Varnished Timber
The Beauty of Nature
Varnished timber makes a beautiful addition to any home's furnishings or decor, combining the natural beauty of wood with the pristine protection of varnish. These pieces may last years or even decades longer than natural, unvarnished timber, and they give an impression of traditional values blended with modern practicality.
One popular item of house decor in varnished timber is the house number sign. The popularity of the house number sign has recently been on the rise, and varnished timber seems like a natural choice for homeowners who enjoy the 'rustic' things in life.
Varnished Timber or Plain?
Plain timber doesn't weather well. A house number plaque is outdoors all the time, suffering the onslaught of nature. Constant exposure to the elements will fade, warp, and eventually destroy your house number sign. Therefore, manufacturers have begun selling varnished varieties of house number sign. This allows you to have an all-natural house number sign, without the need to replace it in a year or two due to weather damage.
Varnished timber makes a beautiful house number sign. Varnish brings out the colors in the wood, enhances the lettering and carving, and gives the entire sign a lustrous quality. The addition of subtle color accents creates a beautiful and balanced house number sign.
Types of Hardwood
Two of the most common types of Australian hardwood used to make a house sign are Blue Gum and Spotted Gum. Blue Gum has a bright, rosy quality to it, similar to mahogany. A house number sign made of Blue Gum looks particularly handsome with gold lettering, ornate carvings, and old-fashioned details such as inverted corners and a calligraphy font.
Spotted Gum is an attractive shade similar to chestnut. A house number sign of Spotted Gum with bold white lettering, or white accents and black lettering, looks striking. Its coloring is more 'modern' than Blue Gum, and as such it is well suited to simple fonts and designs with few frills.
Varnishing Method
The varnish used on most types of varnished wood home sign is marine varnish, a thick oil-based varnish originally created to preserve and seal boats. The application of this varnish can take days or weeks, depending on the intricacy of the house number sign. However, the end result is well worth the time invested, as this varnish offers superior protection against water and sun while lending the house number sign a gorgeous lustrous glow.
If you're not satisfied with the plastic varities of house number sign and you'd like something more environmentally conscious, consider varnished timber. Signs crafted of this material are beautiful, long-lasting, and highly valuable. You can choose a shade of hardwood to match your house, and neighbors will know that a plastic wood look-alike is not good enough for you; you're a person of discerning tastes.