Cheap but durable material for signs

greenthumb85 · Post by **greenthumb85** » Sat May 29, 2010 8:58 am

I am thinking about offering stencils and boards to dome owners to make signs to hang in or around their dome, but I want to find something fairly durable that can last people a few years and also won't cost my camp too much to supply. I was thinking plywood or osb, any one have experience with any thing like this?

I'm thinking I want to whitewash the boards before hand and have some eye screws and picture wire for hanging. I'll have 3 stencils, half a dozen different colors of spray paint, and a drop cloth to keep the spray paint from getting every where... Is there anything I'm over looking? Any suggestions on cheap and durable materials to use? Any tips appreciated.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sat May 29, 2010 4:43 pm

Don't use osb.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Sat May 29, 2010 8:03 pm

Plywood with a light sanding on all sides of the sign. Particleboard (not OSB) if you want the sides to take the paint well. Plywood if it does not matter as much.

I think a run to your local lumber store is in order.

Snow · Post by **Snow** » Sat May 29, 2010 9:17 pm

ditching the eye bolts and just using hole in the "board" will be much more durable in the long run.

greenthumb85 · Post by **greenthumb85** » Mon May 31, 2010 1:59 am

Thanks for the tips

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon May 31, 2010 2:38 am

I think particle board would be even worse than osb.

Interior plywood may fail over time, even without direct exposure.

Best sign location is near the road.
Even if you aren't making them for this, you may want to bear it in mind, in case people want to add posts.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon May 31, 2010 2:42 am

Buy the big industrial spray cans from an industrial supply house or wherever.

If you use fluorescent, it needs a white backing.

I like epoxy ester with a white pigment added.
A local paint store sells it this way here.
A great finish.
Tough.
Can be cleaned with acetone.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Mon May 31, 2010 9:48 am

Russian birch ply, exterior glue.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Mon May 31, 2010 10:04 am

How about Foam-core Board
or Styrene sign board like the Realtor signs you see around here and there..

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon May 31, 2010 11:22 am

Bob wrote:Russian birch ply, exterior glue.

Russian?

ohCarie · Post by **ohCarie** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:05 pm

Yay! I am so happy you are doing this. I want to come by and make a sign for my camp. Make sure you have orange! Does your camp have a name? either way I will look for you!

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:16 am

ibdave wrote:How about Foam-core Board
or Styrene sign board like the Realtor signs you see around here and there..

Campaign signs?? There are tons in Nevada right now uglying up the scenery, feel free.....

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:22 am

Word, thats what I do.

Realty signs work well also.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:25 am

oneeyeddick wrote:Word, thats what I do.

Realty signs work well also.

Jim Gibbons probably has a bunch he'd like to get rid of!