Best paint system for timber signs

[Neil Davey]

Hi Rod, we usually:
1. Treat the timber first with a preservative.
2. One very thin wood primer followed by one slightly less thinned.
3. Two undercoats applied using a 4" roller.
4. Two top coats applied with a foam roller and flatted between coats.

Hope this helps.

[RodHill]

thanks Neil,

that’s a great help – is there any particular make of paint / thinner you would recommend?
thanks

Rod

[Neil Davey]

Go for good quality paint, Dulux etc.

I quite like Johnstones paint but try and keep the same make for all.

[NeilRoss]

As Neil says. I’d only add to make sure each coat is fully dry before adding the next coat. If you give it a quick light dust with smooth sandpaper it should sound nice and crisp rather than dulled soft sound. Hope that makes sense. Pay special attention to any joints, as that’s where it is most likely to crack over time and let water in.

[Steve McAdie]

Paint brands we used to use were Berger & Brolac think they must be trade brands as never see them on the shelves in the diy stores.

[Paul Hughes]

What Neil said.

johnsons undercoat is very nice, high build, covers grain in ply wood great.

if you want a really long life job then about the best i have found is to use dulux weathersheild not the cheapest but if you use the whole system from primer to top coat it lasts really well. i did my shop sign in it and it has been up for 15 years, its starting to fail now so time to start planning the next one.

Paul

[NeilRoss]

If cost isn’t an issue you won’t go far wrong with the likes of International yacht paint.

[Gert du Preez]

quote NeilRoss:

If cost isn’t an issue you won’t go far wrong with the likes of International yacht paint.

😮 😮 We did the National re-branding for Total service stations about 10 years ago

That stuff is GOOOOD, but the price makes you want to duck for cover. I once dropped a 1,2 x 1,2m alu panel from about 6 metres up, fortunately it landed flat on the face on some very rough asphalt. Not a mark on it!

The red paint is about GBP500 for 5 litres, no smaller sizes available here. We used it because it was specced, and quoted as such.

At least it will preventbarnacless growing on the sign 😉

[RodHill]

Great stuff, thanks all – really appreciate all the advice

thanks

Rod

[Harry Cleary]

quote Gert du Preez:

The red paint is about GBP500 for 5 litres,

😮 😮 I’m assuming GBP = Sterling or am I missing something?

[Gert du Preez]

quote Harry Cleary:

quote Gert du Preez:

The red paint is about GBP500 for 5 litres,

😮 😮 I’m assuming GBP = Sterling or am I missing something?

If you were assuming, the assumption would be right 😀

About N$ 6500 for 5 litre. At about 13 Namibian Dollars to the Pound. (To put this in some insane perspective: Yesterday the Union for security guards negotiated a 30% wage increase for their members. Minimum pay for them is now N$ 5 / Hour, for a 12 hour shift…..)

At least beer, meat, smokes and Whiskey is cheaper than in the UK 😉

[Gavin Dooley]

Rod, Most important element is the timber, have used marine ply & exterior mdf (very important exterior!!) both with good lasting qualities. Prime with Dulux wood primer, light sand, under coat, sand (light or not so light, depending on how smooth your undercoat finish is), gloss, sand using wet & dry sand paper using small amount of water, wipe clean, then final coat of gloss. Generally leave 16 hours between coats, 24 hours between gloss coats.
Before anything, slightly round edges by sanding, ie, take off sharp edge because this is where earliest failure occurs…should have said this first!!
I have jobs still in place after 18 years, varying degrees of fading depending of amounts of sunshine.
If you get it right its not great for repeat work!!!
Hope this is helpful.