Today we're going to take a look at the pros and cons of wooden signs.
We've been in the custom sign industry for over 10 years and we'd love to share our expertise with you.
In this post we'll let you know the advantages and disadvantages of wooden signs, plus we'll outline when they are and when they aren't a good choice. Let's get started!
Wooden Signs Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
Rustic Look: If you are wanting a really rustic look for your sign, then a wooden sign can be a great choice. They are visually appealing and give off a classic country, or homey type of vibe.
Classy Look: A wooden sign can also have a very classy feel. The natural beauty of real wood with its lovely grains and earthy tones send a very clear message of high quality and class.
Traditional Look: There's something about a wood sign that makes you think of something that is well-established. Wood gives the impression of sturdiness and timelessness. It also evokes a feeling of tradition and quality.
For these reasons a beautiful wooden sign is a great addition to a wedding venue. It also makes a wonderful keepsake of your special day! It can also be a good choice for promoting the number of years that you have been in business.
Wooden signs look beautiful at wedding venues - Image Source: Etsy
Disadvantages
Not Suitable for Outside Unless Properly Maintained: Unfortunately, wooden signs are not your best choice if you want an outdoor installation. Wood and the outside elements do not go together well, so they need to be properly treated and maintained.
Exposure to rain and moisture can cause the wood in your sign to rot. In addition, if moisture seeps into your wood and then freezes and thaws, it will cause the wood to expand and then crack.
High Maintenance: A wooden sign requires careful and repeated maintenance if it is used outside in order to keep it looking good and prevent it from rotting.
Susceptible to Insect Infestation: In addition to keeping your wood sign maintained to protect it from the elements, you will also need to protect it from insects. Depending on where your business is located, there are insects that are attracted to wood such as termites and carpenter ants.
High Cost: If you choose a real wood sign, you will need to pay much more than you would for a sign made from other materials such as plastic and metal.
In addition, your wood sign probably won't last as long as one made from man-made materials so you will need to figure an eventual replacement cost into your calculations.
Insects like termites damage wood - Image source: Filipe Fortes / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
When to Use Wooden Signs
When You Want an Indoor Sign: Wooden signs are best for indoor applications. That way they can be better protected against moisture damage and keep their beautiful appearance much longer.
When You Want a Smaller, Classic Sign: Wooden signs are great if you want a smaller sign that will give a rustic or classic feel to an event that you are hosting.
When Not to Use Wooden Signs
If you want your storefront sign to be seen from a distance, it’s probably best to go with one that isn’t made from wood
When You Want Your Sign to Be Seen from a Distance: Because of their price, it probably isn't the best choice economically to choose a wooden sign for your storefront.
This is especially true if you want to have a large sign that will be easily visible from a great distance. Wooden signs are usually best viewed from closer up.
When You Want Your Sign to Be Visible at Night: A wooden sign can be illuminated with a light shining on it, however if your want the brightest sign possible for nighttime viewing, you are probably better going with a backlit sign or channel letters that are illuminated from within.
A backlit sign can be seen better at night than a wooden sign
Types of Wood Used to Make Wooden Signs
Plywood
Plywood is made by gluing several layers of wood veneer together with the direction of the grain alternating between each layer. Plywood is the least expensive option for making wooden signs. It is similar in price to other signage materials and is not as expensive as solid wood signs.
When making a sign out of plywood, the plywood is usually smoothed down and then a thin layer of fibreglass is laminated onto the wood to make it stronger. Your message is either printed onto the thin fibreglass sheeting or it is painted right onto the plywood itself.
Watch to discover how plywood is made
Redwood
Redwood is another type of material that is often used to make wooden signs. This is because it doesn't decay, split, or rot as easily as other types of wood. It is one of nature's strongest woods and it can be easily worked with saws and drills.
In addition, many wood-eating types of insects do not like to eat redwood. However, the very qualities that make redwood a great choice for wooden signs also increase its price, making it a very expensive option.
If you choose to have your sign made out of redwood, you want to make sure that it is a sign that you are going to be using for years to come.
Often redwood signs are sandblasted around the individual letters to raise them above the background. You can either leave redwood in its natural state or stain or paint it to make your message stand out even more.
Watch how wooden signs are sandblasted
Cedar
Cedar is another popular type of wood used to make wooden signs. Even though it is softer than other woods, it is more resistant to decay. This is because it contains natural oils that help to repel moisture and humidity.
You may want to leave your cedar sign untreated to allow it to weather, if that is the type of look you want. Weathered cedar turns to a light silvery grey but it usually does so unevenly. Over time though, untreated cedar will begin to begin to splinter or flake away.
Cedar signs are usually either sandblasted or hand-carved. It costs more than plywood but less than redwood to purchase and comes in a wide range of colours from deep browns to honey ambers.
Types of Signage AGC Signs Does
If you are looking for custom commercial signage, contact AGC Signs. AGC designs, manufactures, and installs a wide variety of high quality custom signs, including:
"AGC put together a 6 window layout, 2 long interior plexiglass pieces and a front door- within a matter of days! Thrilled about how they looked, and the time they took to come see us before, during and after the installation to make sure everything was perfect. They sent the images right after our first meeting, so that we could have an idea about what it was going to look like and tweaked things immediately. They even made suggestions based on what we had wanted, to make our logos pop. And they really do! Very courteous and friendly staff. Would recommend AGC to anyone!!"
- Gillian Young
Read more Facebook reviews
