Please Use Other Door Decals That Guide Customers to the Right Entrance

Please Use Other Door Decals That Guide Customers to the Right Entrance

Custom-printed door direction decals that stop confused visitors at the wrong door and point them straight to the entrance that's open.

A locked door with no explanation sends customers circling your building, tugging on handles, and sometimes leaving altogether. A please use other door decal fixes that in seconds. Applied directly to glass, metal, or smooth painted doors, it tells visitors which entrance is active without anyone on staff having to step away to redirect them. Decals.com designs, prints, and ships custom window decals and entrance wayfinding decals from our Minnesota production facility, sized and finished for the exact door you're labeling.

Quick Answer
A please use other door decal is a custom vinyl sign placed on a locked, inactive, or employee-only door that redirects visitors to the working entrance. For glass doors, choose permanent clear decals or removable low-tack window clings. For metal or painted doors, choose opaque vinyl decals or single-color vinyl lettering. Mount the message near eye level, add a directional arrow, and size the lettering so it reads from the parking lot or sidewalk.

Key Takeaways
  • Glass doors: Clear decals keep your storefront view open; window clings are the best choice when the message is temporary.
  • Solid doors: Opaque vinyl or cut vinyl lettering gives the strongest contrast on metal, painted wood, and fiberglass.
  • Durability: Laminated calendered vinyl is rated for 3 to 5 years outdoors, which covers most door signage.
  • Readability: Plan on roughly 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet of viewing distance, plus an arrow.
  • Speed: Decals.com offers 1, 2, 3, and 5 business day production, with 3-day Standard production at no extra charge.

Common Questions About Please Use Other Door Decals

What material should I choose for a please use other door decal?
Match the material to the door surface. For glass doors, clear decals printed on 4 mil transparent vinyl keep the message visible while preserving your storefront view. For solid metal, painted, or fiberglass doors, an opaque white vinyl decal gives the message a solid background and sharper contrast. Most flat door signage is printed on calendered vinyl, which is built for flat surfaces. Cast vinyl and 3M Controltac are engineered for vehicle wraps and compound curves, so a flat entry door doesn't need them. 
How long does a door direction decal last on a busy entrance?
Laminated calendered vinyl is rated for 3 to 5 years of outdoor exposure when properly installed. Decals.com clear decals and window clings carry a 3+ year lifespan because they're printed with UV-resistant ink and sealed under a protective laminate. That laminate matters on entrance doors, which get pushed, wiped down, and hit with sun, rain, and cleaning chemicals every day.
What size should a please use other door decal be?
For a standard single glass door, most businesses choose a decal between 6 and 12 inches tall. A practical rule of thumb is about 1 inch of letter height for every 10 feet of viewing distance, so a message meant to be read from 20 feet away needs letters at least 2 inches tall. Clear decals are available from 2" x 2" up to 50" x 120", so you can scale up for double doors or wide storefront glass.
Can I add my own text, arrow, or logo to the design?
Yes. Every decal is printed from your custom artwork, so you can combine your logo, brand colors, a directional arrow, and wording like "Please Use Other Door" or "Entrance Around the Corner" in one design. Build it in our online designer, or upload print-ready vector files following our artwork guidelines. If you only have a low-resolution logo, our in-house designers can recreate it as vector art, starting at $15. 
How much do entrance wayfinding decals cost for multiple locations?
Price depends on size, material, cut type, and quantity, and per-unit cost drops as quantity rises. Chains, franchises, property managers, and healthcare systems printing the same directional message for many doors see the biggest savings. For large rollouts, custom sizes, or mixed designs across locations, request a custom quote and our team will price the full project. 
How fast can I get door direction decals printed and shipped?
Decals.com offers four production time options: 1 Business Day Priority, 2 Business Day Express, 3 Business Day Standard (no extra charge), and 5 Business Day Saver. Turnaround starts once your artwork is approved, and orders approved after 5:00 PM CST begin the next business day. After production, most orders arrive within 2 to 4 business days to about 90% of the United States, with faster methods listed on our shipping info page. 
Should the decal go on the inside or outside of the glass?
Inside is usually better. A front adhesive decal applies to the interior side of the glass and reads correctly from outside, which protects it from weather, power washing, and tampering. Choose back adhesive when the decal goes on the exterior face of the glass or on a solid door.
How do I install and later remove a please use other door decal?
Clean the surface, let it dry completely, and apply the decal with a squeegee using firm, overlapping strokes to push out air. Follow the guide for your product type: clear decal application, transfer decal application for vinyl lettering, or die-cut decal application for shaped decals. Window clings peel off and reapply multiple times. Permanent clear decals can be removed by warming them gently with a hair dryer and peeling slowly, then wiping away any residue with a mild cleaning solution. 

