Sealing a Signature

[James Graham]

I am building a couple of adirondack chairs for my daughter's wedding to be used as the 'guest book'.  My daughter wants the chairs to be either stained white or grey/driftwood.  The intent is to have the guests sign the chairs at the reception.  My question is, what are some suggestions for signing (is a sharpie the best choice?), how can we keep the signature from running, and more important, how can we seal it after to preserve them?

 

Thanks!

[Michael R. Turner]

Your best bet is to just try some samples.  I do know that Sharpies use alcohol as a solvent, and water base finishes also contain alcohol, so that would probably be a bad combination.  My first guess would be to try a satin wipe-on poly finish over the stain, and then a couple of coats over the signatures.  But try it first.

[Mike Kahle]

I would have them use a paint marker. Wont leach into the wood and have those small runners... you want to experiment with both a finish and a "marker". One finish might work with one "marker" but none of the others.....

[angie brashears]

This is a different approach, instead of having people write on the chairs, it might be a good idea to buy fabric, indoor/outdoor, burlap, something along those lines, frame the area to be written on, 12 x 12 maybe, and have the guests sign the fabric, then she can make pillows for the chairs! Micheal's sells fabric pens that are totally permanent, washable, won't come off. And if someone knows how to embroider, they could go over the signatures for the couple. 

Just a thought, my son has a shirt that was signed by the football team his varsity year, that I made into a really neat pillow 4 years ago. It's been washed, chewed by puppies, and all the signatures from the football team are still legible with the fabric marker. 

just a thought, 

:)

[James Graham]

Thanks for all the great options!  We will play around with each idea, and I'll share the results!

[Jens Jensen]

http://kregjig.ning.com/photo/im003631-1?context=album&albumId=.....

I sealed this project and it was done with sharpie. But make sure you wait for couple days to make sure all has cured

[angie brashears]

http://www.buildeazy.com/well.html

 

just another thought, and to add another thing to your list of ideas....at my niece's wedding last summer, they had a custom wishing well done, in a high gloss white, adorned with flowers of their colors, and there was a bucket inside, a bowl of shiny nickels next to it, and stationary and pens....guests were invited to drop a nickel in along with a note to the happy couple of what we wished for them. Absolutely fab, great idea, I  told my niece about your chairs, and she was so happy for your gift for your daughter. In fact, her wishing well is right in her backyard and every time she sees it, she thinks of all the well wishers. The wedding well? cost 800, and is smaller then this pic, I'm making one now, pics I just put up and it's beautiful, around 50 in supplies so far.

Just a thought, I love thinking about weddings. :)