Using Wood for exterior signs
As our name implies, wood is our medium of choice. Over the years we’ve experimented with a variety of wood species to determine which provides optimal performance for each specific application. In the early 70’s, most of our sandblasted wood signs were made from reclaimed, Clear Heart Redwood salvaged from the rooftop water storage tanks that once dotted Chicago’s skyline. When these tanks would fall into disrepair, they would need to be removed from the building’s rooftop. Amazingly, after thousands of years in existence and hundreds of years of service, the material still retains it’s beauty and structural integrity. Nowadays, this amazing material can be difficult to obtain in the Midwest and is cost prohibitive for most applications but at times, is still available.
We’ve have also found that Western Red Cedar performs quite well in the outdoors. Cedar and Redwood expand and contract less than Pine and domestic hardwoods such as Oak, Maple and Walnut. Despite the performance characteristics that Cedar and Redwood possess, they are still subjected to on site humidity and moisture. These components lead to the micro-fracturing of paints and coatings and necessitate that maintenance is performed to retain the look of the sign’s original finish. The timing of this maintenance can vary greatly and is most often determined by the environment. We can work with just about any wood you’d prefer but we’ve found that these woods work best for exterior signage.
We’ve have also found that Western Red Cedar performs quite well in the outdoors. Cedar and Redwood expand and contract less than Pine and domestic hardwoods such as Oak, Maple and Walnut. Despite the performance characteristics that Cedar and Redwood possess, they are still subjected to on site humidity and moisture. These components lead to the micro-fracturing of paints and coatings and necessitate that maintenance is performed to retain the look of the sign’s original finish. The timing of this maintenance can vary greatly and is most often determined by the environment. We can work with just about any wood you’d prefer but we’ve found that these woods work best for exterior signage.
