# Sign Making - Routing & Painting



## Forester01 (Jul 1, 2010)

I am making signs from 2x6 treated SYP for our Boy Scout camp. Routing them is one thing but painting the letters is tedious & very time-consuming. As a result I put the project off too much.

My question. Is there a film, spray-on or otherwise, that I could apply to the painted sign boards that I could then rout through, paint the letters, and peel off without lifting the latex paint off of the boards.

I've tried blue painters' tape & self-stick transfer paper. They ball up in the router bit and I get a less than good job.

Thanks for any tips.

Forester


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

Forester01 said:


> I am making signs from 2x6 treated SYP for our Boy Scout camp. Routing them is one thing but painting the letters is tedious & very time-consuming. As a result I put the project off too much.
> 
> My question. Is there a film, spray-on or otherwise, that I could apply to the painted sign boards that I could then rout through, paint the letters, and peel off without lifting the latex paint off of the boards.
> 
> ...


I take it the letters are recessed??

Actually wouldn't make much difference. I've used Elmers Craft spray adhesive and just regular printer paper and routed through that. Results were OK, not spectacular. I did pick up one method I have yet to try. Krylon clear acrylic spray, available at Walmart in the paint department. Spray the sign first, route then spray paint the letters with the desired color. Then hit the sign with a belt sander to take the acrylic and overspray both off. The acrylic prevents the paint from soaking into the wood. Like I said, I haven't tried that yet but it sure sounds like a winner. I have precoated a sign with poly and routed through it then spray painted and cleaned up the overspray with mineral spirits and a cloth. Turned out OK but wasn't a whole lot of fun.. This is it


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

I have seen people that sell these type signs spray paint the letters then run the sign through a planner to remove all the over spray. I guess you could do the same with a belt sander.


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## ol104 (Dec 7, 2012)

I second TVMAN. If you have a planer, I would paint the letters and then a real light pass through the planer will clean the paint right off the main sign part. If you don't have a planer, belt sander or maybe even a palm sander would do it...


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

contact paper that's removable. cover the wood, rout the letters, spray paint peel off the contact paper. :thumbsup:


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

rrbrown said:


> contact paper that's removable. cover the wood, rout the letters, spray paint peel off the contact paper. :thumbsup:


+1 on the contact paper. I would not want to run painted wood through the planer. The paint is tough on the blades and could gum up the planer.


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## Forester01 (Jul 1, 2010)

Thanks all. I wondered about clear contact paper and am going to try that. I thought about using cold-laminating film but that stuff's expensive!

Forester01


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I grew up around a guy that made tons of those signs. freehand lettering with the router and contact paper just like I explained. he use to set up at the malls with a trailer and crank out several hundred if not more signs using that technique. I know it works.:thumbsup:


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## wolfff (Jul 9, 2013)

Yes tyhere are couples of spray that you can apply to the painted sign boards and peel without lifting the latex paint off of the boards. And in my opinion, you should use red painter tape for making it so convincing,


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

When I make routed signs, I use black spray paint for the letters then run it through the planer without any problems. The paint film is so thin it doesn't affect the blades at all. One or two passes taking off just a shaving leaves the letters nice and crisp looking. Then I'll usually use some aerosol clear wood finish to seal everything. If you're using the signs outside, I would skip the clear coat.
Mike Hawkins


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## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

You can spray the wood with sanding sealer and then route your letters, spray the letters with paint, sand the wood and then put a clear ofer the whole thing. That is how I did this sign


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## ForestTrails (Aug 25, 2014)

Thanks nblumert for the tip on sanding sealer. Did you use templates, a pantograph, or something else for the lettering. If you used templates I thought you might know where to find routing templates for letters 1" or less in height. Thanks.


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## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

ForestTrails said:


> Thanks nblumert for the tip on sanding sealer. Did you use templates, a pantograph, or something else for the lettering. If you used templates I thought you might know where to find routing templates for letters 1" or less in height. Thanks.


i didnt use templates or a pantograph, this sign was done on a cnc machine. Here is a picture of one i did this year for the same kid. This one was freehand with the router. 
Nick


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## ForestTrails (Aug 25, 2014)

Thanks. Nice work.


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## mlk1950 (Feb 9, 2016)

Forester01 said:


> I am making signs from 2x6 treated SYP for our Boy Scout camp. Routing them is one thing but painting the letters is tedious & very time-consuming. As a result I put the project off too much.
> 
> My question. Is there a film, spray-on or otherwise, that I could apply to the painted sign boards that I could then rout through, paint the letters, and peel off without lifting the latex paint off of the boards.
> 
> ...


Try OraMask 813. It stays put and works very well.:thumbsup:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

That does look like pretty good stuff. I don't do enough stenciling to merit buying a roll though. I usually use common paper and spray adhesive.


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