Adhesive for attaching sign face to wood

[saratoningraphics]

Old sign needs to be remade. (About 1 inch thick)
*ALL MATERIALS WILL BE NEW*
I was told I could just do the faces of the sign and client would make/cut the wooden center that the faces will be attached to.

If I make the faces with aluminum or ACP, what is the best way to attach them to the wood??
Could it be used for both thin aluminum or a 6mm acp?

And how should the surfaces be prepped?

I’ve read about LORD adhesive but not sure if that would work or which one to use.

This will be part of an outdoor sign.

 

[pro-UP]

If you are using 0.080 alum and a plywood type material (similar to the image), then bolt through the face in the white stripe (button head) and then paint the head white. These will be barely visible. Just make sure they are evenly spaced (do not rachet it down, there needs to be movement allowed for thermal gain / loss as materials react to ambient temperatures). A possible issue is the wood and aluminum react to environments differently (they bend and warp at different rates). A thin metal will warp faster than the wood and pull away from the backer (even will full adhesion application). Good luck!

 

[John Miller]

Use a premium construction adhesive like PL 500 or one of the other big box brands. Be sure to have a full bead of adhesive around the entire perimeter of the sign. If you don't, water could seep in between the face and the back. and raise hell with your sign. I would avoid wood for the sign body because whatever you do to seal the wood eventually moisture will have a bad impact on the sign's longevity. Consider 1" PVC or if you want it thicker 2" HDU. Both of these substrates will outlast wood by a huge margin.

 

[McNeil]

We have a repeat project that is 24 gauge sheet metal and 1 inch PVC that are clued together. We use to use a 3M epoxy that worked well but was $75+ a tube. Looked at Lord’s epoxy but it was about 6’s. The best thing we have found and works way better than any epoxy is Gorilla Clue Max Strength. Another we use is Liquid Nails Fuze It Max, both are construction adhesives and a fraction of the price.

 

[saratoningraphics]

We have a repeat project that is 24 gauge sheet metal and 1 inch PVC that are clued together. We use to use a 3M epoxy that worked well but was $75+ a tube. Looked at Lord’s epoxy but it was about 6’s. The best thing we have found and works way better than any epoxy is Gorilla Clue Max Strength. Another we use is Liquid Nails Fuze It Max, both are construction adhesives and a fraction of the price.

Thank you so much for the adhesive information! I will be trying to persuade them to spend the extra money rather than using wood.

 

[saratoningraphics]

Use a premium construction adhesive like PL 500 or one of the other big box brands. Be sure to have a full bead of adhesive around the entire perimeter of the sign. If you don't, water could seep in between the face and the back. and raise hell with your sign. I would avoid wood for the sign body because whatever you do to seal the wood eventually moisture will have a bad impact on the sign's longevity. Consider 1" PVC or if you want it thicker 2" HDU. Both of these substrates will outlast wood by a huge margin.

Thank you! If the customer choses to continue with wood I want to recommend an adhesive to use but I might say they would have to do the adhering so there is no warranty the sign. They probably want to save money and use wood they have laying around, but hopefully they will consider PVC so they can get a warrantied sign.

 

[saratoningraphics]

If you are using 0.080 alum and a plywood type material (similar to the image), then bolt through the face in the white stripe (button head) and then paint the head white. These will be barely visible. Just make sure they are evenly spaced (do not rachet it down, there needs to be movement allowed for thermal gain / loss as materials react to ambient temperatures). A possible issue is the wood and aluminum react to environments differently (they bend and warp at different rates). A thin metal will warp faster than the wood and pull away from the backer (even will full adhesion application). Good luck!

This would make it so much easier, but I was told they do not want anything going through the face of the sign... I'll suggest it but they seemed pretty against it. Thank you for your advice!

 

[unclebun]

Physical fasteners. Period. Not glue. Stress to the school the importance of sign safety. They do not want the liability of the aluminum face flying off in a storm or falling when the adhesive fails.

 

[Gino]

uncleben is correct. Physical fasteners.

The various substrates have different movement patterns due to mostly temperature change and climate according to how much weather can get to this sign. Aluminum, wood, pvc and other substrates all breath at different rates causing a not-so-strong of a bonding when using glue only.