Sign Care for Outdoor Wooden Signs

If you are trying to decide which finish to choose for your outdoor wooden sign or whats the best wood for outdoor signs, please read the following:


At Calico Wood Signs we offer a choice of two sign finishes for your wood signs: Matte and Gloss.  Both can be used indoors or outdoors, and will seal, protect and vitalize the wood, while providing UV protection.

A Matte finish is a light coating that will bring out the natural colors of the wood while leaving a rough, rustic look.
A Gloss finish is a thicker coating that will add a glossy shine.

If you have already purchased your wood sign and would like to better protect it from sun and weather, please read the following:


To weather resistant your wood sign yourself we recommend using Helmsman© brand (or your favorite) Spar or Poly Urethane aerosol spray can.  Apply 3 good coats front and back, allowing at least 2 hours to dry between coats, following the manufacturer's instructions.  Repeat every 6 months or as needed for long-lasting shine and protection.

Carver's Tips:

1) Clean your sign and let it fully dry before applying any new finish.  Wipe with wet rag and let dry.  Lightly sand the surface with fine 220 grit sandpaper, by hand, going with the grain, until smooth.  Wipe clean with a dry rag.

2) Spray the back and the edges of the wood sign on the first day.  Let dry 24 hours then repeat the process on the front of the wood sign.

3) One last thing you can almost never spray too much on the side edges of the wood sign.  This is where the sign was cut to length and where it is most vulnerable.  So please feel free to over do it in this area.

We hope you found this short article helpful.  If you need further assistance for anything at all, we would be glad to help.