I have a neighbor who has asked for some help. She has recently bought a custom-made sign to identify her property. It was router-carved out of balsa (I’m told) and then painted with what looks to be acrylic paints (landscape, trees, dog, etc., identifying her new “estate” of a couple of acres). Anyway, she asked me for some help in mounting it outside and since we are at altitude in Colorado, I am concerned that this expensive sign will go the way of all flesh without additional protection. I looked at various poly finishes, spar varnishes, acrylics, but I am not sure what would be most appropriate. Several, such as the spar varnish, indicated that they were to be applied to bare or stained wood, indicating that any paint (presumably former finish paint) should be removed. Only an acrylic finish indicated it could be used over paint, and I am not sure it has the UV inhibitors, etc. for exended outdoor exposure.
Also, if possible, I would like to get the finish in a spray can, as I have no sprayer of my own, and I am concerned that a brushed finish might settle into the textures that are carved into the sign.
Any help, advice, experience, post-mortems of previous experience, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Ed Furlong
At 7680′ in the North Turkey Creek Watershed, Evergreen, CO
Replies
The first thing I'd do is confirm that it's made out of Balsa. That seems a very strange choice to me for sign stock!
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Ed,
I'm in Colorado too, Flagstaff Mountain just under 8000' and quite frankly I don't think that there is a product that will protect it. I've lived at this altitude for 28 years and over that period of time I've tried every conceivable finish and have found that the only thing that holds up reasonably well is heavy body stains and that won't help you much. The UV is just too strong. I definitely wouldn't use any of the urethanes. I'd be more inclined to try to locate the sign out of direct sunlight and not facing south if possible.
I have to agree, balsa does not seem like a wood to use outdoors and the colors in acrylic paint tend not to do to well when exposed to UV. The UV protectors in certain clear finishes are to protect the clear finish, not the colors or wood underneath. Polyurethane finishes are not good outdoor products. And, finally, any clear finish with UV protectors is very amber and will change the color of the paints underneath.
Not a happy answer I'm afraid.
A marine grade UV style spar varnish is going to be your best prevention. But its not a final end-all solution. Ive lived in Colorado above 7000 and the UV damage isnt pretty.
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