Finishing question

[rdatelle]

Hi everyone. I'm going to making a couple of word art signs that will be going outside. There going to be made out of Oak and would like to know what type of finish would be good for that.I'll probably will be using a plywood backer painted black. Thanks, Ralph.

[OCtoolguy]

My first suggestion would be spar varnish. I did a gate that way 40 years ago and it still looks good.

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Lots of questions come to mind to give you any kind of reasonable answer.

Are these signs subject to the elements

Are you planning od keeping the oak natural or are you painting

Going with a plywood backer is this going to be marine grade or waterproof

Are you open to other options

[rdatelle]

Ray, I was thinking about an outdoor varnish. Also, John, this Oak will be natural and the backer is B/B ply which I will spray paint one side black and spray varnish the back. It will be outside also. I'm open to any other options that will work. Thanks for the advice.

[kmmcrafts]

Let me suggest White Oak over the more common red oak.. 

I've done some signs in the past and researched high and low on finishing.. I doubt I'd find the website again as this was several years ago.. Anyway.. the best suggestion was to use outdoor paint.. preferably oil based but latex was second behind the oil base and then the varnishes etc.. 

Anyway you just buy paint from the paint store and do not add any pigment.. it'll look milky white but will dry clear.. needs to apply very light coats though otherwise will dry with a dull haze..  Outdoor paint has anti mildew, uv ray, and bug deterant properties in it.. 

When I did my sign 8-10 years ago I used latex and it's still looking great.. outside in all the weather elements 

[OCtoolguy]

13 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Let me suggest White Oak over the more common red oak.. 

I've done some signs in the past and researched high and low on finishing.. I doubt I'd find the website again as this was several years ago.. Anyway.. the best suggestion was to use outdoor paint.. preferably oil based but latex was second behind the oil base and then the varnishes etc.. 

Anyway you just buy paint from the paint store and do not add any pigment.. it'll look milky white but will dry clear.. needs to apply very light coats though otherwise will dry with a dull haze..  Outdoor paint has anti mildew, uv ray, and bug deterant properties in it.. 

When I did my sign 8-10 years ago I used latex and it's still looking great.. outside in all the weather elements 

Thanks Kevin. I had never heard of buying un-pigmented paint. 

 

[tomsteve]

i havent found a better topcoat for ourdoor signs that the unpigmented(non tinted) sherwin williams A100. i have a log cabin bird feeder with white oak for framing and cedar shake shingles that i put out 5 years ago,which the feeder is on a stand i screwed into a tree.. 3 coats of A100 and its still in great shape after 5 michigan weather years.

[Bill WIlson]

The untinted paint base trick has made the rounds of woodworking forums for several years now.  I've posted it a couple times on this forum when this question arises.  I've never had a need or chance to try it, but have read multiple threads on multiple sites over they years that say it works great.  Another common comment is that the spar varnish you buy at the Big Box is not much better than regular interior polyurethane.  Real spar varnish is what they use on boats and is available at boating supply places, but is prohibitively expensive for most hobbiests.

 

[NC Scroller]

I agree that White Oak will fare better then Red Oak.  What concerns me is you choice of backer.  Baltic Birch, even painted will not hold up.  Get some exterior plywood or even a thin piece of White Oak.

[John B]

I know the weather conditions you have and the timber available varies greatly from ours. What I use if I want the timber to be natural (not painted) is linseed oil thinned about 50% with turps. Three coats letting each one soak incompletely, about a day, prior to applying the next. Final coat of 100% linseed oil and let the dry completely. Then 1 couple of coats of exterior or marine grade polyurethane. I have done outside tables, chairs etc. using this method and they just keep on keeping on.