Over 60 million adults in the United States live with a disability, and are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which ensures those with disabilities have the same access to public life as those without disabilities. This includes employment, education, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.
Among the many requirements outlined by the ADA, detectable warning surfaces, or ADA tiles, are required to ensure persons with visual impairments are able to safely access and navigate all spaces open to the public.

Who has to be ADA Compliant?
The following entities are required by the ADA to make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, which includes the installation of ADA tiles.
- Public businesses that fall under the jurisdiction of federal law, such as banks, schools, and recreational venues.
- Private businesses that employ 15 full-time workers, or more, for a minimum of 20 weeks per year
- New construction and existing buildings
The installation of ADA tiles in these locations ensures persons with disabilities have uninterrupted access to employment, education, recreational activities, government services, shopping , personal services and more.
What is Required for ADA Compliance?
New and existing buildings and business are required by the ADA to make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, which means the cost of an accommodation should not result in undue finical hardship, which would be considered unreasonable.
Truncated dome size and spacing within an ADA tile, as well as contrast and installation location of detectable warning surfaces are all regulated by the ADA to ensure accessibility.
Truncated Dome Sizing and Spacing:
The base diameter of truncated domes must be between 23mm and 36mm with a top diameter of 50% of the base.
Center-to-center spacing of truncated domes within an ADA tile must be between 41mm and 61mm, with a base to base spacing of at least 17mm.
ADA Tile Installation Location:
ADA detectable warning surfaces must extend at least 610mm in the direction of travel and extend the full width of the curb ramp, stair landing, blended transition, or transit platform.
ADA tiles are required to be installed in areas open to the public, and may be most commonly seen at pedestrian crossings, escalator approaches, stair landings, transit platforms, wheelchair ramps, building entrances, and parking garages.
ADA Tile Coloring and Contrast:
While the ADA does not require detectable warning surfaces to be any one specific color, the legislation does dictate that the ADA tile provides a stark visual contrast against the surrounding substrate. This means light colored tiles are to be applied on dark surfaces and vice versa.
Why you Should Ensure ADA Compliance?
Beyond meeting the legal requirements of the ADA, there are many benefits to installing ADA tiles. Detectable warning surfaces allow persons with visual impairments to easily, and confidently, navigate your space unaided, and this higher level of accessibility may lead to more foot traffic and increased sales in your business.
Additionally, ensuring ADA code compliance means everyone in the community can easily access and enjoy public spaces, building stronger community ties.
Thanks to the ADA, every American can enjoy public spaces, regardless of availably. A major aspect of public accessibility is the installation of ADA tiles, which provide non-visual warnings of potential upcoming dangers and critical wayfinding cues.
Access® Tile proudly offers the ultimate solution in detectable warning systems! Our ADA compliant detectable warning tiles offer industry-leading detectability and durability features at the most cost-effective price point available on the market. Rely on Access® Tile to bring your project up to code, and enhance accessibility in your community!