Wood for outdoor signs?

[cestout]

My lumber yard no longer stocks iroko but it is expensive anyway and teak will tare up my bits. What kind of wood to you recommend for signs in the weather? And do painted signs hold up better than spar varnish signs?
Thanks for the help.
Clint

[RogerB]

I use quarter saw red wood . Lasts for years. spar varnish will peel .

[Old Salt]

red wood , cypress and some of the deck boards work well.

Gary

[cestout]

OK redwood. But I should paint it and not a wood grain finish? Someone is asking about a 2' x2' sign for their farm. Thanks.
Clint

[200k]

Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is a dark tropical hardwood that is used for high end decks. You can get it in 5/4 x 6 decking planks and probably in other dimensional sizes. It is impervious to weather and doesn't even change color near as much as teak, cypress, or even redwood. The downside is that is wickedly expensive. It's also used as regular inside flooring in some areas so you may be able to find 3/4 x 2 or 3 at a flooring distributor. It's a pretty dark reddish brown - almost dark mahogany color with a very closed grain.

[blhutchens]

Ipe (pronounced EE-pay) is a dark tropical hardwood that is used for high end decks. You can get it in 5/4 x 6 decking planks and probably in other dimensional sizes. It is impervious to weather and doesn't even change color near as much as teak, cypress, or even redwood. The downside is that is wickedly expensive. It's also used as regular inside flooring in some areas so you may be able to find 3/4 x 2 or 3 at a flooring distributor. It's a pretty dark reddish brown - almost dark mahogany color with a very closed grain.


this stuff is hard....it has same fire rating as concrete. It does not float.
the last time I bought any it compared in price to redwood or mahogany.

[2A Finishing]

I've never had a problem with oil finished wood of almost any type outdoors in Florida weather (8 months of the year we get rain right around 2-3pm til at least 5 or 6pm EVERY DAY). I use a custom blend of tung oil and varnish.

[cestout]

I think I will go with redwood. If she wants to pay for the 2' x 2' sign, I plan to glue up 2x6s. The tung oil and varnish sounds interesting. Is the formula you use proprietary of can you share it?
Thanks for the help. I am attaching a 1ft sq version of the sign.
Clint

[ktjwilliams]

White oak is a good an accessible option ... It holds up very well in the weather .. I would not use a varnish as it will peel in short order .. I have soaked wood in oil to insure full saturation and I have primed and painted with 1Shot paints ... Both yield good results, but the 1Shot paints would be my preference ...

[Carl H]

I like 5/4 cedar decking. I glue up panels from the 6 inch strips and take them to a cabinet shop for surface sanding. I think the thicker wood looks better then 3/4 stock
I have also used PVC trim board but they are not cheap. You can glue up using MEK or other solvents. There are no voids. it will never rot and it takes acrylic paints really well.
I love the finish I get when carving. 1x12 wont warp and makes great house or cabin signs. Also good for gold courses.

[carrothers]

I have had success with using plain old MDF and then coating it with a two part expoxy called West System. It's used in the marine environment to seal wood. As soon as it is carved I spread on the West system on both sides and the edges. Let it dry , light scuffing, and then put a second coat on. You can paint over it and it's good for ever. I think I have posted some address signs for houses that I have done using this technique. Cheaper than any of the good weather resistant woods. Only downside is probably wouldn't work if you wanted to stain. I love using Lowe's metallic paints on these signs...comes out looking like it was cast in bronze.

[DickB]

West epoxy is good stuff. With MDF I would always worry about even a tiny breach getting in, but it sounds like you have had good results with it.

Can you be more specific on the paints? Brand, and spray or brush?

[Digitalwoodshop]

How do you deal with holes from mounting hardware?

AL

[carrothers]

I usually just spray the Lowe's metallic over both sides and the edges and then I have some "sign painters" gold that I do the numbers with. To keep from drilling holes I usually mount the house signs on the brick with Liquid Nails using a stick to hold it in place until it cures. the beauty of using the MDF if when it comes out of the CW it looks like it was "forged" or cast so I'm very careful not to sand the flat surfaces as that is what looks so great when you spray it with the metallic bronze or metallic whatever paint. I'll try and post a picture tomorrow.