Composite decking material

[mziegler]

Has anyone try use composite decking material for signs? I come across a half trash bin of the stuff and been experiment with it. It cuts easily and v-carve wonderfully. I made couple small address signs that look great. V-carve the lettering first (cutting .050 deeper than should be) - spray paint the letters - wait a day - plane off .050 for letters be right depth - then cut out sign - done. The paint seem adheres good - push hard for fingernail to scrap it off - and the paint in the letters didn’t chip when plane off. The decking didn’t have voids in it and at 1 1/8 to 1 ¼ thick it can be v-carve on sides.
Mark

[paco]

Hi Mark!

Hummm... look interesting! Is this recycled platics?

Any pics?

[pete]

Mark, I have been making address signs, ham radio call signs, name signs, etc out of the stuff and I agree it is nice to work with. It typically comes in 5" widths but if you need larger widths, I have been able to 1) rip saw off the rounded edges, 2) joint the edges, and 3) biscuit join and Gorilla glue the edges to make larger width stock. Of course, being decking material it is impervious to weather and makes great house number and address signs. I use the red stuff from home depot - I have not tried TREX brand - I don't care for the appearance of that brand. The stuff I use is very heavy and fairly expensive - but fun to rout. I also thickness plane the "traction ribs" from the wide face of the material as I like the smooth appearance. Pete

[mziegler]

Paco, I think all or most of the stuff is recycled material - plastics. Also the paint I used was paint for plastic by Rust-oleum.

Peter, thanks for the tip on joining the stuff. I also was try to make larger widths. How are your signs doing weather wise? Are the joins holding? What I did - saw edges - joined the planks together with pocket hole jig without glue - wasn’t sure what kind glue to use so didn‘t - v-crave - painted - plane off. The stuff seem to fused in the join when being plane off and making the join invisible. Just wondering will mine joins hold up? Mark

[jsfrost]

Mark, and Peter
Thanks for the tips. I made a lunchtime trip to the lumber store, and have samples to test tonight.

Jim

[pete]

Mark, well, I have not asked anyone that I did the joined material for if the signs are holding up. I am presuming the joints will hold up to weather because I used Gorilla Glue (The strongest glue on earth, as you well know). But I think I will put a sample outside the workshop in the weather to see how it holds up. However, here on the central Cal coast, there is not much (bad) weather. I agree, when you plane the joined material, the joint seems to disappear. I have tried v-carving and, also, raised letters with a hogged out area surronding the letters out to a raised border. They look pretty nice - I used some fancy shapes from the VectorArt collection for the sign outlines. I have not tried painting yet -but will do now that you have provided a paint product suggestion.

Paco - I think the material I use is made from recycled plastic soda bottles mixed with sawdust.

Jim - Glad we could help -

[paco]

Thanks guys! I'll do like Jim!...

[bleeth]

Several months ago Fine Homebuilding ran a comparison of most of the syntho-plank decking out there. They vary in their ingredients and properties and it may pay you to check out the article.

Dave

[stickman]

guys,

I've been wanting to cut that for signs and such. I need to find a deck builder that has some excess of that material. I would love to cut signs and such from it. I would really love to build some adirondack chairs from that material. I also think it would be great for four inch exterior letters.

Jay

[pete]

Jay - I think the material would be great for exterior letters, however, it does not have any structural strength and the material is very heavy. I don't think a person would be able to lift an Adirondack chair made of it. I’m not sure it would be good for furniture for those two reasons. There are some composite materials made for furniture – PlasTeak I think is one of them. Spelling could be wrong.