[Woodcarver] conservation need

[Ramsey]

I have been carving signs for 37 years and have tried many types of 
wood and finishes.  My experience is that any clear finish will 
deteriorate over time, including spar urethane.  3 coats of oil base 
spar urethane exposed to direct sun will not last more than 4 or 5 
years.  The manufacturers claim that water base spar urethane will 
outlast oil base but that has not been my observation.  They seem 
about the same.  Take into consideration that I live in a very sunny 
climate and that UV is your biggest enemy even if the finish has UV 
blockers.  Sikkens is a little better, you can get 7 or 8 years.  If 
you want the best option that will protect the wood and need the 
least amount of maintenance, go with a solid color stain or acrylic 
paint with a stain blocking primer.  If applied correctly, you should 
get about 15 years.  It is easier to refinish than urethane because 
you won't need to take it down to bare wood when you need to 
refinish.  Use a good quality product.

I don't know anything about northern white pine so I won't comment. 
Many New England sign carvers use heart sugar pine imported from the 
west.  Make sure it's heartwood.  I have fallen sugar pine logs on my 
property that have lain there for many years.  The sap wood is long 
gone and the heart wood is still intact.  In a moist climate, water 
will infiltrate through minor gaps in the finish and sapwood will rot 
over time.  Redwood is slightly less expensive but it must also be 
all heart.  Most of the redwood available today is second growth with 
very wide growth rings and susceptible to cracking and warping.  If 
you can find recycled old growth that would be a good option.  Some 
old growth is still being milled but it is very expensive and I 
choose to not support the logging of the few remaining old growth 
forests.  I concur that mahogany is the most durable option and if 
you take into consideration the cost of replacing the signs in 20 
years, the extra cost is a bargain.  Being that it is a conservation 
sign,  it would be poor form to use wood that has come from the 
destruction of a rain forest in another country.  I try to use only 
sustainable grown tropical woods.
-- 
Ron Ramsey
http://www.carvedbyramsey.com


Be sure to look at the incredible nature inspired art jewelry hand 
fabricated by my wife, Karen Olsen Ramsey.  It's worth the time to 
take a look!
http://www.artjeweler.com