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Thread: Outdoor sign materal?

  1. #16
    I tested MDO with soaking for days and then rapid drying ,after several cycles the lams would start to split from the stress.
    But the glue never failed. The extira mdf is a good product and I suspect any problems come from using it the wrong way,it is not for structural use. It's been years since I read the specs for MDO but I think mfgs call for the edges to be
    covered not painted. That is seldom done.

  2. #17
    Extira swells when wet. A great deal of swelling. I wouldn't recommend it.
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    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  3. #18
    That is interesting ,the specs even give a micro measurement for swelling after soaking. I can't help but wonder if regular
    mdf gets mixed in in warehouse keeping, or even deliberately substituted. I recently bought a sheet and could not find a
    stamped edge. Relied on my nose for verification.


    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Shepherd View Post
    Extira swells when wet. A great deal of swelling. I wouldn't recommend it.

  4. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Mel Fulks View Post
    That is interesting ,the specs even give a micro measurement for swelling after soaking. I can't help but wonder if regular
    mdf gets mixed in in warehouse keeping, or even deliberately substituted. I recently bought a sheet and could not find a
    stamped edge. Relied on my nose for verification.
    I wouldn't call anything is does "micro". I'll never use it again. Not to mention the fact that it's so heavy it's not funny.
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    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  5. #20
    Join Date
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    FWIW, I used to work for a sign Co. that used mostly Extira type MDF, we had great success by sealing exposed edges with a coat of watered down Tightbond wood glue, (rolled on) then prime and paint, even sand blasted it and lasted for many years. Also for those not familiar with HDU, it doesn't crack chip or warp, lasts forever outside, can be worked easily with woodworking tools/saws, CNCs amazingly, can even be hand carved. Price is typically dependent on density, it comes in many different densities from relatively soft Balsa like @10lb-15lb to Hard Maple like @20lb-30lb. There are different manufacturers but I prefer the Precision Board brand, they have lots of good information on how to work their material including mounting/installing. http://precisionboard.com/products/h...urethane-pblt/
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  6. #21
    Join Date
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    Plan the Mounting Hardware into the beginning of the job too... Half of the old hardware may still be present and making a mock up board just to fix the proper location of the sign side brackets is important. You don't want someone screwing a big set of eye bolts down through the top edge of the sign splitting the sign and leaving it open to early failure.

    And beware of the Liability, if you mount the sign, and someday it gets airborn and smacks someone's car.

    Good Luck,

    AL
    1 Laser, 4 CarveWrights, Star 912 Rotary, CLTT, Sublimation, FC7000 Vinyl, 911 Signs, Street Signs, Tourist Products and more.
    Home of the Fire Department "Epoxy Dome Accountability Tag and Accountability Boards".

  7. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Phillips View Post
    FWIW, I used to work for a sign Co. that used mostly Extira type MDF, we had great success by sealing exposed edges with a coat of watered down Tightbond wood glue, (rolled on) then prime and paint, even sand blasted it and lasted for many years.
    That's interesting Paul, we primed the entire boards, painted them with exterior paints and planted them with 4" x 4" posts. Those things would move all over the place. Not to mention bowing. We had a number of them, 4' wide, 8' tall, all mounted with nice hardware, in solid ground, and when the sun would hit one side in the morning, it would bow them almost 4" on the 4' side. It was a bit staggering to see just how much they would bow. We also were forced by the customer on the location and two of them would get hit with the sprinkler system every morning. Man, you talk about a mess. Those things would get water on them, then the sun would hit them and you could almost just watch them curl in the middle. It was so unstable for us, we vowed never to use it again. In fact, I have 1/2 a sheet that's been sitting next to the dumpster for about 3 years now. It's too heavy for me to pickup and cut into pieces small enough to fit into the dumpster

    In fairness, we've used aluminum clad plywood, made for that, sealed the edges, put silicone on the edges, then the proper edge caps, stuck on with silicone and seen the aluminum skin delaminate from the plywood after about 2 years.
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    Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.

  8. #23
    The signs flexing in the sun goes back to what I posted about extira not being suitable for structural purposes. Prints showing 18th century tavern signs and such usually show them with perimeter frame because large pieces of WOOD used as signs will move. Anytime I have had to talk to customers about appropriate materials for columns etc. I have never let them choose material without knowing how it would be used. An extira column wrap is fine ,an extira column could get
    someone sued.

  9. #24
    Guys, I appreciate the discussion. I learned something - easy to do, I had to google MDO. Seriously.

  10. #25
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    Steve, maybe there's more of a difference than I thought with Extira brand, I actually used the Medex product which as far as I know has very similar properties but maybe there's a bigger difference between them than I realized. With that much moving I can understand, that's way too much, Iv'e had PVC/Sintra sheet move almost as bad though.
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