On 7/30/2010 7:24 PM, Leon wrote:
wrote in message
...

My girlfriend wants to have her grandkids paint a mural on her fence
gate.

Use 1/8 inch masonite.
By the time it deteriorates, the grandkids
will have lost interest !


You sure about that? Masonite used to make siding for homes that was 1/4"
thick and it failed miserably in as little as 5 years. Been there done
that.


That was actually International Paper IIRC. "Masonite" as a brand of
sheet goods doesn't seem to exist anymore. The stuff you find at
lumberyards that is commonly called "Masonite" is really "hardboard",
with the "tempered" kind being reasonably weather resistant as long as
it is painted and the edges are protected.

On the other hand, the "right" stuff to use for painting an outdoor
mural is probably medium density overlay, which is plywood with a smooth
phenolic-impregnated paper facing that is designed to take paint
well--its intended use is billboards and the like.