Lawn Ornaments

[GeorgeM]

Hi All

Do any of you make lawn ornaments? If so, what material do you use to make them out of?

Thanks,
George

[Hobbyman2]

I have in the past made animals ,,, dogs raccoons reindeer etc ,,,,, all ways used plywood and oil based paint.

[GeorgeM]

I have in the past made animals ,,, dogs raccoons reindeer etc ,,,,, all ways used plywood and oil based paint.

Could you be a little more specific about the plywood? Did you use A/B, what thickness, etc.?

Thanks
Gerge

[Hobbyman2]

I use any thing I can get my hands on, I have friends in construction, ,,If I can get their scraps it is usually free.

[videobear]

Does that hold up, Hobbyman? Anything I make out of plywood doesn't last very long outdoors...the stuff delaminates.

[Hobbyman2]

I have a pair of treeing hound dogs I made 10 years or more ago from OSB roofing ,,I just broke the tail off one last summer moving it around in the shed, ,,,,,,,,,I used,,,,,,, oil base paint,,,,,, it also helps if ya can keep it off the ground a inch or so .

I figure the wood is going to the dump so if I get more then 5 years out of it I cant ask for much more.

If ya can get the pressure treated scraps it is even better.

[Hobbyman2]

My neighbor had a christmas tree,,,set of reindeer and a santa sleigh , had it for a long time .
probably 20 years .

Occasionally it needed re painted.

[ChrisNeilan]

Most construction plywood is exterior grade. Kept painted like Hobbyman said it will last a long time. Especially if you give the edge grain several good coats. Don't use furniture grade, it will delaminate in a season. I made a dozen birdhouses last summer and mistakenly used oak plywood for the bases. Even painted it delaminated within months.

[recurvearcher]

Sign makers plywood is what is recommended for Lawn Ornaments. Its high quality exterior plywood faced with weatherproof paper and it's $$$$.
It's also a little hard to find or requires a special order.
Because of that, I've always mostly regular Exterior Plywood with well painted edges.
If your leaving them out year round the better plywood might be worth it.
I've got a set of regular plywood Snowmen, that are about 20 years old and are just now looking a little ragged,basically because slacked off on the yearly touch ups of late.

[GeorgeM]

I have a pair of treeing hound dogs I made 10 years or more ago from OSB roofing ...

From all I've been reading, MDO is the way to go, rather than OSB. HDO is too expensive.
http://www.uslumberinc.com/hdo.html

George