Guests who cannot find their way through a parking garage arrive at the front desk already irritated. The Cassara at Grand Pacific Palisades in Carlsbad needed to replace their garage wayfinding because the old system was creating exactly that problem. North Coast Signs, based in Vista, surveyed the structure, mapped the sightlines, and produced twelve custom panels sized for specific locations throughout the garage. The scope included removal of existing signage, patching and painting where needed, and installation of a coordinated system that actually guides traffic.
The panels ranged from compact directional markers at six and a half by twenty-four inches up to large format guides at fifteen and three-quarters by one hundred twenty inches. We printed on 3165 decal stock with matte lamination, then mounted the graphics to three-millimeter white Sibond aluminum composite. We cut every panel with straight edges, no holes, and no radius corners. The material handles exhaust fumes, temperature swings, and the occasional scrape from a vehicle mirror without warping or delaminating.
Matte Lamination Cuts the Glare
Garage lighting creates glare on glossy surfaces that makes signs unreadable at exactly the angles drivers need to see them. Matte lamination eliminates that problem while still protecting the printed surface from scuffs, cleaning chemicals, and whatever UV light reaches into the structure. The finish also hides minor surface contact better than gloss, which matters in an environment where mirrors and doors brush against signs during tight maneuvers.
Sizes Matched to Sightlines
We produced three panels at fifteen and three-quarters by one hundred twenty inches for primary directional guidance, plus two at eleven by sixty-five and a half inches for mid-range wayfinding. Smaller signs filled specific locations: one at thirteen and three-quarters by one hundred twenty inches, one at fourteen and a half by twenty-two and a half inches, two at sixteen and a half by thirteen and a half inches, one at six and a half by twenty-four inches, and one at twelve by twenty-five inches. Every size was determined by viewing distance and traffic flow at its installation point.
One Panel Needed Two Sides
Traffic at the main intersection approaches from both directions, which means a single-sided sign leaves half the drivers without guidance. We produced one double-sided panel at fifteen and three-quarters by one hundred twenty inches for that location. Double-sided fabrication takes more time, but it solves the problem that single-sided signs leave open in bidirectional traffic areas.
VHB Tape for Certain Locations
Several smaller panels were specified with vertical strips of VHB tape on the back for mounting to smooth surfaces where drilling was not practical. The fourteen and a half by twenty-two and a half inch, six and a half by twenty-four inch, and twelve by twenty-five inch signs all used this method. VHB bonds at a molecular level and holds like mechanical fasteners when applied to clean, prepared surfaces.
Removal and Prep Before Installation
Replacing signage means dealing with whatever mess the old installation left behind. We removed existing panels, patched holes, and painted over damaged areas using customer-supplied paint so the new signs would look like they belonged instead of covering up old work. This preparation is invisible once the job is done, but skipping it leaves visible defects that make the whole installation look rushed.
Wayfinding That Actually Works
The Cassara garage in Carlsbad now guides traffic from entrance to exit without the confusion the old system created. North Coast Signs, based in Vista, designs wayfinding for real conditions. Call us at (760) 536-5454 if your parking garage needs signage that solves navigation problems instead of creating them.
