Painting tunnels

[Anonymous]

My tunnel walls are made of extruded foam insulation. What type of paint should I use to paint them?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I would suggest paint with a "LATAX" whict I have found to be good
PAPA GENE

[turbine682]

Hi,

You should always use a water soluable (latex) or acrylic type paints. Other types will eat the foam. You could put down a good coat of latex to seal the foam - even if all you have on-hand white. Then you could paint the tunnel black or whatever darker color is appropriate. You might want to include appropriate rock formations, retaining walls, etc. on each end of the tunnel.

You only need to paint into the interior as far as the eye can see unless you have the need to paint the entire tunnel.

Woodlands Scenics provides all types of colors, etc. that are foam compatible.

HTH,

--Ed

[Anonymous]

Water soluable latex paint. My tunnels are Dark Charcoal Gray (at a quick glance black, but next to pure black...obviously not black. I had a devil of a time getting the paint store to make pure black. They discarded 4 quarts of paint before theey got one that was close enough to black for me to say "ok, I'll take that one." Apparently, black is the hardest colour for them to make! Who knew?

Trevor[D)]

[selector]

I painted the length of my tunnels with flat black latex in a spray can. I also went to lengths to have the foam interior jagged (multi-angled edges and faces) both to inhibit reflected light propagation and to deaden sound (like an anechoic chamber). The effect is satisfiying, although not terrific. I just wanted my chuffing steamers to fade noticeably until they neared the ends of my two-meter tunnel. When one loco is at power out in the open, I can only hear that loco. When the other emerges from the tunnel, it draws attention as its sound begins to compete.

If you use/build portals, don't forget to "soot" them up overhead for a realistic look. I used black acrylic somewhat thinned, and a mostly dry brush. Looks kewl!