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The prismatic letters are finished with a custom blend of two Ronan Aqua Leaf golds. The bird and scene also uses Aqua leaf with a custom blend of bronze colors. Roger Cox, House of Signs, Frisco, Colorado
Motherlode Provisions Finished almost completely with Ronan Aqua leaf with a custom blend of gold, bronze and silver. Roger Cox, House of Signs, Frisco, Colorado
Deb's Live Bait & Tackle Painted with exterior acrylic paints by Mark Fair, Flying Biscuit Antique Sign Co., Montgomery, Alabama. Steve Garst painted the cut-out 1950’s fishing lure.
1 Shot enamel background with 1 Shot copper enamel dry-brushed on the edges of the distressed aluminum panel. Lettering is vinyl film. Eric Snodgrass, Snodgrass Signs, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Finished with Matthews polyurethane finishes. John Ralph, Quail Run Signs, Hamilton, Virginia
Alpine bank The tree graphic was finished using patina aging solutions from Modern Masters Paint Co. Roger Cox, House of Signs, Frisco, Colorado
The sign panel and the bevel of the tree are finished with a custom blend of Ronan Aqua Leaf bronze colors. The tree uses patina aging solutions by Modern Masters Paint Co. Roger Cox, House of Signs, Frisco, Colorado
Primary copy is hand lettered with 1 Shot enamel; secondary copy and pinstriping is Axalta Hot Hues urethane paint. Jeff Devey, Jeff ’s Graphics, Twin Falls, Idaho
Hand painted with Ronan Ron Glo Fluorescents by Matt Cover, Cover Custom Signs, Cincinnati, Ohio
Finished with Matthews polyurethane finishes. The green is base satin and the gold is cleared for a higher gloss. “We like to mix gloss levels to add a little more interest,” says John Ralph, Quail Run Signs, Hamilton, Virginia.
Background is Matthews polyurethane, letters are 23k gold leaf and pictorial is 1-Shot enamels. John Ralph, Quail Run Signs, Hamilton, VA
Hand lettered with Axalta’s Hot Hues by Paul Quinn, Design Brilliance, Morton, Pennsylvania
Lettered and striped with Axalta’s Hot Hues by Jeff Devey, Jeff’s Graphics, Twin Falls, Idaho
Silverton Auto Service Hand painted with Ronan Ron Glo Fluorescents by Matt Cover, Cover Custom Signs, Cincinnati, Ohio
Busy Bee Gifts Hand painted with Ronan enamel paint by Matt Cover, Cover Custom Signs, Cincinnati, Ohio
Hand lettered with 1 Shot enamel by Jeff Devey, Jeff ’s Graphics, Twin Falls, Idaho
Exterior acrylic paints. Eric Snodgrass, Snodgrass Signs, Fayetteville, Arkansas
All Matthews polyurethane paints; the raised lettering is finished with gloss clear over Matthews metallic base coat. John Ralph, Quail Run Signs, Hamilton, Virginia

Paints and finishes: There are plenty of options

..and plenty of applications to deal with

By signcraft

Posted on Monday, April 25th, 2016

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In the sign business, we have to deal with a lot of different substrates and a lot of different sign applications. It takes a variety of paints and finishes to get the job done.

We have to paint PVC, HDU, ACM, steel, wood, plywood, aluminum, vinyl and fabric. Sometimes it has to look super glossy, other times flat or somewhere in between. We may need a finish that looks like gold or silver or rust or the patina of aged copper.

Fortunately, there is a finish or finishing system that works for each of these situations, almost without exception. The challenge is knowing what products are available and how to use them properly. It takes a little research and a little experimentation, but knowing this is one of the things that makes a sign person a true professional.

While it’s tempting to rely on tried-and-true approaches that you’ve been using, it’s important to keep learning about new finishes and finishing products. A unique finish is a great way to create appeal on a sign.

You can’t expect clients to be able to visualize the paint effect you plan to use or to know the quality of the paint finish you depend on. To most of them, paint is just paint. Be prepared to sell the paint finish or paint effect you have to offer—its durability, visual appeal or how it adds to their image.

These photos show a few of the ways paints and specialty finishes are being used by sign makers. And if you have found new ways to use paint products or have products/ techniques you find helpful, we would like to hear from you. Take a minute and drop us a note a signcraft@signcraft.com.

Source list: paints and finishes

1Shot Paints: Lettering and bulletin enamels, background finishes, specialty finishes
www.1shot.com

Akzo Nobel: Base coat/clear coat paint system and single-stage finishes
www.signfinishes.com

Alsa Corp.: Candy airbrush colors, Spray Chrome and specialty finishes
www.alsacorp.com

APS Tower Paint Co.: Custom one- and two-part finishes in aerosol spray cans
www.apstowerpaint.com

Axalta Coating Systems: Hot Hues, Standox, Nason, Cromax and Spies Hecker finishes
www.axalta.us

Coastal Enterprises: Primers, hard coat and texture finishes for HDU board
www.precisionboard.com

Createx Colors: Airbrush colors for all applications
www.createxcolors.com

Design Brilliance: Axalta Hot Hues urethane paints
www.designbrilliance.net

HAR Adhesive Technologies: Jay Cooke’s All Purpose Sign Primer
www.haradhesive.com

House of Kolor: urethane paints for pinstriping, plus specialty finishes and clears
www.houseofkolor.com

Matthews Paint: Base/clear coat paint system and single component sign finishes
www.matthewspaint.com

Modern Masters: Specialty and patina finishes
www.modernmasters.com

Nova Color Paints: artists’ acrylic paints for graphics and murals
www.novacolorpaint.com

Sign Arts Products Corp.: Primer for HDU board
www.signfoam.com

Sign Life Products: stains for wood signs
419-524-7446

Sculpt Nouveau: Textured and specialty finishes
www.sculptnouveau.com

Sherwin Williams Co: Base coat/clear coat paint system and single-stage finishes
www.sherwin-automotive.com/sign-manufacturers/

T.J.Ronan Paint Corp: Lettering and bulletin enamels, waterborne and specialty finishes
www.ronanpaints.com

Vivilon Coatings: Clear coating to restore faded paint and protect against graffiti
www.vivilon.com

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