital or school?

Yes. We are DBS checked and CHAS accredited, supply RAMS per job, and use GREENGUARD Gold certified inks with no solvent odour, which is what allows work in occupied clinical and teaching spaces.

Will the graphics survive daily cleaning?

Yes. The cured print is washable and scratch resistant, so it stands up to routine cleaning far better than applied vinyl, which fails at its edges.

What happens when a department moves?

The affected section is repainted and reprinted. There is no need to strip anything or replace the whole scheme.

How long will printed wayfinding last?

Around 10 years indoors under normal conditions, and around 5 years on suitable exterior surfaces.

Can you deliver the scheme in phases?

Yes. We hold the approved artwork and specification so later phases match earlier ones exactly, even months apart.

Can you print large building maps?

Yes, up to 4 metres high and unlimited in length, so orientation graphics can be sized to be genuinely readable.

Do you provide RAMS and insurance documentation?

Yes, per job, sent to your estates or facilities team before we attend site.

Do you cover sites outside Essex and London?

Yes. We work across London and the South East and travel nationwide for larger estates and multi-site programmes.