Painting Styrofoam???

[Anonymous]

Gents and Ladies,

I'm working with coarse styrofoam (beed type) and would like to paint it green and or brown. I'm working with very small pieces, in some cases shavings, and I've found that spraying enamel or latex directly from a can causes the foam to react and shrivel.

I don't have an air brush just yet and the painting needs to be sprayed on, brushes are not an option. Hence I want to be able to use a spray can-type paint such as Krylon.

Is there a special paint that I can use that comes in a can that won't react with the styrofoam? If not, is there some method I can employ to prep the styrofoam pieces prior to painting it that will seal it so to speak? Looking to stay on the cheap as I have a lot of area to cover.

My thought was to spray it with a glue mixture similar to that used for track ballasting? I would greatly appreciate any input as my project is on hold until I find a solution.

Sincerely
AFCHESSIE

[Anonymous]

Why are brushes not an option? With styrofoam, they are not an option; they are a necessity! Just make sure you also use latex paint. Only latex. The interior stuff. Hundreds of colors are available, and a brush will cost you probably less than a dollar at your favorite home improvement store. The spray stuff will always lead to the shriveling. Has to do with the propellent used in the can, too, I think, and your color range is much more limited. Good luck to you and your railroad.

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by afchessie

Gents and Ladies,

I'm working with coarse styrofoam (beed type) and would like to paint it green and or brown. I'm working with very small pieces, in some cases shavings, and I've found that spraying enamel or latex directly from a can causes the foam to react and shrivel.

I don't have an air brush just yet and the painting needs to be sprayed on, brushes are not an option. Hence I want to be able to use a spray can-type paint such as Krylon.

Is there a special paint that I can use that comes in a can that won't react with the styrofoam? If not, is there some method I can employ to prep the styrofoam pieces prior to painting it that will seal it so to speak? Looking to stay on the cheap as I have a lot of area to cover.

My thought was to spray it with a glue mixture similar to that used for track ballasting? I would greatly appreciate any input as my project is on hold until I find a solution.

Sincerely
AFCHESSIE

The latex is all that works on foam. You can spray with an AIR LESS house painting gun, messy. You can get a a "preval system" that you load the paint in a jar and spray, differnt propellent than a spray can. I have used a atomizer that is used for fragrences, open up the tip so the paint goes thru. the best of course is an airbrush, Home depot has one for $19.95 that is single action and will run of a compressed air cylinder.
Just my $.02

[dgwinup]

Go to your local Wal-Mart, K-Mart or home center and look for Krylon's H2O paints in spray cans. They don't have a great range of colors, but they will work on styrofoam or insulation foam.

Also look for Krylon For Plastic paints in spray cans. Our local Wally World carries both, but as I said, the color choice is limited.

Once you have a base coat of water-based paints, you can overspray with any other kind of paint to get the color you want.

I AM curious as to why you are using styrofoam, especially small pieces or shavings. If you are trying to get the effect of broken rocks, you will do much better using plaster that has been broken into pieces. Most modelers will agree that if you are going to use foam, the blue or pink insulation foam carried at home centers is the best product to use. You still have to use a water-based paint, but it is easy to brush on some latex.

Hope this helps.

Darrell, return with me now to those thrilling days of - - - - quiet...for now

[Medina1128]

For the reasons mentioned above (cost, melting, messy) I only use beadboard for a base layer. A base layer is one the only supports the rest of the foam. I found some small bead beadboard that I use, and it cuts quite easily with a couple of passes with a real sharp steak knife (no serrated ones, they make a bigger mess). The cost of foam is WOW!!! And with the recent events on the Gulf Coast is only gonna get... WOWWER!!!(?)

[Anonymous]

Gents,

Thanks for the great info. Should have told you what I was "attempting" and my other comments would have made more sense. I'm using the shavings from some larger "cut" styrofoam for tree flocking. The small pieces once attached to tree material really look awesome. Problem is once I paint it with a can and it shrivels it looks like a tree that's survived a horrific fire! That's why brushes aren't an option, because I need a fine mist. Will try the H20 paints and if that doesn't work, I'll break down and get the airbru***hat I'm eventually going to have to buy. Thanks again. Still open to other suggestions if there are any out there.

Sincerely,
Dave

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the explanation, Dave, and for the trees-with-styro-shavings idea. Around these parts, you sure can learn something every day. That's a neat idea. Best of luck. [^]

[dgwinup]

Sounds interesting. Post some pictures when you can. We'd loke to see your trees.

Darrell, quiet...for now

[Anonymous]

Tried the H20 and it does work better but the color is a little too dark. Also tried spraying the trees with a glue/water mixture prior to painting. Could not get the glue mixture to come out of the bottle in a spray. Would only come out as a stream. Is this why folks use droppers to dispense the mixture on ballast? The bottles work just fine with plain water... any suggestions? Once I get a reasonable looking one done, I'll post the pic. Let me know the secret to spraying on the glue mixture. Thanks again guys!

Dave

[bogp40]

Ace also has a line of acrylic spray paints that are safe for foam.

[grayfox1119]

I tried a spray can of non latex paint on foam once just as an experiment. It ate into the foam to a depth determined by how much spray I applied. It really made some interesting crevaces. I really can't recommend this for special effects because it is very hard to control.

[Anonymous]

I have a small (1 gallon) garden type pump sprayer that I use for all sorts of things, including paint and ballast/scenery glue. The glue is just white glue and water, ½ and ½, with a teaspoon per gallon of dish soap to make it wetter. Paint has to be thinned quite a bit, too. It's great as a cheap, reusable general purpose spraying tool, for non-critical finishes... give it a few pumps to get the pressure you want, and you're good to go. Clean it very well after every use, and it'll last for years.
On another note, I've been using cheap white beadboard for years- sure it's messy, and a little pickier to work with... but it's less than ½ the price of the blue stuff. I can afford the time to fiddle with it and clean up the mess. I glue the sheets up with the recipe above, then for the rough cuts, I use an electric carving knife, then shape it with 36 grit sandpaper. After it's shaped right, I brush coat it with about 1/8" thick coat of gray/tan latex paint, mixed about ½ and ½ with drywall mud, and sprinkle my 'base coat' of ground foam onto the wet paint/mud.

[nbrodar]

Have you tried diluting acrylic craft paint and using a spray bottle? Adding a little rubbing alcohol should make it flow better.

Nick Brodar