Wall Mount:
A single-face sign mounted on a wall. Another name for a wall sign.
Wall Sign:
In the most literal sense, a sign that is painted on a wall. The term is often expanded to include flat signs that are placed on or attached to the wall of a building. These latter signs are also called fascia-mounted signs and wall mounts.
Washout:
The process of opening up the image area of a screen after a photo stencil has been exposed.
Water Resistant:
Describing a face that has been treated to make it resistant to the damage or deterioration caused by water.
Water Jet-Cutting:
Computerized high-pressure stream of water used to cut stone and metal up to 2 in. thick. Also called hydro cutting.
Wax Transfer:
A method of heating a colored wax material and printing it on to vinyl.
Way Finding:
The process of using spatial and environmental information to find one's way in the built environment. It can also be defined from the standpoint of the designer or owner and operator seeking to establish or improve the function of a particular environment. Way finding is not a separate or different activity from traditional signage design, but rather a broader, more inclusive way of assessing all the environmental issues which affect our ability to find our way. This word has gained popularity with the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.). In its most literal sense, way finding is the ability of a person to find his or her way to a given destination.
Weathering Steel:
A steel alloy that forms a tenacious, self-protecting rust layer when exposed to the atmosphere. See cor-ten steel.
Weed:
The process of peeling extraneous vinyl or matrix way from a plotter cut, leaving only the sections representing the final image. Pulling the extra material away in one quick stroke is known as "rip weeding.
Weep Hole:
A small opening or hole in the bottom of a letter or a sign cabinet, placed at the lowest point to prevent water from accumulating in a unit.
Wet Location Fixture:
A watertight electrical or light fixture that is sealed to protect against moisture.
White Space:
See negative space.
Window Sign:
A sign that is mounted for display on a window, and intended to be viewed from the outside.