Types of Please Use Other Door Decals and When to Use Each

The right door direction decal depends on three things: the door surface, how long the message needs to stay up, and whether people need to see through the glass. A glass storefront door, a solid steel service door, and a temporary renovation entrance each call for a different product.

Clear decals are the go-to for glass doors where you want the message to float on the glass without blocking the view into your business. Unprinted areas stay transparent, and they're intended as a permanent installation.

Window clings use low-tack vinyl, so they hold firmly but peel off cleanly and can be repositioned multiple times. They come in clear or white vinyl and are ideal for seasonal entrance changes, short-term construction, or a leased space where the signage will come down later. Order custom window clings when the redirect is temporary.

Vinyl lettering delivers crisp, professional text with no background at all. It's cut vinyl, meaning each letter is cut from pre-colored vinyl rather than printed, so the color runs all the way through. Custom vinyl lettering comes in 11 standard colors and arrives masked with transfer tape for clean, evenly spaced application on glass, metal, or smooth painted doors.

Perforated window film works on glass doors where you want a bold, full-coverage graphic outside but still need to see out from inside. Custom window perf is available in 50/50 and 70/30 one-way visibility patterns.

Large-format window graphics handle double doors, multi-entrance buildings, and wide storefronts where the message needs to read from the parking lot. Vinyl window graphics support full-color printing up to 120 inches wide for oversized lettering and bold color blocking. 

Choosing the Right Finish, Adhesive, and Cut

Finish affects both lifespan and readability. A matte laminate cuts glare, which matters on west- or south-facing doors where afternoon sun can wash out a glossy message. A gloss laminate makes colors pop and works well on shaded or interior-facing doors. Vinyl lettering is not laminated, but because it's cut from pre-colored vinyl, there's no printed ink layer to fade or scratch.

Adhesive should match how long the sign will stay. Permanent adhesive suits doors where the redirect is part of the building's normal traffic flow. Low-tack vinyl, the material used for window clings, is the smarter pick for temporary entrance changes, renovations, or rented storefronts where you need clean removal without damaging glass or paint.

Cut type shapes the final look. Die-cut decals are cut to the outline of your design, kiss-cut decals leave a backing border for easy peeling, and transfer-cut decals remove all background vinyl so only the letters and graphics remain. Compare all three on our cut options page. Not sure which combination works on your door? Order custom decal samples and test them in place before committing to a full run. 

Where to Place a Please Use Other Door Decal

Place the decal where a visitor's eyes and hand land first: at roughly 60 inches from the ground, centered on the glass or just above the handle. Someone reaching for a locked door will see the message before they pull.
  • Double doors: Put a matching decal on both leaves, since visitors may reach for either one.
  • Long approaches: Add a larger version on adjacent storefront glass so people see the redirect from the parking lot, not just at the door.
  • Hard-to-find entrances: Continue the path with floor decals on sidewalks or lobby floors, and wall decals at corners where the route turns.
  • The open entrance: Mark the active door too, with a short "Welcome, Enter Here" decal, so the redirect has a clear destination.

