In an effort to save some cash, my plan was to use the cheap flat black and flat brown spray paints that you can buy at Home Depot to paint my N Scale track once I had it glued down.
I’m glad I tested the paint on a scrap piece of foam. The paint ate right through it.
So…
How do you guys paint your track? Are there latex sprays? I do not have an air brush and do not intend to buy one.
Also, I planned to weather my balast with a wash of rubbing alcohol and Polyscale paint. Will the alcohol melt the foam?
There are foam-friendly spray paints - try a “craft” type store, or the craft paints in the hardware store. The sprays are good for getting the ties a colour other than black plastic. You can paint the sides of the rail with grimy black using a brush - just find one the is about the right width and draw it along the sides of the rail. It goes faster than you think [;)]
Alcohol is foam-friendly - at least the 50% isopropyl that I got at the DollarStore is… As with the spray paint, you might want to test your stuff first! One last note - be sure that the alcohol is a suitable thinner for the Polyscale paint - some paints do not thin with alcohol.
Andrew
You can use any water based paint to paint track on foam. If cost is a factor, use the cheap latex craft paints, and bru***hem on by hand. If time is important (and hand painting lots of track is TEDIOUS!), then use an airbrush and Polly Scale paints. Since this isn’t a diesel you’re painting, and cheap airbrush will do.
Rubbing alcohol won’t hurt foam at all. I use it for all my thinning needs!
Thom,
My HO track is mostly on cork but some is directly on the foam (secured with Elmer’s white glue). I use Floquil spray cans (railroad brown and grimy black) to paint my track after it was glued down and tested pretty well. Spraying lightly and carefully I had no problem with the blue foam. I just painted the side that is visible and was very careful on the turnouts. Use a piece of cardboard to block any “overspray” and protect walls, structures, etc.
What is the chemical difference between Floquil and cheap spray paints that eliminates the foam “meltdown?”
jwmurrayjr - did the Floquil melt the foam at all or was it just that you put it on very lightly? How far did one can go - track footage wise?
I noticed on my piece of melting foam that the areas where there was very little paint, the foam did not melt. Maybe I could use the cheep stuff as long as I spray in very light coats?
I wonder if I paint the foam with a latex based paint first if that would solve the problem?
I don’t know about this. I suspect that the cheap sprays use less pigment and a more volatile medium.
I’m pretty sure that the Floquil will melt the foam if you spray it heavy enough. My layout is 6’ X 17’ and I used 2-1/2 cans. Floquil is about $3.50/can at my LTS.
This is probably correct. Is it that much cheaper? I liked the Floquil colors better.
And I think that the latex coat would prevent melting but it may not be necessary.
[:)]
Commercial spray paints WILL melt foam! I’ve experimented with several, including Krylon and Rustoleum, and they all melt blue and pink foams. Be safe and use water soluable paints, or protect surrounding foam with a base coat of interior latex house paint before you start spraying rattlecan paints onto track.
Ray,
Will Floquil canned spray paints melt foam?
Yep.
If you MUST use spray paint on foam, have a spray bottle of water handy. Spraying the track and then quickly shooting the foam around the track with water will help nutralize the effects of the chemicals in the spray paint, and retard melting. Of course, you’ll end up with puddles of hazardous water all over your layout…
Thom,
Most folks paint the foam near the tracks (or maybe all over) with tan latex. This will prevent damage to the foam if you just paint that area. When, of if, you spray your track, you want to “contain” the spray to the track area anyway most of the time.
If you have a yard where track is glued directly to the foam (I do in the engine service area) a coat of latex will prevent problems when using solvent-based paints such as Floquil or cheap Wal-Mart sprays.
I painted my layout indoors so I used several light coats (and good ventilation) to reduce the fume problem.
Thanks for the help. I planned to use a flat latex paint to provide a first coat for the entire layout so it sounds like I’ll be OK. Any one have a suggested color that best replicates Georgia clay?
To reduce the amount of spraying I actually need to do on the layout, I was thinking I’d put a coat or two on the track before I put it down. I could do this outside to cut down on the fumes. I’m using flextrack. Your thoughts?
How many feet of N Scale track will a Floquil can cover? I’m thinking maybe I’ll take the cheap paints back and instead use Floquil to produce a more realisting tie color. I’ll have about 180 feet.
Prespraying track is generally an OK idea, but realize that it’ll make the flextrack stick to itself, making it harder to flex around curves. You’ll also have shiny areas on the insides of the track once the ties move. And don’t forget to mask the frogs on switches, as well as using a plastic-compatible oil on every moving part!
You’ll probably use one and a bit of a can of Floquil on 180 feet of track. Using light, even coats, you’ll get a lot of track done with one can!
Prepainting track is a bad idea, as it usually mean that you’ll have a bad electrical contact later on when the time comes to wire the whole thing. Better find a paint that doesn’T melt away the foam instead.
Hi, I usually use any paint for my foam but use silicone caulk to cover the foam or any joints first, if you embed the track in the foam the caulk can act as an adhesive as well and caulk(clear) can be used to glue ballast in place.
Lee[:D]
When painting track, I’m using Unitrack should I mask the top of the rails or spray, then wipe off the top of the rails for good electrical contacts ? Thanks, Dave
The advice I’ve seen in the last few days is to lightly oil the rail heads before spraying, and to then wipe off as soonas is convenient after spraying. It’s also recommended to oil the electrical contact areas of turnout rails before hand painting.
Personally I found an airbru***o produce better, more controllable results–and because I can use acrylic paints in an airbrush, not only do I have more control over what kind of paint I use (I can make my own custom mixes) but I don’t have to worry about melting foam. Airbrushes aren’t that expensive (the cheapest ones are perfectly suitable for things like painting track and scenery work) and will save you a lot of money in the long run over buying cans of spray paint. The finer spray of an airbrush means that you don’t use as much paint but still get a nice smooth coat, thus resulting in less gunked-up puddles of paint and paint where you don’t want it.
Update - I painted the foam with a earth colored latex paint. Once it was dry, I sprayed the track with Floquil paints and cheap flat black spray paint. Looks good and no melting foam.