How to Weatherproof Outdoor Wooden Signs

If you want your outdoor wooden signs to stand the test of time, you'll have to weatherproof them. There's nothing shabbier than a worn, weather beaten sign trying to entice people to buy something. To keep your message fresh and clear, you'll need to take measures to protect your wooden sign against rain, humidity, dew and the sun’s rays. The following tips will help you build and maintain a wooden sign that will stand up to the elements.

Step 1 - Select More Robust Types of Wood

One main starting point is to select a type of wood which is by nature robust and hard wearing. Treated wood is also ideal for outdoor use. Also it is best to select wood which is quite thick.

Step 2 - Sand the Wood Panels

Secondly, use sandpaper to sand the wood panels you shall be using for creating your signs. This will help to make the wood smoother. Besides making them more appealing it will also help to reduce the retention of water and moisture from rain, dew or humidity to stick to grains and chippings.

Step 3- Apply Wood Putty if Necessary

If required, apply some wood putty to certain areas of the wood.

Step 4 - Apply Water Repellent Preservative

Afterward, you may apply a coating of water repellent preservative. This can come in a consistency suitable for painting and it will treat the wood to increase its resistance to outdoor conditions. It helps to preserve the wood beneath while also increasing the life of the paint that will be applied later.

Step 5 - Paint

Your next step is to paint the wood panels. It is crucial to select a type of paint which is manufactured for outdoor applications. This is, in fact, one of the most important steps to weatherproofing wood. Usually a high-quality acrylic-based paint is recommended or else stains. These paints have better adhesion. The paint layer on the wood will help to block, to a certain limit, the sun’s rays from affecting negatively the underlying wood from any weathering and fading. Another good type of paint is enamel which provides a hard outer surface to the wood. There are also types of stains that are semitransparent and contain chemicals which act as water repellents and preservatives at the same time.

Step 6 - Apply Wood Sealer

After painting the wood and making sure you apply more than one coat, and letting them to dry, you can then apply wood sealer. This will further prolong the life of the wood signs.

Step 7 - Fix Plastic Edge Caps

You can also wish to fix plastic edge caps on the edges of the sign. This will help to increase their longevity.

By trying to apply these tips you can increase the sturdiness of the wooden signs and reduce the need to replace them after a short period of time.