Applying scenery directly to foam

[BobL609]

I guess this question is so elementary it's just assumed that everyone knows the answer.  Can I apply scenery directly over foam or do I need a plaster or plastercloth barrier between the scenery and the foam?  I appreciate the assistance and apologize if this topic has been covered elsewhere.  Y'all have a great day.

[jrbernier]

You can apply it directly - But I would suggest you paint it first with a flat latex paint that is some kind of earth tone. Large pink or yellow areas of foam can be an eyesore!

[davidmurray]

jrbernier

You can apply it directly - But I would suggest you paint it first with a flat latex paint that is some kind of earth tone. Large pink or yellow areas of foam can be an eyesore!

 

I agree.  I also like to sprinkle my first layer of ground foam onto the wet latex paint. Then add diluted glue later and carry on.

Dave

[jalajoie]

While i agree with both jrbernier and davidmurry, I apply a thin coat of diluted plaster of paris. I mix the plaster to a milk consistancy and apply it with a brush.

[MisterBeasley]

If I'm doing a small area, I might skim-coat it first with a thin mix of Gypsolite.  It's a gritty plaster and gives me a rought surface that breaks up the flatness of the foam.

But, I don't like flat surfaces in general.  They only look right for towns or lawns.  For everything else, I want some small elevation changes to make the surface look more natural.

[BobL609]

I thank y'all for your responses and will paint the pink foam first...maybe adding some of that sand you put in paint to add a little texture.  Y'all have a great day.

[mlehman]

Yep, sure can as others have noted. Usually for me, it's just a small random spot that I haven't quite figured iut how the terrain will flow over yet.

But this may not be optimal. Why? There are other reasons, but the biggest one is planting trees. If you just try to stick a tree in foam, it often mashes the foam down, doesn't go in square or will be loose and floppy. Drilling a small hole helps some, but the result isn't very durable unless you glue it -- and then you need to make sure it's straight until the glues sets. Makes for might slow forest growth and somewhat questionable results.

That's where the plaster coat already mentioned comes in handy. Another alternative is plaster cloth. Then there's Sculptamold, which does a lot of things well so I like it a lot. A thin coat makes your tree planting go much better. It's solid around the hole, not mushy like foam alone would be. And Sculptamold adds texture over the foam, another good thing for scenery.

[cv_acr]

Yes you can just directly paint and scenic the foam.

Personally however, I prefer to use a skim coat of plaster or drywall compound to smooth out the surfaces particularly to eliminate any joint lines between blocks or layers of foam. If you can see the horizontal layers of the foam, that really destroys the effect for me.

[Medina1128]

I paint the foam first, too, but, I also sprinkle plain sand onto the wet paint. This helps give the surface some "tooth". Depending on the steepness of the surface, the more vertical it is, the more likely I will add a layer of plaster cloth, followed by a thin layer of plaster.

 

[wickman]

jrbernier

You can apply it directly - But I would suggest you paint it first with a flat latex paint that is some kind of earth tone. Large pink or yellow areas of foam can be an eyesore!

 

Yep same  thoughts.

[kasskaboose]

I also use wet paint.  Often,  you can find really cheap earth color paint (e.g, brown, beige, etc.) at HD when people get the wrong type or you also can use a few samples of different colors.  Who cares about the different colors since you're 1: covering the paint and 2: any bare patches replicate real dirt.