Sandblasted Wood Sign Restoration
White Oak Veterinary Hospital
Sometimes a sign doesn't need to be replaced. It just needs someone
willing to take on the challenge of bringing it back.
This existing sandblasted wood sign for White Oak Veterinary Hospital
in Fletcher had suffered from years of exposure and neglect. Lichens
covered the surface, the wood had split extensively — particularly on
the south-facing side — and portions of the raised lettering had
actually broken away as the wood deteriorated.
We removed the sign and brought it back to our shop, where restoration
began with a thorough cleaning using a bleach-and-water solution.
Stubborn lichen growth was carefully removed by hand before the sign
was rinsed and allowed to dry.
From there, the real repair work began. Damaged areas of the lettering
were rebuilt with epoxy in multiple applications, with each repair
allowed to cure and then sanded before the next was made. Cracks
throughout the background were filled with exterior latex caulk.
Three coats of primer followed, with additional imperfections repaired
as each coat revealed areas that still needed attention.
The original dog-and-cat artwork presented another challenge. It had
been produced as printed vinyl, which had cracked, collected dirt and
begun peeling away from the wood. After carefully removing the old
vinyl, we found an image of the veterinary hospital's original logo
and recreated the artwork with stencils and paint instead.
Six colors were matched by hand. With black and white added, this
restored sign contains eight paint colors. For an outdoor wood sign,
we believe the painted graphic is a much better long-term solution
than replacing the deteriorated printed vinyl.
The transformation was dramatic. What arrived at our shop weathered,
cracked and partially deteriorated left looking like a new sign again.
Its brilliant colors now make White Oak Veterinary Hospital hard to
miss while driving north on Hendersonville Road.
