[oaklawn Crematory]

I’m not sure if this is “old ground” someone else has already posted or not. I am always looking for new ways to weather proof my props. My cemetery gate columns and fence columns are made out of plywood. I made them five or six years ago.

Halloween week in Michigan invariably results in high winds and rain, sometimes followed by snow such as last year’s debacle. I am hoping to fully refurbish my columns and mausoleum this summer due to age & weather damage.

At any rate, this week I started restoring a business sign that is 14+ years old. I stripped the paint off and was surprised to find it was made of ordinary plywood with paint & decals added to the board. After examining the board closely, I determined it had been sealed with a resin, more than likely a fiberglass resin. What’s really cool about fiberglass resin is not only is it super tough, it can be sanded and painted.

I purchased some fiberglass resin and duplicated the process restoring the sign. I am thinking about stripping the main part of the columns and sealing them with fiberglass resin. They have to be completely stripped of paint for the fiber glass to adhere well but it should save them for years to come.

Every year they swell and the paint cracks from the expansion due to moisture of the nightly October dew. I spend no small amount of time nailing, plastering and painting them every year. Hopefully, this process will end that headache.

I can see some drawbacks….The odor and cost to start but I am worried about added weight as well as loss of flexibility.
I am wondering…..Has anyone used this process before? & is there some problems with it?

 

[Scatterbrains]

What's the fiberglass resin cost?

Personally, I really don't worry about the weather. My fence columns are made of that brick paneling and I've probably been using them for seven or eight years. The only noticeable weathering is on my funeral carriage..that's because I used OSB to make the whole thing including the wheels. I hit it with a can of spray-paint and it's good to go. It's far from perfect as it sits outside year-round, but nobody notices the imperfections. My weather proofing for OSB panels that I know will get wet is to prime them with KILZ..that's pretty much it.

 

[Grey Lady]

I'm also interested in what other's have used for weather-proofing. I'm building a cemetery this year that will sit out.

 

[jdubbya]

My columns are several years old and while they still look good (from a few feet away and at night) have seen better days. The joints are loosening more each year and like OC I have to doctor them up each year. I gave them two coats of DRY LOK which has helped slow the aging process but I'm close to doing a total re-build on them, likely in the next couple years. If I do, I'll try something to really seal them up.

 

[oaklawn Crematory]

Resin costs about 8.00 bucks a can. I'm guessing ....One can per column.

 

[oaklawn Crematory]

I used a full can of resin to complete both signs of a 42" circle sign. It worked very well and it was fairly easy to use. It would be easy to use on a "new" construction of columns. Its more durable than urethane but it adds weight and is not flexible.

Another draw back would be sealing the interior of the column. The very bottom of the column that touched the ground would also have to be sealed to stop any expansion due to water assumption.

My columns are heavily water damaged from many Halloween deployments. I'm going to use the resin to re-furbish them. I can't use it on the mausoleum unless I bought a crane to help assemble it.....Somehow I think the Boss would frown upon acquiring such an item.

 

[Saki.Girl]

I want to make some and here in Oregon they have to with stand rain