maverick5754 1 Posted April 24, 2007 I have been asked to make a 4'x4' outdoor sign using plywood. Can someone tell me what type of paint (semi glosss, gloss...enamel..etc.) would be best to use to seal the plywood and the vinyl will adhere to best. Also, do I need to use a clear-coat sealer over the finished product to keep the vinyl letters from peeling off, if so,,,what kind is best?....Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted April 25, 2007 I don't know about letters sticking to the vinyl,the important thing to me would be the paint sticking to the plywood.Otherwise,the vinyl would pull the paint off. When I was in the furniture refinishing biz, I always used acrylic enamel on top of a primer coat.Furniture grade plywood is best.More expensive but better surface. I never sealed over the enamel. I have seen the sealer act as paint remover and ruin the finish. Thats just my furniture refinishing point of view. I would think that the vinyl would stick just as well to an y nice clean,smooth surface. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beardown 0 Posted April 25, 2007 Cut the plywwod 4x 4 Sand the Plywood w. rough grit Paint with Enamal 2 -3 coats Dry Apply vinyl Just did a 30" x 12 feet one just like this it was a two peice seem Sign Worked perfect Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maverick5754 1 Posted April 25, 2007 Thanks for that info. So I don't need to apply a clear coat over the vinyl after apllying to prevent weather wear? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannerJohn 1,324 Posted April 25, 2007 a clear coat of what? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtnaylor 0 Posted August 10, 2007 Beardown, I need to get my plywood cut for my outdoor signs tomorrow and get them painted and ready for my vinyl graphics. Will regular plywood hold up well outdoors ? When you say enamel - you mean just spray paint? I had planned on painting them with a few thick coats of paint - brushed on. I thought if I got some nice exterior latex that I would end up with a pretty smooth fisnish - and if I paint all the edges it should be waterprooof as well. Am I setting myself up for a disaster? Thanks. Cut the plywwod 4x 4 Sand the Plywood w. rough grit Paint with Enamal 2 -3 coats Dry Apply vinyl Just did a 30" x 12 feet one just like this it was a two peice seem Sign Worked perfect Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hobbot 0 Posted August 11, 2007 I think the best plywood you can get is MDO (medium density overlay). It's got a smooth rasin overlay on one or both sides and is rated for outdoor use. The bad I'm sure its more expensive and harder to find. More common plywood is labeled with a code like ACX. The first letter is the face, the second letter is the back, and the x is for exterior adhesive. "A" is the highest grade smooth with no knots, down to "D". In any case exterior plywood will be damaged and warp when exposed to water so paint all sides and edges. The word "enamel" simply means the paint will dry to a hard finish and can be applied to almost any type of paint. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtnaylor 0 Posted August 11, 2007 Thanks Hobbot, Yes I'd love to find MDO but you just can't find it here. So I'm going the smoothest plywood I can find and paint it like crazy. Is there any clear I can use on top that's safe for the vinyl letters? I really want to waterproof this thing. Thanks again, J.T. I think the best plywood you can get is MDO (medium density overlay). It's got a smooth rasin overlay on one or both sides and is rated for outdoor use. The bad I'm sure its more expensive and harder to find. More common plywood is labeled with a code like ACX. The first letter is the face, the second letter is the back, and the x is for exterior adhesive. "A" is the highest grade smooth with no knots, down to "D". In any case exterior plywood will be damaged and warp when exposed to water so paint all sides and edges. The word "enamel" simply means the paint will dry to a hard finish and can be applied to almost any type of paint. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hobbot 0 Posted August 11, 2007 I don't think clear coat over the vinyl is a good idea you might cause more problems. If your worried about longevity 3M has a Edge Sealer check it out I think this is what your looking for. Is there any clear I can use on top that's safe for the vinyl letters? I really want to waterproof this thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel T 0 Posted August 11, 2007 I would check with the manufacturer of your vinyl, but am fairly certain that any sealant or protective overcoat will void the mfg. warranty.my supplier sells an edge sealer that works great. your best objective is to get a good hard smooth surface to apply your vinyl too. good luck with your project and post some finished pics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stormy 5 Posted August 12, 2007 I use "Frog Juice" to clear coat almost all of my projects. It comes in an aerosol 12 oz spray can, and in my opinion is much more durable than the edge sealer and a lot faster to applicate. You can find it in the accessories section at www.signoutletstore.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtnaylor 0 Posted August 13, 2007 Okay I'm an idiot - I admit ... do I want the green or pink can of frog juice ? I'm just using vinyl letters on outdoor oil based paint. Is there anything I can buy locally that's comparable? I bought a can of poly to put over the entire sign to help waterproof it but now I'm afraid it will yellow. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stormy 5 Posted August 13, 2007 The green can is what I use. There's a reason..I can't remember why. It works good though. I would think just a regular clear coat would work...but I've never tried it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tacjp 0 Posted September 4, 2007 I know this is a late post, but MDO is what sign painters used for years. You can buy it from Menards in a good 1-side or good 2-side. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cegglestn 0 Posted October 16, 2007 instead of buying plywood get some medium density fiberboard, its very cheap and handles the outdoors well, prime it than paint it a few times than apply your vinyl egg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kimon 1 Posted October 29, 2007 instead of buying plywood get some medium density fiberboard, its very cheap and handles the outdoors well, prime it than paint it a few times than apply your vinyl egg Actually MDF is not really suitable for outdoor aplications unless you are in a very dry climate, we used it quite often in Las Vegas but anywhere there is alot of rain, sprinlkers, or humidity and it will swell to 3 times its size and fail. You could however use MEDEX which is a medium density fiberboard for EXterior applications.The real problem with MEDEX it is is almost as expensive as MDO and weighs much more. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freemane1 0 Posted December 14, 2007 Krylon clear coat will not hurt your vinyl. You can even paint on the vinyl with color coats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
