Outdoor Wayfinding Sign Refinishing

[Chad.]

Good Afternoon,

I have a client looking to refinish / repaint some outdoor wayfinding signs. They are solid both in construction and installation. They are NOT coming out of the ground. That being said we plan (hope) to refinish them on-site.

Our thought is to strip the lettering and sub the painting to a mobile auto repair tech. They have the required equipment, protection etc. to do the job on-site without us having to acquire anything new.

Are these signs typically painted with anything special that requires additional prep? Are there any tips or tricks anyone would care to share that might help in the process. These are not typically our Forte' but it's been a year of venturing outside the box to better our business. Given there are 20+ i want to make sure we get it right for ourselves and the client the first time.

Thanks In Advance!

 

[Billct2]

Before I did all that on site I'd look at .040 aluminum overlays.

 

[Chad.]

Unfortunately that is not an option. It's likely the green will be another color as the campus has changed ownership. It was my hope that the panels detached themselves from the posts but i could not locate any way of doing so ...

 

[Rick]

Like Billet said, slap another panel over it... or....

Don't the panels come off the post? If not, can't you remove the panel structure part, leave the posts intact and add your own system to it?

 

[LarryB]

Sherwin Williams makes a good one part aluminum paint that we have used to paint posts and they turn out good. Just have to sand any rough spots out. Use .o80 alum with digital print and overlam and you should be good.

 

[Chad.]

The job requires these signs to be stripped, re-coated and re-lettered (die cut). Unfortunately an overlay panel or digital print does not meet the clients requirements. It was raining when i was on-site so i may have overlooked a potential method of separating the panel from post.

IMO doing them any other way would be a crime. They are some of the best fabricated signs i've come across in 13 years.

 

[visual800]

An overlay is the least expensive way, price it out both ways and sway them. They have no idea what your talking about

 

[rjssigns]

"does not meet client requirements" in other words the client has no clue.
As Bill suggested do and overlay and be done with it.
If the client insists on refinishing existing bid accordingly, and when they balk at the price have a second bid using overlays.

Bet ya a box of donuts I know which bid they'll like.

 

[Rick]

If I designed that sign, I would have screwed it into the structure from the top and bottom, using angle to angle or angle to beam. I would check there.

 

[Gino]

I highly doubt, your mobile paint team or you could put near the finish on old panels out in the field to some 20+ signs two sides and do a good job..... or at least long lasting and still be cost effective.

Aluminum overlays or even composite overlays will be far superior and longer lasting than any refurbishing you can provide.

What is the material for the signs ?? What are the posts made of ?? How will you protect the ground, grass and surrounding areas from airborne dust, cleaning, primers and top coats and even clearcoats from getting it on them, let alone just in the air for breathing. Take that times 20+. That's a lot of encasing those little signs to get something much much better for far less money and far quicker by painting in a controlled environment some overlays the color of your choice. Nothing comes down as you requested and a better product..... ALUMINUM, will be going back up. From 2 feet away, no one will know the difference. How is that a crime ??

 

[MikePro]

dig out the ground around the base of the posts, and cut them down as low as you can afford to.
take back to shop & work on them there, and develop a plan to re-secure the posts to their existing bases OR attach leg extensions and re-bury the sign 1-2" lower than original to hide your cut-lines.

 

[SignManiac]

Sorry but those are crappy signs and the client knows not what is correct, and you are expanding beyond your capabilities.

 

[Moze]

Agreed with using overlay panels. Refurbishing those on site is borderline ridiculous. Make new panels slightly oversized to hide the existing and you'll finish in a fifth of the time and have a better, more stable product.