What Should a Please Use Other Door Decal Say?

The best entrance wayfinding decals are short, specific, and paired with an arrow. A visitor should understand the message in under two seconds. Proven wording includes:
  • Please Use Other Door →
  • Entrance Around the Corner →
  • Please Use Main Entrance on Front Street
  • This Door Is Locked – Please Use Side Entrance
  • Employees Only – Customer Entrance to the Left
  • Accessible Entrance Located at Rear of Building

Keep the type bold and simple. For vinyl lettering, our transfer cut guidelines call for letters at least 1/2 inch tall and line weights and spacing of at least 1/8 inch, which also happen to be good benchmarks for legibility from a distance. High contrast, such as white on dark tinted glass or black on clear glass, always reads faster than brand colors that sit close in value. 

Please Use Other Door Decals and Accessible Entrances

If the door you're closing off is a public entrance that isn't wheelchair accessible, directional signage isn't just courteous; it's required. Under Section 216.6 of the 2010 ADA Standards, each inaccessible public entrance must have a sign showing the location of the nearest accessible entrance, as outlined in the U.S. Access Board's guide to entrances, doors, and gates. Those directional signs must meet the visual character requirements in Section 703.5, which address character height, contrast, and a non-glare finish.

In practice, that means choosing a matte finish, high-contrast colors, and a clear arrow or the International Symbol of Accessibility when the redirect points to an accessible entrance. Signs posted for 7 days or less are exempt from these requirements, but any permanent redirect should be planned with them in mind. State and local codes can be stricter, so confirm requirements with your local building official. 

Comparing Please Use Other Door Decal Options

Use this comparison to match each door direction decal type to your entrance, how long the message will stay, and how much of the glass needs to stay clear.
Decal TypeBest Door SurfaceView Through the GlassAdhesiveSize RangeBest For
Clear Decals
Glass doors and storefront windows
Yes, unprinted areas stay transparent
Permanent; front or back adhesive
2" x 2" to 50" x 120"
Long-term redirects on glass storefronts
Window Clings
Glass, smooth metal, and plastic
Yes with clear vinyl; blocked with white vinyl
Low-tack, repositionable
2" x 2" to 52" x 120"
Temporary closures, renovations, seasonal changes
Vinyl Lettering (Cut Vinyl)
Glass, metal, and smooth painted doors
Yes, no background between letters
Permanent, single application
2" to 27" tall, up to 120" wide
Clean, professional text-only messages
Window Perf
Glass doors only
One-way: graphic outside, view out from inside
Permanent
Up to 52" wide; wider in panels
Full-coverage door graphics that keep outward visibility
Vinyl Window Graphics
Wide glass, double doors, multi-entrance storefronts
Depends on design and material
Permanent
Up to 120" wide
Large lettering that reads from the parking lot

Complete Your Entrance Wayfinding Signage

Clear Decals

Clear Decals

Print your redirect message on transparent vinyl that keeps your glass storefront open and inviting.

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Window Clings

Window Clings

Low-tack, repositionable decals for temporary entrance changes that peel away cleanly when the door reopens.

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Custom Vinyl Lettering

Custom Vinyl Lettering

Crisp, single-color cut vinyl text for a clean, professional door message with no background.

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Floor Decals

Floor Decals

Add arrows and footprints underfoot to guide visitors along the path to your active entrance.

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Wall Decals

Wall Decals

Mark corners and hallways with directional graphics so visitors never lose the route.

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Perforated Window Decals

Perforated Window Decals

Cover an entire glass door with a bold graphic while keeping a clear view out from inside.

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Ready to Stop Sending Customers to the Wrong Door?

Design your custom please use other door decal in minutes with our online designer, choose the material and size that fit your entrance, and get it printed in as little as 1 business day. Every Decals.com order is made in the USA, reviewed by our in-house graphic design team, and trackable from proof to delivery.

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