Augusta Sign Company

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Carving Signs in Plywood

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Cheaper Alternative

Carving Signs in Plywood

Carving signs from plywood is less expensive than carving signs with cedar or redwood as the sign substrate, but will it last as long? The simple answer is probably not, but I have just started carving in plywood so I have yet to see how it will last out in the elements.

My experience with plywood signage tells me that, unframed, a sign made from plywood will begin to show signs of weathering within several years. An adequately primed and painted plywood sign should last at least five years is what I generally tell my customers, but it depends on UV exposure, edge exposure to moisture, sign colors, and whether the lettering is painted or cut vinyl.

www.augustasigncompany.com-staunton-augusta county-va-24401

Unknown Durability

I am not sure how the carved lettering in plywood will fare when exposed to the Virginia elements. High heat and humidity in our area has a tendency to work on any exposed veneer joints where temperature can buckle the layers of the plywood allowing moisture to enter into the layers doing progressive damage. Cedar and redwood signs don’t have this vulnerability, thus the substrates will typically last a lifetime with regular maintenance.

I originally suggested a more expensive and durable carved cedar sign option, but unfortunately it was beyond the customer’s budget. That’s when the customer asked about carved plywood as an option. At first I wasn’t sure if that was even possible, but I soon discovered that it was doable. To create the same effect of a cedar sign, I had to laminate two 3/4″ pieces together since the thickest plywood I could get was 1″ thickness and carved cedar is typically made from 1 1/2″ thick boards.

Pleasing End-Result!

Once the sign was glued up, I took off the clamps, sanded, primed, and painted the background and graphics, adding several borders to make it more interesting. The customer suggested a white edge outline to help the sign pop from the green or brown-gray background, depending on the season. The customer replaced the old timber frame with new wood posts and beams. The protection from these extra large timbers around the sign edges should help the plywood panel fare better against the elements.

www.augustasigncompany.com-carved-plywood-signs-cedar-redwood-22980-24401-augusta-county-va

The customer was pleased with the final result! Now I will be sure to offer carving signs in plywood as an alternative to carved cedar for customer-candidates willing to compromise overall durability in their sign for lower cost.

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company near Middlebrook, Virginia in south-central Augusta County.

The Versatility of Aluminum Composite Signs

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A large Aluminum Composite Panel being lettered in the shop, with a stack of smaller ACM signs seen in the background. This customer ordered over 100 signs in one order for 9 regional sites in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

PLETHORA OF OPTIONS

Back when I first began making signs, aluminum composite panels were not in common usage in the sign industry. Maybe they are a by-product of the space age, and were still in development back then! The only choice for aluminum sign panels used to be solid aluminum of various thicknesses. These heavier, solid aluminum sign options are still here, but along with them is now a plethora of composite options.

ACM is a lightweight alternative to solid metal for traffic and site safety signs.

BUDGET-FRIENDLY MATERIAL

Aluminum composite material (ACM) is generally less expensive, easier to cut and handle, and typically comes pre-finished. ACM panels are manufactured with a thin veneer of aluminum on both sides of an inner non-aluminum core. I most often use the panels with solid plastic cores. They are very stable outdoors and are very rigid and flat for great-looking, durable signs!

ACM sign panels are great for cut vinyl graphics or digitally printed vinyl. The panels are very versatile and are used for free-standing signs as well as wall signs, and can be used for both interior and exterior applications. They make great signs in various wayfinding sign systems. I’ve used them for both the interior and exterior signage at many local churches. I also have a private university customer that utilizes ACM for kiosk maps, building identification and directional signs, parking signs, and other types of uses around campus.

ACM is easily machined into various shapes and makes a great base for digital graphics. The panels are also perfect for spanning corrugated metal walls with no need for framing or cross- supports.

VERY VERSATILE

Here is a partial list of various situations in which I’ve used ACM panels so far to date: Industrial Safety Signs, Retail Shop Signs, Signs for Medical and Dental Offices, Sign for Law Offices, Signs for Schools, Church Signage, Government Signs.

Framed ACM panel with reflective graphics for 24-hour visibility

The panels come in various thicknesses and overall sizes with 1/8″ and 1/4″ being the standards for thickness, and 4′ X 8′, 4′ X 10′, and 5′ X 10′ being the standard overall panel sizes.

