2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (2024)

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This document is intended to help identify sign sheeting materials for rigid signs and their common specification designations. It is not a qualified product list. FHWA does not endorse or approve sign sheeting materials. Many other sheeting materials not listed here are available for delineation and construction/work zone uses.

Many sign sheeting materials have watermarks and/or patterns that are used to identify the material type and manufacturer. The watermarks shown in this guide have been enhanced. The watermarks will be less visible in practice and may not be present on smaller pieces of sheeting due to the spacing.

Retroreflective Sheeting Materials Made with Glass Beads
Example of Sheeting (Shown to scale) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (1) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (2) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (3) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (4) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (5) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (6) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (7) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (8)
ASTM D4956-04 I II II III III III III III
ASTM D4956-13 I II II III III III III III
AASHTO M268-13 (1) (1) (1) A A A A A
Manufacturer Several companies Avery Dennison® Nippon Carbide 3M™ ATSM, Inc. Avery Dennison® Nippon Carbide ORAFOL Americas Inc
Brand Name Engineer Grade Super Engr Grade Super Engr Grade High Intensity High Intensity High Intensity High Intensity ORALITE® High Intensity
Series Several T-2000 15000 2800 3800 ATSM HI T-5500 N500 5800
NOTES: (2) (8) (3) (4) (9) (4) (3) (4) (9) (4) (4) (4) (4)
1) Sheeting material does not meet minimum AASHTO classification criteria.
2) Glass Bead Engineer Grade sheeting is uniform without any patterns or identifying marks.
3) Material no longer sold in the United States as of the date of this publication.
4) Section 2A.08 of the 2009 MUTCD (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov) does not allow this sheeting type to be used for new legends on green signs.
  • ASTM D4956-04 is referenced in Table 2A-3 of the 2009 MUTCD.
  • ASTM D4956-13 is the most current ASTM sign sheeting specification (the 2013 version is designated by "-13").
  • AASHTO M268-13 is the most current AASHTO specification (the 2013 version is designated by "-13").

Manufacturer Contact Information

3M – http://www.3M.com/roadwaysafety
ATSM, Inc. – http://www.atsminc.com
Avery Dennison – http://www.reflectives.averydennison.com
Nippon Carbide – http://www.nikkalite.com
ORAFOL Americas Inc. – http://www.orafolamericas.com

FHWA Publication Number: FHWA-SA-14-022. You may download and print the electronic version of this document, available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/retro

This document is intended to help identify sign sheeting materials for rigid signs and their common specification designations. It is not a qualified product list. FHWA does not endorse or approve sign sheeting materials. Many other sheeting materials not listed here are available for delineation and construction/work zone uses.

Many sign sheeting materials have watermarks and/or patterns that are used to identify the material type and manufacturer. The watermarks shown in this guide have been enhanced. The watermarks will be less visible in practice and may not be present on smaller pieces of sheeting due to the spacing.

Retroreflective Sheeting Materials Made with Micro-Prism
Example of Sheeting (Shown to scale) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (9) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (10) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (11) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (12) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (13) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (14) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (15) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (16)
D4956-04 (5) (5) III, IV III, IV, X (5) (5) (5) / X (5)
D4956-13 I I III, IV III, IV III, IV III, IV VIII VIII
M268-13 (6) (6) B B B B B B
Manufacturer 3M™ Avery Dennison® Avery Dennison® 3M™ ORAFOL Americas Inc Nippon Carbide Nippon Carbide 3M™
Brand Name EGP PEG HIP HIP ORALITE® HIP HIM Crystal Grade Reflective Sheeting
Series 3430 T-2500 T-6500 3930 5900/5930 CRG 94000 CRG 92000 3940
NOTES: (8) (8)
Example of Sheeting (Shown to scale) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (17) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (18) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (19) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (20) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (21) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (22) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (23) 2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (24)
D4956-04 VIII VII, VIII, X IX IX (5) (5) (5) (5)
D4956-13 VIII VIII IX IX IX IX XI XI
M268-13 B (7) B B B B D D
Manufacturer Avery Dennison® 3M™ 3M™ Avery Dennison® Nippon Carbide ORAFOL Americas Inc 3M™ Avery Dennison®
Brand Name MVP Prismatic Diamond Grade™ LDP Diamond Grade™ VIP OmniView™ Crystal Grade ORALITE® Diamond Grade™ DG3 OmniCube™
Series T-7500 3970 3990 T-9500 95000 7900 4000 T-11500
NOTES: (9) (9)

5) Material was either unavailable in 2005 (previous version of this Guide) or unassigned in the 2004 version of ASTM D4956.
6) Sheeting material does not meet minimum AASHTO classification criteria.
7) Material has been discontinued prior to AASHTO M268-10.
8) Section 2A.08 of the 2009 MUTCD (http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov) does not allow this sheeting type to be used for new yellow or orange signs, or new legends on green signs.
9) Material no longer sold in the United States as of the date of this publication.

Resources

Federal Highway Administration – https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/retro
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) – http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov
Texas A&M Transportation Institute – http://tti.tamu.edu/visibility
ASTM – http://www.astm.org
AASHTO – http://www.transportation.org

2014 Traffic Sign Retroreflective Sheeting Identification Guide - Safety (2024)

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