Weatherproof hardwood signs

[Pete Andrew]

Hi all
I have just been asked by a park authority to provide some small (3" square) wooden plaques, maybe a half inch thick, lasered with their design. The idea is that about 500 of these are screwed to wooden posts along a particular walk that will eventually cross the country (our country being England, not the States!).

They are suggesting using oak, which I have used for something similar recently and have noticed that the etched areas are fading to the point that they are barely readable.

It would be great if there was a wood that kept the dark etched look even though it is exposed to the elements for years (think coastal, sea spray, winters, summers, rain....). Or a process that easily in-filled the lasered portions with a dark colour......

What would you guys recommend here? Any tricks or tips?

[Mike Null]

There is no wood which will not fade in just a few years. You can colorfill the engraved part and make it last longer but wood is not maintenance free.

I would use Corian and fill that. Then you can expect 50 years or more.

[Dee Gallo]

Mahogany and teak are two water resistant woods that look nice, but you might want to consider dipping your oak in some resin coating to preserve them (like what they pour onto restaurant tables) and then you will have the look they want along with longevity.

cheers, dee

[Mark Winlund]

This is a job for a router in heartwood of Oak, no fill, just deep routing. The visibility is generated by shadows. Use Aspire or similar to do 3D routing.

Mark

[Pete Andrew]

Thanks guys - there are of course other ways of doing it, but they are wanting a wood that is native and sustainable, because they are "like that", and I wouldn't want to complain at the idea too much!

So Corian is out (thanks Mike); so is Teak and Mahogany (thanks Dee); I don't have a router, nor know of Aspire, but like the idea of depth creating the shadows (thanks Mark), and as the logo is made of thin-ish lines there may be some mileage in this by using vector lines sort of close together (contours in Corel?). Anyone tried doing this by etching deep lines for the outlines of a logo with, say, 3 contour line passes in vector mode?

And Dee - resin on restaurant tables - if they are the same tables as we have over here, then we may be talking polyurethane varnish, and the wood ends up looking like plastic! But you are right in that they would last longer....

[Bob Reda]

Pete,

If using oak use white oak if you can. White oak is weathere resistant, they used it for decking on battleships.

Bob

[Joe Pelonio]

Poly and other protective clears are not what would be considered sustainable. I'd suggest linseed or tung oil, and just have them repeat
the application regularly.