This year I’m thinking about making several and try to sell them to pay back some of this expensive cnc hobby lol.
My questions are:
1 - 1/2” or 3/4” plywood? And why?
2 - Pressure treated or not?
I’ve always heard that if you use pressure treated to not paint the entire thing or it will rot faster than non. So if I go pressure treated I will just paint the front. If I go non then I will paint front and back for protection
3 - what would be a simple/cost effective way to make sure it stays straight/flat and doesn’t warp?
2 - Pressure treated or not?
I’ve always heard that if you use pressure treated to not paint the entire thing or it will rot faster than non. So if I go pressure treated I will just paint the front. If I go non then I will paint front and back for protection
It depends on the treatment and the cost. If it costs more I wouldn’t bother - the exposure to weather is only for a short time each year - if it’s going to be kept outdoors permanently that’s another question.
Don’t just paint one side - the ply will warp before you’ve finished the job as the unpainted side absorbs humidity or dries out while the painted one stays stable.
3 - what would be a simple/cost effective way to make sure it stays straight/flat and doesn’t warp?
Fix it with lots of screws! Or fix a few battens along the back - how are you proposing to hold it to a wall or whatever?
Everything will be painted first coat at least at the same time. I plan to make several and set up and spray them. So hopefully by the time I get the last one the first one will be dry enough to flip and paint the other side
The one I made previously is just leaned up against the house with Christmas lights extending from the roof to his hand to give the appearance of him stealing the lights.
The one in the picture is a little over 7’ tall. It was the absolute max I could get out of a 4’x8’ sheet of plywood. The ones I’m making this time I believe I’m going to limit at 6’ tall. So I will have 2’ of plywood left over I can make some sort of stand out of. Just not sure on what to make since there are so many variables in yards/landscaping ect.
I’ve just discovered that star pickets are called y-posts the US, but I’d just run a couple of 2x1 battens up the full length of the back, and screw them to a couple of star pickets in the lawn or garden.
