The Wood Chisels Edge
Softwoods vs Hardwoods
This is a new feature feature that will be updated on a daily or weekly basis dedicated to our ramblings about sign making or wood working in general.
Softwoods vs Hardwoods
This being one of the first issues of this bulletin board I wanted to touch on the subject of softwood vs. hardwoods for exterior sign use. First I'd like to say that both softwoods and hardwoods can be used for exterior sign use but that some hardwoods do seem to be better suited to the purpose. First off I know that some sign makers would argue the point but let me state right off that I consider western red cedar to be a softwood. That being said I will say I consider western red cedar to be the only softwood truly conducive to sign work. Again many will argue this point, I've heard many vociferous proponents of dimensional signs based on vertical grain pine wood. And truth be told I myself have made various outdoor dimensional signs from vertical grain pine. The question that really arises from the practice is whether it is worth it or not to use this wood for this purpose. I've asked myself this question repeatedly and I'm starting to come to the consensus that it is simply not worth it to use this wood for sign making especially here in the southern latitudes and I will give my reasons for this feeling or belief. One of the primary reasons for the use of pine is that because of its availability due to its use as a home construction material it is very plentiful and cheap. This is a very true fact, you can buy vertical gain pine at any Lowe's or Home depot and this makes the wood very convenient to get. The only problem with this wood is that it is a crap wood by its very nature. Coming directly from Home Depot or anywhere else for that matter the wood is plain wet with moisture. Finding straight planks with a decent grain while hard to find can be attained. But the question of whether the wood will hold its form once it dries out is a crap shoot at best. If you are to use this wood for any type of exterior sign and the lumber needs to be joined together you had better be prepared to do some very strong joinery because this wood being of low density likes to suck in and expel moisture and thusly is very prone to expansion and contraction. A wood that moves this much is very likely to crack at seams and joints.It is also prone to warping cupping and end grain splits. Another problem with pine as a sign material is its penchant of tasting good to wood eating insects which are very plentiful here in the south. Pine also has about zero resistance to wood rot too. Pine can be used for signs let me make that very clear But lets go over what you have to do to use it. First the wood must be very carefully chosen for its grain. Then it has to be dried very carefully and slowly to prevent warping. Then it has to be joined together with very strong joints to counteract its tendency to expand and contract and after this is done it needs to be preserved with preservative treatments to combat rot and wood boring insects. All of these things put together make pine a poor choice for a sign material here in the wet south or on the north eastern seaboard due to variances in moisture and dramatic temperature changes from summer to winter.Pine can be used in some states that have moderate temperature changes and stable humidity such as the south west. Some have argued with me the fact that if pine is used so plentifully in the construction of homes why would it not be suitable for use in a sign. I think the answer is really simple, I really do not believe pine is truly a suitable building material for houses either here in the south. The fact that builders use it does not make it right. Ask any home owner that had to rebuild half their home due to termites and rot and you will get an idea of what I mean. I think most in Florida will agree with me when I say I'd rather be in a masonry home than a pine constructed house in a hurricane. All this being said the cost advantage of pine is lost when you factor in the cost of making the wood more durable and stable. But moving along with it, there are more suitable softwood sign materials available which exhibit none of the disadvantages pine. Western red cedar is one of these materials, The only disadvantage of this wood is its rising cost due to availability. Western red cedar is less dense than pine so you have to build a little thicker to attain the same strength. however cedar is dimensionally more stable than pine and also exhibits better rot and insect resistance. Cedar can also be strengthened and stabilized by using an exterior plywood backing. Cedar also has the inherent advantage of having a very pleasant brown to red wood grain which is easily finished in its natural color. Western red cedar is also a lumber species that is very easy to machine and carve making it suitable for carved and sandblasted sign work. so the question then becomes is it better to use cedar or a hardwood when it come to sign making signs and plaques? As a wood carver, for myself I'd have to choose the hardwood over the cedar. Mahogany, oak and black walnut are even more dimensionally stable than cedar while having about the same rot resistance. What's more the hardwood is much stronger making it even easier to join together by standard means. it is also easier to carve detail into a hardwood than a softwood and the hardwood will always finish out much nicer. As far as grain, nothing can quite compare to the grain of mahogany or black walnut. So there you have it, in a scale of choice for woods for carving and making signs I would choose a wood in this order most desirable first and least desirable last - 1. Honduran or african mahogany 2. american or central american black walnut 3. western red cedar 4. white oak 5. red oak 6. vertical pine or if as an alternative if you really want a durable sign that will outlast softwoods or hardwoods the only answer is of course high density urethane foam. HDU while being almost as strong as wood is much lighter and is completely stable dimensionally. HDU will not warp check or rot so it is superior in every way to wood except it has no beautiful grain.
Have a good day,
Mark..
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