What are Prismatic Letters?

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Plastic Prismatic Letters on store sign in Waynesboro, VA

Prismatic letters are dimensional architectural letters that are typically used in building identification signage. Prismatic letters can be made of plastic, metal, or wood materials, and are the reverse of V-Carved letters, where if you imagine the inset V-carved lettering as a mold, the offset prismatic letters would be made using this mold, if that makes sense!

Sign craftsman and business owner, Mark Hackley laying out the prismatic letters on his shop table at his workshop near Middlebrook.

I recently had the opportunity to sell a set of molded plastic prismatic letters to a Waynesboro, Virginia retail customer. The customer utilized plastic dimensional letters to go along with his custom pyramid shaped logo on the entrance sign to his store off Main Street. The lettering was attached to a flat metal panel, painted flat black to match the wall finish, and was attached to the storefront over the main entrance. The sign panel to which the letters were attached was constructed using a 1″ thick aluminum tube frame. The two 30″ high X 7′ long, flat sign panels that held the prismatic letters were butted together in the middle and fastened to the frame with very high bond adhesive. I used my computer plotter to make the mounting pattern for the lettering. Holes were marked on the sign to match up with the female supports molded into the backs of each letter.

Dimensional Plastic Letters still packaged and ready to install on metal sign backer.

The lettering was attached to the sign panel with stainless steel studs and nuts, concealed behind each letter. The installation was fairly simple and took a crew of two only a few hours to complete, since most of the labor needed to fasten the letters was done in the workshop. This set of GEMINI brand prismatic letters came with a lifetime warranty which means that if any exterior letter or logo ever fades or breaks, they will be refinished or replaced at no cost: an important factor to consider if you’re a new business branding your building!

Prismatic type letters can also be made from wood. Western red cedar or mahogany, or redwood letters are routed, sanded, and finished in many options. One great option, but expensive, is 23 karat gold leaf letters. Gold leaf on prismatic lettering produces a tremendously eye-catching effect, and is great for brands wanting to convey elegance, high price items, or long-term stability. That’s why financial institutions, mainline religious groups, museums, and high-end retailers utilize this type of dimensional letter. Plastic and metal letters can also be gilded for special effect. But if you’re a new business or established business on a tight budget, formed plastic in standard colors are the way to go.

What are prismatic letters? They are a great way to add depth and attention to your business name. This project took less than a $2,500 investment from the new owner and he was able to finance the construction of the sign as part of his initial business venture’s loan package…and the letters will last a lifetime!

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company which serves the Staunton, Waynesboro, Verona, Fishersville, and Stuarts Draft areas of Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley. Contact him at 540-943-9818.

How I’ve Morphed from Oils to Acrylics for Non-Blasted Sign Backgrounds

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I still prefer oil-based stains for sandblasted sign backgrounds. Although I loosely use the term “oil-based” I am referring to mostly alkyd-based paints, that use modified polyester-based resins. These types of stains and primers soak in deep and are more thoroughly absorbed into the pores of the wood surface than water-based varieties.

So here’s what I have found works best when coating raw cedar, redwood, and mahogany that will be used for outdoor signs: If the sign’s background is flush with either carved-in or painted-on letters, I recommend a quality oil-based primer for the first coat, (Zinsser is what I like best). Then I’d recommend a high-quality latex for the top coat, using a paint with a high-gloss or at least semi-gloss sheen. I used to always prefer oil-based top coats, like bulletin enamels, but have found through my extended experience that these tend to produce very hard- but eventually more brittle- films, that over time crack and peel at a much greater and much earlier rate than the more flexible acrylic coatings. Plus, if pigmented in reds or some blues, the oil-based colors fade faster than acrylics.

When coating a sandblasted sign background, I highly recommend using an oil-based stain, one or two coats depending on the wood type, condition and porosity. No primer is needed as the stain acts as the primer and finish coat. So in these instances, the old-fashioned oil-based paints are still my preference.

If you’re in the market for quality hand-painted signage, please give me a call at 540-943-9818. I’ve been making high-performance wood signs for many decades!

