Need Advice for re-Painting a Sign

[Guy Lester]

I have a sign on the front of my house. It's the name of the house, "Bethany". I made this sign out of pressure treated plywood, with letters cut out of strand board subflooring. I painted the whole sign with KILZ sealer, then oil-based exterior paint.

Within a few months, the finish started to crack and peel. I need to re-do it so that it will last.

The sign is permanently attached to the house. The guy that did my vinyl siding offered to mount it and make it part the installed siding with sheet metal wrap on the border and everything. At the time I thought that was great, but not now. I need to rent a cherry picker to get to it and sand and re-finish it (it's above a second floor window and there is a porch roof that prevents me from using a ladder). I don't want to have to do it again very soon.

Any recommendations?

Thanks a million in advance.

[Joe Pelonio]

Strandboard is not going to hold up outdoors. Maybe if you use oil based paint on the back, front, and edges you will get a longer life but I would have used cedar or redwood with acrylic or PVC letters. Most of those I have done were sandblasted Redwood or Cedar with One-Shot paint, made for signs and I have some that have lasted outdoors in our wet climate 15 years.

[Guy Lester]

This is not the usual strand board. It is subflooring which is made with much smaller pieces, and is treated or sealed. I have scraps of it that have been out in the weather without any coating at all, and it holds up really well. The paint started peeling on this sign pretty soon after it was up. I don't think the deterioration of the wood is the problem. At least, it didn't cause the problem initially.

[Joe Pelonio]

Most likely it's that the glues in the strandboard won't allow the primer to penetrate. Since it's meant for subfloors it would normally not be meant to accept paint.

[Jason Roehl]

Was the KILZ a waterborne product? In what part of the country do you live?

[Guy Lester]

Most likely it's that the glues in the strandboard won't allow the primer to penetrate. Since it's meant for subfloors it would normally not be meant to accept paint.

I was thinking that might be the case.

[Guy Lester]

Was the KILZ a waterborne product? In what part of the country do you live?

I don't remember, but probably not since I was using oil-based paint, and I bought the KILZ fro this project.

I live in North Central Arkansas.

[Jim Beachler]

Another thought is which direction is the sign facing? Is it exposed to intense (afternoon) sunlight? Is it in a spot that would have gotten extremely hot with the extremely hot weather that happened this year? Causes could be environmental as well.