Veteran Wood Turns to TimberLine for Outdoor Monument Sign Application

Veteran Wood Co. (Parsippany, NJ) is an independent sign crafting shop with an owner, Mike Legregni, who has a passion for fabrication and creativity. His enthusiasm for building started at a young age, when his father taught him how to build skateboard ramps and tree houses, repair bicycles, and tinker with practically anything that included nuts and bolts. During his teen years, his attention changed to cars, and his mechanical knowledge would serve him well when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps where he maintained EA-6B Prowler aircrafts. After retirement following a career in law enforcement, Legregni now has the time to devote to what he loves to do best:  create, with an eye for detail using only the best quality materials and the right tools for the job.

Being a creator, Legregni has amassed tools and knowledge, and in May 2019 put both resources to good use after seeing artwork made with reclaimed wood. He fabricated a rustic flag made out of similar materials and posted his fine work on social media. He was contacted by interested parties -- mostly in the law enforcement community -- to craft custom wall hangings. Veteran Wood Co. was born; his business took off and he started exhibiting at local craft fairs.

It was at one of these fairs in August 2019 when Legregni was approached by a local law firm that wanted to replace its outdoor monument sign. “I met Mike at a local event and asked if he could make us a new sign, but with the New Jersey weather, Mike advised us it couldn’t be made of wood,” said Sam Tsinman of Forman, Cardonsky & Tsinman, LLC. “I asked if he could make us a sign that had the look of wood, but was more durable. He said he’d find a solution.”

Legregni started an internet search but couldn’t find a product that offered an authentic-looking woodgrain surface on both sides, and was also durable. He contacted his representative at his local distributor, E&T Plastics, who mentioned a new material that could exactly fit the bill:  TimberLine HDPE sheets from Vycom. “The law firm wanted a brown wood look with black lettering, without the problems wood develops over time,” said Legregni. “Solution:  Vycom products.”

After examining a sample – and understanding it was a product from a subsidiary of The AZEK Company, a reputable brand known for producing quality materials – he ordered a Teak sheet trimmed to the sign specifications of 70 inches wide by 48 inches tall. The woodgrain texture and TimberLine’s natural and unique streaking variation make it remarkably realistic and clearly visible at a distance, so outdoor applications will always look just as good as on day one.

The identity lettering was cut from black Vycom Celtec PVC sheets using his CNC router, and attached to the TimberLine sheet using standard woodworking tools including adhesive to position the letters, then wood screws that were countersunk into the substrate. Once affixed, the screw holes were filled with plugs cut from Celtec PVC using the CNC router, and secured with adhesive to provide the quality fit and finish that is a hallmark of his work. Both sides of the sheet were decorated with the law firm’s name and telephone number.

The next step was finding the supports to install the sign. Another round of sleuthing on the internet brought him to Decks Direct, where he selected TimberTech posts and caps in classic black. TimberTech is another brand in the The AZEK Company, which helped seal the deal for this quality-driven company. “A friend has a deck made of TimberTech and I have AZEK PVC trim on my house, so I know these are top-notch products that can withstand harsh environments,” said Legregni. The posts were easy to assemble and offer a sleek, appealing frame for the monument sign, which was installed in late 2019. “The sign is fantastic, and we won’t have to worry about maintenance,” said Tsinman.

While wood is the primary medium for Veteran Wood Co.’s creative outlet, Legregni has began working with HDU and Plastics, and says he will definitely consider using Timberline when warranted by future applications. “All the elements of the sign are made by Vycom or its affiliates, and I know this group produces quality products,” said Legregni. “From the TimberLine face to the Celtec lettering to the TimberTech posts and caps, the sign will stand the test of time.”