Need to make painted wooden sign with engraved (and painted letters)

[JoeBoomer]

I don't do wooden signs typically, but I have a client that I'm doing like $200k worth of work and they want store front signs as follows:


3x8' Cedar (or similar) wooden sign, painted white w/ engraved blue letters. The white background is meant to be kind of a whitewashed look, basically they want the wood grain to show through. It's a basic font and only 2 lines.

Typically I would opt for HDU signfoam, but that is a little out of the budget.

Does anyone have a vendor for this or a good way to achieve this? I do have a local vendor who can route the wood for me, but just looking for experienced folks take and thoughts.

Thanks team!

 

[rossmosh]

Here's my take on it:

1. I think carving the letters isn't the best look. To me, applied letters would look more appropriate. If you do carve, I think a flat bottom letter rather than a v-carve letter would be better. Again, just my opinion but it might be wise to iron out these details before proceeding.

2. You need to discuss their rendering. Right now it's shown as 3 - 12" wide boards with the boards having a defined seam. Was this their intention or was this just a texture? Most cedar boards are glued up with narrower pieces and planed flat. You can do what the rendering shows, it's just a 100% custom jobber instead of ordering a blank from a manufacturer. I do have some concerns running 12" wide planks. You might find the wood will want to move and cup. Finding an experienced wood worker/carpenter is ideal. I'd work with someone local as shipping will be expensive otherwise.

3. I've never done whitewashing, but a quick google search seems to come up with a lot of different methods. None of which seem all that difficult. Here's a decent writeup that sounds pretty reasonable: http://www.remodelaholic.com/how-to-whitewash-plank-wall-ceiling/

I do think at the end of the day this isn't going to be any cheaper than HDU. Just some guessing, but I'm thinking you're looking at about $400-500 for the sign blank if you go the custom route. A "stock" blank will save you about $100-150. You might want to call up these folks and have a talk with them: http://www.perfectplank.com/cedar_sign_blanks_signs.html

 

[letterman7]

I'm going to have to ask if you're quoting $200K in a project, how is a sheet of HDU out of the budget? It won't be (that much) cheaper than a cedar blank, and you'll have the option of either v-carving into the blank, adding woodgrain, simulating a sandblasted look or all of the above. Too many reasons not to use HDU... unless your client is specifying the cedar.

 

[Marlene]

Polyplasticforms.com has a washed would that they do but not sure of how large they can go. the biggest problem with wood is it isn't matched planks that make up the sheet of wood. it would look like planks stacked up but if that is what you want, it can be done. carving the lettering in would look nice. we did a cedar with a gray wash and black v-groove carved letters. the only problem was the plank look as the sign was copy heavy