What
type of wood is being used? What
type of wood is being used?
This is perhaps the most important of all questions. There are a number of grades of redwood and cedar. We use only the finest quality redwood available. First, it is a "Clear heart" material, which means it has the fewest number of knots of any grade. Secondly, it is "kiln-dried" to assure a minimum moisture content within the wood. This is particularly important to guard against warping. Thirdly, our grain is continuous within the length of the board and not "finger jointed." In finger jointed lumber, variances in grain within an individual length of lumber can create an undesirable "checkerboard" effect which looks as though the entire sign has been "pieced together."
Finally, we use only a continuous vertical grain. This means that the grain runs perpendicular to the face of the sign. It creates not only the attractive, dimensional, "ridged" effect of a quality redwood sign, but is also extends the life of the paint. A horizontal grain redwood tends to peel off in layers, hence the paint peels off with it. Many companies utilize a "construction grade" wood for their signs. This grade is more typically used to build decks and can exhibit any or all of the defects mentioned above when used for signage. It should be avoided at all costs.
What
is the thickness of the wood and depth of blasting?
All redwood and cedar is nominal 2" when we receive it. There is no true 2" redwood or cedar being shipped today and most 2" nominal is only 1 1/2" thick. Typically our cedar and redwood panels are about 1 3/4" thick. We accomplish this by purchasing our wood "in the rough" and planing it in our shop for maximum thickness. Many panels offered by our competitors are 1 1/2" thick or less.
We have found our panels to be adequately thick for both single and double faced signs. Thinner signs are more prone to cracking and warping, especially double faced or large signs.
What
type of paint is utilized?
We utilize top quality exterior enamel and latex paints, and top quality stains, to insure maximum life and fade resistance. All signs are completely primed with Sherwin Williams® "block out" prior to application of background colors unless a stained background is called for. Specialty lettering enamels are used for logos, copy and borders.
How
long will it take to manufacture my sign?
All signs are custom crafted by hand. A finish painted sign typically takes 3 to 4 weeks. For our wholesale customers, blanks are typically shipped within a week and blasted only signs, within two weeks.
How
long will my sandblasted sign last and what maintenance is required?
We have customers who have had their signs up over twenty years. Our redwood and cedar are naturally decay resistant and the new Sign-Foam™ is totally inert. Most signs need repainting in 3 to 5 years, depending on the climate extremes. We can either teach you how to repaint, or recommend someone in your area that can do it for you. In the interim, a good hosing down and brushing with soap and water will keep your sign clean.
If
I order from you, how will I get my sign installed?
Some installations are more difficult than others. For simple post installations, we can give you adequate instructions to complete the job yourself. For more complex jobs or multiple installations, we can likely set you up with a company in your area that can do the installation for you. We are happy to make recommendations for installation if you send us drawings.
Tell
me more about Sign-Foam™!
While nothing can ever replace the beauty of vertical grain redwood or cedar, and its unique grain characteristics, the new Sign-Foam™ is a remarkable product. When we first heard of Sign-Foam™ all we could thing of was styrofoam coolers. Boy were we wrong! This new product, developed as part of the space program, comes in a variety of densities and can be sawed, sanded, drilled, blasted and painted just like redwood. With the use of a special attachment, we can even duplicate the grain pattern of blasted redwood.
Sign-Foam™ is particularly useful for very complex graphics, where intricate detail is involved. We have used it for state and county seals and achieved a "cast metal" took for our clients at a fraction of the cost. In addition, Sign-Foam™ is much lighter than wood substrates, saving on shipping costs and making large signs easier to handle and install.
