Help us mount our redwood slab sign

[Jason Hawes]

Hi all. We have a wood slab sign made from aged Sequoia redwood that we're trying to mount. It was handcrafted and painted by our very talented Mountain Home prisoner group.

It's double sided, roughly 4" thick and weighs somewhere around 200 +/- lbs. We want it mounted perpendicular to the hwy so it can be seen from both directions.

We're undecided how to mount it though. Some want to drill/mount eye lags in the top and suspend from a welded pipe frame. While others want to bore holes in the bottom of the sign, insert pipe into those holes, and then concrete pipe into the earth.

Do any of you guys have any other suggestions for us?

Have a good weekend!
Jason

[Lee Schierer]

I would mount it where any vehicle leaving the road would be unable to hit it, like on top of a really large boulder that is already there. Mounting a sign on the road right of way probably has to meet state or local codes.

[Jim Becker]

Lee brings up a good point...you need to check with both your local jurisdiction (as well as the state if it's a state highway) to be sure that your location meets setback and other requirements for signage.

My personal preference would be something similar to your second method...use pipe for the actual mount, but I'd use wood posts for a more natural look and stain them a similar color once they have weathered enough to do that properly. Make sure you also have your mounting secured to prevent easy theft of the sign...something sadly that has to be considered these days.

[Tom Ewell]

For design sake, maybe take a look at national park signs, decide what you like and figure how to do it from there.
(google the images, there's a bunch)

[Bruce Page]

Whatever design you settle on, it needs to be substantial. You might want to contact a professional sign shop, they do this kind of installation often. A large 200lb sign ripped from its mount because of high winds or accident could be lethal.
Beautiful sign BTW.

[Joe Pelonio]

I have done a similar installation in the past, and drilled into the bottom but for 24" rebar, not pipe. I pounded the rebar into the holes 12" deep, leaving another 12" hanging out the bottom. I had made a concrete "monument" 6" wide and a foot deep, with corresponding holes in it to accept the rebar, drilled for a loose fit. Then poured epoxy into the holes and construcion adhesive onto the concrete, slid in the sign flush to the concrete pad. My sign was only 2' high x 4' wide, sandlasted cedar though and flat on the bottom. You could pour the concrete to match the profile of the bottom of the sign, however, and slant it away from the sign on all 4 sides for water to run off. Last time I saw it was when it had been up 10 years and still looked good. If worried about high winds, put 4 1/8" galvanized aircraft cables from the top of each end of the sign into concrete pads or rebar driven at least 3' into the ground at an angle. They would barely be visible from the road.

[Jason Hawes]

Luckily, my station sets about 20' above a 2-lane hwy so there little chance of a vehicle making contact with it,......but then again, I've seen some crazy accidents that make ya scratch your head.

I'm more in favor of boring into the bottom and dowelling the slab with pipe than suspending it with chain. We're a mountain community with lot's of elevation changes and lot's and lot's and lot's of rock, so anytime something new is built, it sticks out like a sore thumb unless the design is tastefully blended into the surroundings.

[Randy Viellenave]

I like Lee's boulder idea... consider building a 3ft high mound of rocks with 2 redwood 6x6 sticking up tapered at the top and drilled for the pipe. One other important thing is if you're putting it within the right-of-way, make sure you get an encroachment permit from Caltrans, or they will be very un kind.

[Lee Schierer]

I like Lee's boulder idea... consider building a 3ft high mound of rocks with 2 redwood 6x6 sticking up tapered at the top and drilled for the pipe. One other important thing is if you're putting it within the right-of-way, make sure you get an encroachment permit from Caltrans, or they will be very un kind.

Note that I said existing boulder. Adding your own or making a pile of rocks leaves you liable.

[Al Launier]

As Tom suggested - some great ideas here https://www.google.com/search?q=nati...m=122&ie=UTF-8 . Heavy duty matching wooden posta as Jim suggested would look great, especially with a galvanized pipe inside each for longer life & durability.

[AL Ursich]

I would hook up with a blacksmith and have a fancy metal strap bracket that is visible over each end 12 inches in from the end on both sides with a chain ring at the top. Through bolts pinch the sign between the end straps for a very secure mounting.

That would stabilize the 2 splits in the sign now. Something fancy and painted a brown to match.

A eye bolt either a screw in type or nut type would put the stress on the top 1/4 of the sign and possibly lead to a split.

AL