Wood as a construction material has been around for centuries. Despite all the technological advancements and new scientific innovations, wood is something that evolved with time instead of becoming redundant. Let’s find out why wood works best for outdoor signs!
Why Choose Wood for Outdoor Signs?
While it can be argued that prefabricated plastics and metals have taken a huge chunk of their usage in the construction and building industry, wood is arguably the most used material for high-end, classy, and timeless designs. Wood offers excellent technical properties that make it unbeatable. Besides from being aesthetically pleasing,
Wood is lightweight, has excellent tensile and pressure resistance, doesn’t get rusted, and is resilient to weathering if used correctly. Hence, wood makes it an ideal choice for outdoor signs. Wood comes in many different types, ranging from low-cost solutions to extremely rare and high-end propositions not required for normal usage.
For an outdoor signboard, a suitable wood type would be one that would revolve around its high resistance to the effects of weathering. Resistance to weathering is essential as the sign must be durable against moisture, rain, sun, snow, and other natural effects of outdoor life.
Let’s dive into the types of wood best suited for the task.
Seven of the Best Wood for Outdoor Signs
Here the some of the best options of wood for outdoor signs:
1. Crezon Board or Water Proof Plywood
Crezon Board, also popularly known as Water Proof Plywood. Its name is quite encouraging for those thinking of wood for outdoor signs. Water can be a challenge for most woods, but Crezon board is specifically outdoor grade which means it offers an excellent resistance to the dangerous effects of weathering.
It is usually coated with an enamel surface, giving it a very smooth finish, and is ideal for painting. Crezon board has an average life expectancy of 5 years and can withstand extreme hot and cold temperatures.
Crezon board is easily available and infects the most common material used for outdoor non-illuminated signs. Crezon comes in different shapes and sizes, but common sizes are eight ft. by four ft. and ten ft. by four ft., which is ample for any outdoor sign. An additional plus is that it is easy to cut into various shapes.
2. Redwood
Redwood has been a preferred choice for outdoor signs for a long time as they have excellent resistance against weathering effects. Redwood contains certain oils that make it resistant to insects, termites, moisture, and decay.
Sandblasted Redwood is also perhaps one of the strongest woods available today, which is why it is so difficult to cut at times, and it is on the pricey side of the woods we will discuss today. Redwood is also pleasing aesthetically and has a flair that can neither be ignored nor duplicated.
3. Pinewood
Pinewood has a distinctly yellowish tone, making it ideal for outdoor signs to contrast colors. Despite being a softwood, Pinewood has excellent durability and strength and can withstand the effects of being outdoors for extended durations.
Plywood is easily and commonly available and is found throughout the world. Pinewood, being light-colored, will merge with almost any color combination, and they are an excellent choice for outdoor sings.
4. Walnut Wood
Walnut wood is the iconic stand-out for high-end and top-quality woods. It is one of the priciest options of wood that is in common usage throughout the world.
Its chocolate-brown color with dark streaks makes it the most eye-catching wood for an outdoor sign. It has excellent resistant properties and will not rot for ages if it is properly looked after from time to time. With the right finishing, it can stand out from a distance, and if you are looking for something that will set your sign board apart, this is the wood for you.
5. Cedar
Cedar has been one of the traditional options available in the market to make outdoor signs. Cedar has been the wood of choice for many years for rustic outdoor sign boards owing to the natural finish.
Cedar has exceptional anti-rot properties and can bear moisture quite well. Cedar wood also gives a beautiful look for someone looking to have a natural-looking outdoor sign board owing to its circular grains. Cedar wood is also a natural candidate because of its widespread availability and easy-to-operate features.
6. Cherry
Pinewood is one of the most popular woods used worldwide for outdoor furniture owing to its beautiful reddish-brown tint. It gives a classy look that only improves with time as it tends to darken a little over the years, giving an excellent rustic look to your outdoor wooden sign.
Cherry wood has medium-grade resistance to weathering and outdoors. Still, when used with a suitable sealant, it has excellent resistance, making it suitable for usage as an outdoor sign board.
7. Acacia
Acacia is one of the most trendy and eye-pleasing wood options discussed today. Acacia is a natural solid wood readily available, making it cheaper than other solid woods.
It has medium-grade resistance to outdoor usage and is best used for circular designs. Acacia is so good against moisture that it is used to make canoes. Acacia has some resistance to getting painted, so you will require to use a wood primer to paint it.
Our Concluding Thoughts
In conclusion, several wood options are available to us in today’s day and age if we are looking to make wooden outdoor signs.
Ultimately, the choice depends not merely on the cost-effectiveness but also on finding the right balance between requirements, the temperature and weather where the board will be located, personal choice of color, and availability in your region.
All these factors disallow us from having a one-size-fits-all or a one-wood-suits-all approach. Therefore, we hope you have the information you need to find out which wood is best for you by the end of this blog.
Happy Woodworking!
