How to make this pop!

[Silvertip]

We have been asked to cover the VFW on the face of this building with cut out letters in Red, white and blue to make it pop.
They tried rope lighting that burned out a right away so they don't want to do that again and they are afraid that lighting will be too expensive anyway.
I really hate to cover the beautiful barnwood look they have going with something like max-metal or any other sheet material. If anyone has any ideas for how they might handle this in an inexpensive way let me know.It is really a nice building front and if we take it on I definitely don't want to detract from that! I have looked around and just haven't been able to dream up a good solution that will fit a tight budget.
Paint has been considered of course.
All ideas welcome and thanks for sharing your expertise!

 

[StopSignGraphics]

If you are only doing the VFW, you could possibly sand it down a little to remove some of the age. Maybe use something like milk paint or something similar so you don't lose all of the grain. Use some sort of high gloss finish over the paint to make the letters stand out from the rest of the wood on the building even more.

Depending on paint and finish, there would be routine maintenance to the sign, so not sure if that works with the budget.

 

[JgS]

Paint it!

 

[deegrafix]

What if you did the reverse of the letters in stylized stars and stripes?

 

[Mike Paul]

Power wash it to bring back the natural color of the wood if possible.

Keep the natural grain of the wood and stain it with two shades of semi-transparent stain, natural wood colors. One shade for VFW, background another.

I think the red, white and blue may be a bit much...

 

[Stanton]

That just screams out for overhead bucket lighting.

They are not looking for customers.
They just want members to see them.

And for their place to look nice.


Five goose neck lamps with 18" hoods each.
Paint the hardware blue-grey.


Should be less than $3000.ºº

 

[Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?]

What an ugly building, IMO.

 

[phototec]

We have been asked to cover the VFW on the face of this building with cut out letters in Red, white and blue to make it pop.
They tried rope lighting that burned out a right away so they don't want to do that again and they are afraid that lighting will be too expensive anyway.
I really hate to cover the beautiful barnwood look they have going with something like max-metal or any other sheet material. If anyone has any ideas for how they might handle this in an inexpensive way let me know.It is really a nice building front and if we take it on I definitely don't want to detract from that! I have looked around and just haven't been able to dream up a good solution that will fit a tight budget.
Paint has been considered of course.
All ideas welcome and thanks for sharing your expertise!

First off - I think you are wrong about NOT covering up the barnwood, the name VFW is suppose to be the main sign on the building face and it should stand out or "POP" as your customer has requested.

The barnwood VFW is very hard to see (READ) and is not a piece of artwork, so it should be covered in BRIGHT RED, WHITE and BLUE.

Maybe you just don't want to do it because it's not going to easy?

You need to get up there and make accurate measurements and a exact template and have the new Max-Metal face router cut to fit the existing wood shape. It may not be the cheapest, but in the long run it will last a very long time and they will get the most bang, I mean POP for their bucks.

 

[Silvertip]

Thanks for feedback!

Thanks everyone for weighing in. The reason for the VFW in red white blue is specific to VFW traditional standards. No it isn't too hard to go up measure and cover in max metal we were looking for alternative suggestions and the customer did not want paint/stain so that is why we are looking for different options that would not look so stark against what the rest of the face on their building is. We But again, thanks!

 

[Marlene]

[QUOTEthe customer did not want paint/stain][/QUOTE]

why? I would look nice painted. to cut out panels and tack them onto this would end up looking almost same only not a neatly done. when you said you used rope lighting that burned out, was it cheap stuff or a good brand? a good brand of LED should last.

 

[Billct2]

I like waht Marlene did and max metal would be maintenance free.
It is an ugly building and sign though.

 

[J Hill Designs]

Personally, I think its an insanely awesome building and sign

 

[bulldozer]

Personally, I think its an insanely awesome building and sign

me too. awesome looking building.

First off - I think you are wrong about NOT covering up the barnwood, the name VFW is suppose to be the main sign on the building face and it should stand out or "POP" as your customer has requested.

The barnwood VFW is very hard to see (READ) and is not a piece of artwork, so it should be covered in BRIGHT RED, WHITE and BLUE.

Maybe you just don't want to do it because it's not going to easy?

You need to get up there and make accurate measurements and a exact template and have the new Max-Metal face router cut to fit the existing wood shape. It may not be the cheapest, but in the long run it will last a very long time and they will get the most bang, I mean POP for their bucks.

this is exactly what i was going to say. it would look amazing.

 

[nikdoobs]

Very cool sign and buiding. Maybe consider staining the letters instead of painting them. You can get a red tinted stain. That would let the beauty of the wood grain shine through more than just painting it. I think painting the letters red white and blue will stick out more, but look very gawdy.

 

[phototec]

Thanks everyone for weighing in. The reason for the VFW in red white blue is specific to VFW traditional standards. No it isn't too hard to go up measure and cover in max metal we were looking for alternative suggestions and the customer did not want paint/stain so that is why we are looking for different options that would not look so stark against what the rest of the face on their building is. We But again, thanks!

Yes, the VFW colors of Red, White and Blue are standard and should be used, however the existing wood looks weathered, and I don't think any wood stain would do well, and would be mottled and NOT give the POP the customer is looking for.

Other alternatives for materials would be opaque Acrylic or Trovicel PVC sheeting cut to shape.

http://www.alro.com/divplastics/plasticsproduct_pvcfoam.aspx