I am making a dibond 4'x8' sign to go on the side of a STUCCO FINISH home. The house is old, The sign will be replacing a 20+year plywood sign. The old sign is attached to 3 2x4"s. The top of the 2x4's are screwed into the wooden soffit, the bottom of 2 of them are screwed into the 1/2" wooden piece going around the window. The bottom of the 3rd one is screwed into the stucco. It looks like hell, and the current sign's paint is peeling (but not delaminating). The 2x4's were never painted but are dried out with some cracking. I got up on a ladder and tried to shake the sign, it didn't move.
I was thinking of framing up a wooden frame, attach it to the wall and then screw the diabond to the frame. Any advice? The bottom of the sign is about 7 ft up. I can't reach the soffit with my step ladder. (about 12 ft up)
Diane
Posted by DianeBalch (Member # 1301) on :
Bump
Posted by Steve Vigeant (Member # 439) on :
I've had success with the following simple design. Make the frame so that the 1 1/2" part of the 2x4 is touching the wall like wall framing, then put a hanger bar 2x4 going flush to the wall. You can attach it to the sign first or bolt it to the wall and then hang the frame on there, then just attach the frame to the bar going down with deck screws. I do this a lot where I get the client to help me because all they need to do is get somebody to help me drop the frame on that 2x4 and they seldom mind. Just find some wood in the wall to bolt to. Get through the stucco and attach to the inner wood in there, or lag shields or toggle could work if there is not much in there or brick or something. Let me know if you have any questions.
Posted by donny pavolini (Member # 2244) on :
Hi Dianne,
I've had MANY great results in using 2-sided foam tape and silicone. The tape does'nt have to be of a great quality either.The silicone does.
First, mark the wall where the sign will be placed.
Second, apply the tape (about 6 inches in length) around the perimeter of the sign and down the middle. The key to making this work is to apply 2 to 4 LAYERS of tape so that it can work around the surface irregularities in the stucco. Apply the silicone in about one and a half inch diameter "blobs" so that when the sign is pressed to the wall there will be an adequate thickness to get in the crevices of the wall.
Third, press the sign to the wall and hold for about a minute or so, all the while pressing the taped spots. After putting things away for departure from the job or collecting a check, go back and inspect and press some more just to be safe. Remember, the silicone is the key, the tape is just for temporary adhesion while the silicone sets. G.E. brand type 1 works great.
Good luck,
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
Hi Diane, If you're going to put up a frame first, the easiest way is to use Tapcon fasteners. They are small (around 1/8th in. diameter) hardened screws, made to go into masonry. You can drill right thru your frame and into the wall without all the hassle of anchors. Use a nut driver to screw them in, and they hold quite well.
Then you can just screw your sign to the frame in the usual manner. Just make sure you get the Tapcons a good 2 inches longer than the thickness of the frame, so they will go into the wall a good depth and compensate for the irregularities in the stucco.
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
Oh yeah, I forgot. The size of Tapcons I mentioned takes a 5/32" masonry bit. Being that small, sometimes you don't even need a hammer drill to do the job. Another good thing.
Posted by ScooterX (Member # 2023) on :
a few things that might help.
1. Rent (or borrow) a longer ladder. Tool rental places don't charge much for a ladder.
2. pre-drill a hole in the top-middle of the sign. Make your first fastener (screw) through this hole -- that way the sign is held level while you move the ladder around and do the rest of the job.