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company serving Staunton, Waynesboro, and surrounding areas of Virginia. You can e-mail him at mark@augustasigncompany.com.

What I’ve Learned About Lettering Vehicles

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Fred Roscher, president of Roscher Electric, after his new “naked” van got “clothed” with
3M sign graphics from Augusta Sign Company of Staunton, Virginia

From Hand-Painted to Computer-Cut

It’s interesting to consider what I’ve learned about lettering vehicles over the years. Although I am getting pretty old, at least I didn’t begin lettering covered wagons, or Ford Model T’s! But I did begin lettering vehicles before the Golden Age of Computer Graphics, when vehicles were still lettered with a paint brush and a can of paint.

Memories of a Signpainter

I remember doing my first fleet of vehicles for an electric company in Silver Spring, Maryland, Neary Electric, that used a neat and intricate letter style with red, white and blue inset elements in each letter, all done by hand using a hand-drawn and hand-pounced pattern that I made in my shop. The year was about 1986 or 87 when I still resided in Maryland. When I moved to Waynesboro, VA a few years later I continued to travel to Silver Spring to letter new vans for the company for a little while.

Partial Wrap for Vailes Home Improvement Services of Waynesboro. Vailes re-utilized used vehicles that had old graphics, removed them, and re-branded with new
Avery Vinyl Branding

New Age Dawns

After the computerized plotters became commonplace, it just didn’t make a lot of sense to hand letter trucks any more. The many advantages of using vinyl graphics for vehicles easily outweighed paint: First, red vinyl lasted much longer than a few years out in the UV rays from the sun like sign paint did. Back then it was good if you used a 5-7 year vinyl product, but nowadays a 10-year lifetime is the new standard for cast vinyl sheeting. You may wonder what cast vinyl is? There are two types of sign vinyls, cast and calendered.

A Lesson on Vinyl Types

Cast films are considered the industry premium. These films start in a liquid state with the ingredients blended together and then poured onto a casting sheet. The casting process produces a thin gauge film—usually 1- to 2-mil thick. By casting film on a sheet, the film stays in a more relaxed state, resulting in a durable, flexible, conformable and dimensionally stable film that retains color well. These films are ideal for complex surfaces such as vehicles and where a smooth finished look is expected. The expected life of cast films can usually reach 10 years before any discoloration or adhesive loss begins!

Calendered films are often called intermediate or short-term films. They start with a molten mixture that is extruded through a die and fed though a series of calendering rolls. The rolling and stretching process produces thicker films (3- to 4-mil is common) that have some inherent memory, making the film less dimensionally stable and less conformable with a tendency to shrink when exposed to heat. However, they are less expensive, somewhat more scratch resistant, and their heavier weight makes them easier to handle than cast films. These films are well suited for flat and simple curved applications on a variety of substrates. Expected lifespan of calendered vinyl films outdoors can range from about one to six years.

Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Home utilized metallic vinyl letters for a customized look.

Let’s Wrap It Up

Today, wrapping vehicles is the new trend, and it makes an effective statement out there on the roadways of the world. I tend to shy away from full vehicle wraps and focus on vehicle graphics projects that don’t involve fitting the vinyl films over complex vehicle contours, which is very tricky. I stick with simplified vehicle lettering jobs. I have the capability to take photos of each side of the vehicle and superimpose the graphic designs onto each sign on customer proof drawings. That way the client can see exactly how the graphics will be integrated into the vehicle before the project begins.

Rivets are no big deal. Cast vinyls can easily conform to many unusually shaped
background surfaces.

Good Advice

I am able to letter vehicles up to a standard van size in my workshop garage bays. Anything larger I usually tackle at the customer’s lot or garage. Simple designs are usually one day projects, but more detailed designs may take 2 or 3 days to complete. It’s usually a good idea to stick with one sign company to letter your vehicles if you have a fleet. That way you can be assured that the designs and colors are consistent. Branding your vehicles is one important element of a well-branded company.

Matching Pantone Colors is easy with digitally printed 3M materials.

If you have new vehicles that need lettering or old ones that need re-branding, contact Augusta Sign Company, serving Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County, and neighboring areas, with quality vehicle lettering services.

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company, 540-943-9818