Plywood Sign Advice

[vinylfrontier]

We have just got our first request for plywood signs from a local company in town. As of now we plan to prime, paint, place vinyl lettering and clear coat. Any words of wisdom out there?

 

[Replicator]

Get some pre-painted MDO

 

[Pat Whatley]

We have just got our first request for plywood signs from a local company in town. As of now we plan to prime, paint, place vinyl lettering and clear coat. Any words of wisdom out there?

Use MDO. Seal the edges with Titebond glue. Slightly round your edges, paint failure tends to start when paint contracts at the sharp corners. Sand, prime, paint, & letter.

 

[sinetist]

Cut to size/shape, fill any voids on the edges, sand and round the edges a bit, prime, paint and apply vinyl. I use latex exterior primer and mostly marine enamel for backgrounds. There are lots of signs I've done that way that are doing well after 10 or more years.

 

[Gino]

Welcome from PA..........................


Probably no need to clear coat at the end.

 

[OldPaint]

if your doin PLYWOOD SIGNS, you doin CHEAP .............
if you are real sign shop
THEN YOU WOULD DO MDO......and make the CLIENT PAY FOR THE MATERIAL!!!!

 

[sinetist]

I just assumed (big mistake sometimes) that the OP meant MDO. If not, well, ordinary plywood, even quality plywood, just won't last.

 

[Gino]

I just assumed (big mistake sometimes) that the OP meant MDO. If not, well, ordinary plywood, even quality plywood, just won't last.

Not to this thread, but if you know what you're doing.... of course plywood will work and last a long long time. It's a little more work, but there's really nothing wrong with using it. What do you think we used before MDO or duraply ??

 

[Jillbeans]

I used plywood for about the first 20 years of my career.
I have found that if prepped/primed/painted properly it looks great and lasts longer than MDO.
However, I have grown to dread all that work.
So now I suggest Alumalite.
Virtually no prep, it does cost a lot more, but when you factor in the labor and paint costs of using plywood, it's a no-brainer.
Love....Jill

 

[jkkt]

Any suggested suppliers for Alumalite?

 

[cfbeagle]

I see you are in Atlanta... I get mine from Alumapanel. They call Alumilite Polymetal. They will deliver it to you for free. www.alumapanel.com

 

[Billct2]

Sure I used exterior grade AC sanded plywood, then I used MDO, now I use signply (alumaply). Just seal the edge and if necessary one coat of paint and you're done. If possible I use dibond or alumalite in a prefinished color.
Do not clear coat cut vinyl graphics, unless you're applying a graffittii guard.

 

[vinylfrontier]

Wow....didn't expect that many replies. Thanks for all the advice! We did think of using MDO, the company requested the plywood so that it what I quoted them for, however, I will more than likley use MDO. Their current signs are in horrible shape, faded and vinyl peeing all over. I was told they have only been there for a few years. Not sure who did them. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Joe Diaz]

I would suggest using Alupanel, Alumalite or Lusterboard over MDO or Plywood. Then scuff the aluminum if you're going to paint. Or just apply the vinyl right on the aluminum surface. If you go with Lusterboard, treat the edges the same way you would if you went with MDO or Plywood.

 

[Pat Whatley]

We did think of using MDO, the company requested the plywood so that it what I quoted them for

The only difference is the overlay layer. They won't know the difference and I bet you if you try to explain the difference to them before you do it they'll want to know why you bothered asking!

 

[gabagoo]

I'm with Jill on this one. Something happened here in Southern Ontario a few years back and many of the sign supply companies were buying there plywood all from the same place. I have no idea why but this mfg used a latex paint and problems started for everyone. I was contracted by another sign shop to do 50 4x8 signs using all 2ml vinyl. Because we did not like what was happening with the prepainted plywoods we decided to coat each sign out with 3M 220 and then apply the graphics over it. After doing about 25 of them we saw something in one of the signs that was very strange. The white vinyl 2ml layer was pulling off after the second layer of graphics was applied, and the white had been put down the day before, apparently using soap and water to apply the full coverage overlay weakened the paint. Needless to say 50 signs slowly fell apart over a short period of time. we even ran frog juice all around the edges to protect them. In the end my client lost any future work from his client due to this and he was compensated by the wood supplier although not enough to cover the losses.

 

[PSG]

The only difference is the overlay layer. They won't know the difference and I bet you if you try to explain the difference to them before you do it they'll want to know why you bothered asking!

^^^^ +1 ^^^^

Besides, all they can see is the de-laminating layers of the plys anyway from a poor prep and paint job on their old signs. So they deem it "plywood".

 

[OldPaint]

MDO & MARINE GRADE PLYWOOD...........use a different glue between the layers of plywood.
also most PLYWOOD has less layers then MDO. also the paper looking coating on MDO..........is oil resistant. PLY WOOD IS NOT.
MDO plywood was originally used for making CONCRETE FORMS!!!!!!!!! and all the panels they made for this got sprayed with a lite coat of oil before they was used in a form...so the concrete would not stick to the wood

 

[signpro]

i still say use Alumacore. no prep work. lighter. no rotting. but that's just me.

 

[vinylfrontier]

I did some research on the Alumacore and the stuff sounds amazing. I think I will use that instead. Thanks