any translucent white paint suggestions? to see woodgrain on a routed sign?

[iSign]

Well, I got this contract for 9 redwood dimensional signs for Mick Fleetwoods new restaurant. I had to crank out the first one (shown painted below) very fast, and I used latex paint & rushed it up still a little tacky...

...but I think the woodgrain is a characteristic I'd like to bring back into the finished look, by using a stain, or some sort of whitewashing paint... anyone have suggestions?

I would also like it if i could spray it one with an HVLP gun, because 8 more signs & 4 of them double face... that would be quite a bit of brush work... plus I think the more even of a coat I could get, the better the grain will look.

...right now, I'm running the second side of the first one of the double face signs. Almost 5am & I'm at about 15 hours now... taking breaks once files are running... but starting to think about getting the white painting started this afternoon, so hoping I learn a few things here first.

Also, do you folks think I need a primer if I want transparent anyway? I do want a good protective coat for long term exterior durability.... so I wonder if i should use some clear sealer after a translucent white? (or before?)

Here's one of the 24" x 72" ones, ready to start painting...

 

[sardocs]

Sikkens Cetol SRD makes a transparent grey that shows grain and is a proven outdoor cedar/redwood finish. Easy to apply and 1shot sticks well to it. Not sure if it's available in white.

 

[GB2]

Doug, you're going to have to experiment a bit with what you are trying to achieve since I think this will be uncharted territory. A couple of things come first to mind...simply using a semi-transparent stain (the type that you would stain a deck with) or possibly doing a white glaze (Dan S. formula). Either of those may not be extremely long lasting however and may need refreshing after a period of time. I would stay away from a clear coat as you will likely have incompatability issues and I've seen too many clear coat failures for whatever reason to chance it on your signs, also you won't be able to refresh the signs again with a clear coat on them.

 

[CanuckSigns]

I would reccomend a light grey glaze on the background over the white paint, it will be subtle, but it will really make the woodgrain pop.

 

[Gino]

Nice job so far.

I'm not sure, but that doesn't look like clear heart or vertical grain, so any thinning of paint or other tricks are probably gonna give way to all those knots popping through shortly in regular paint and even quicker if you thin it.

If you want the grain to show, why not give a complete transparent white and not use any solids at all. It will show up a little on the pink side, due to the cedar, but it will still give an aged appearance of white. Save the pure white for the lettering and picture outlines.

If you want to seal the wood first, than I would go thin as with thin paint.... you want it to soak deep into the grain. That also goes for priming. Priming will eliminate even more grain.

As for a clearcoat.... I don't think that's a good idea. Use a good grade of paint and you shouldn't need clearing. Also, according to what clear you use it will burn the paint and white will show it quickly and eventually at will crack, causing more problems down the road.

Remember, on a wood sign, your substrate was recently a living tree. Now it's been cut, dried, carved and painted, but it's still soft. Adding paint is about all the wood can take while it's still breathing and ever-so-minutely expanding and contracting. Adding a hard clear will not allow the paint to move with the wood, therefore, causing either the paint to lift.... or the clear to crack.

Clears are for non-living substrates, like cars, metal, glass and so on.

 

[sfr table hockey]

Looks good Doug, is this a new toy since I was there in Jan. Just can't recall a CNC but then again lots of things are a blurr.

 

[GypsyGraphics]

the name alone will make that restaurant will be a popular attraction.
there must have been some tough competition. so first, congratulations on landing that big fish.
and secondly... nice work doug, the signs look beautiful!

 

[HulkSmash]

No recommendations here, but that's a sweet sign. Nice job!

 

[Techman]

you may wish to consider sealing that with shellac before paint.

 

[SignManiac]

Interior or Exterior? If interior, a white semi transparent stain would do the trick but I don't think it would hold up very long out doors. If you had sandblasted the background then you could use a solid color paint and the grain would still show up beautifully. Here's one I blasted years ago and just painted. The wood grain looks better than in these pics.

 

[iSign]

thanks everyone... and to all who sent private messages as well!

nice stuff maniac, as always!
I sometimes wonder if I should have just blasted these, but I like to use the CNC, since I have it... and I like the 3 layers I was able to create, which helps the fine copy & thin strokes not rise up too far off a deep blasted background, so as to look odd...

anyway, I second guess myself quite often, but this one is going forward with my choice of CNC, and if I don't see the grain, well I think it might have got a little busy looking anyway, based on the thin strokes etc...

 

[Jillbeans]

That sign needs some authentic glass clackers...remember the album cover?
Love....Jill

 

[J Hill Designs]

why not just thinned down oil based white?

 

[ddarlak]

I sometimes wonder if I should have just blasted these

thats what i was thinking.

at this point they look no different than signfoam, i was thinking if your using redwood, you should utilize redwoods characteristics...

 

[J Hill Designs]

As for blasting with a multi-level appearance, I have had success cutting the mask for the various levels, and as you blast start taking the mask off (deepest parts should be weeded first, and weed less-deep parts as you blast)

 

[iSign]

Jill... I thought I remembered the album cover... but I guess I don't remember that part... I remember the blond though...

Darlak, I would have liked to use signfoam, but I needed the $10K
Igave them a few options, but was able to sell them routed signs, as long as I gave them redwood... so I took the deal

Jhill, I figured I could do that, but with 8 signs, and 4 of them double face... and I don't blast... I sub out to a guy who likes to do the work on his time, after i drop them off... that wasn't going to work out too well..

I ended up forgetting the translucent idea & they are moving forward & looking fine with opaque paint.

Thanks again to everyone who replied

 

[Jillbeans]

I remember it really well.
It was so "naughty" to me.

 

[ddarlak]

but was able to sell them routed signs, as long as I gave them redwood...

what ever the customer wants....

seems silly to use redwood instead of signfoam, but customer is always right

 

[iSign]

or in this case... the "Historical Society" is always right

 

[iSign]

came in yesterday to paint the first 2 for today's soft opening... I put a sign on the door about a rush job, locked it & proceeded to avoid the painting work for TWELVE hours!

finally I got to work on painting at 10:00 pm... between the actual painting & all the moving sawhorses, signs & fans... I finally finished around 5:00 am

maybe I should make some balls out of magic sculpt ... freak 'em out for laughs!