Hello Everyone,
I really have 2 questions, as my posting indicates.
First, painting styrofoam.
Do you have to paint styrofoam with water-based paints, like acrylics, or can other solvent-based paints be used? The reason I ask is because in my particular situation, I want the foam to look glossy and if I spray with acrylics, it creates a dull, matte finish. I guess I could then spray over the finish with some clear, glossy acrylic.
Second, how do you paint shiny plastic with acrylics without it easily scratching off afterwards. I just painted a part of a model that was shiny plastic and it will easily scratch off. Is there some sort of primer I should first put on the plastic?
Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
Yes, you have to use latex or acrylic based paint on styrofoam. Any solvent based paint will attack the foam.
Sorry, can’t really help with #2. But maybe the bump will bring out another response.
Regards
Ed
Hi just wondering do you want the plastic to stay shiny ? If not, than once you have it the colour you want , or weathered or whatever you are attempting. I would say hit it with a coat of testors dullcoat ( if you don’t need it shiny ) or some of their gloss coat if you want the shine. Either product will protect the finish. I suppose that in the long run nothing that I know of will keep a finish scratch resistant completely.
Rob
I wasn’t sure, I would think a solvent based paint would dissolve the foam, (I know superglue will![:D]) so I played it safe and used latex.
Did you wash off the plastic first? sometimes there’s still the residue from the mold release on the plastic. You can also try using 75% or 90% (can’t remember wich) isopropyl alcohol.
I have seen glossy acrylic paints at Michaels recently. You should see if they have the colors you require. As other have already said, solvent based paints will eat your styrofoam.
Smitty
In my dealings with acrylic paint on shiny plastic surfaces you must:
A: Clean well with soapa and water or isopropal
B: I pretty much hit it with a like color primer to help the acrylic stick to something. For instance for light colors and or brighter dark colors, like red, I will use white primer. To keep the reds looking like the bottle I will usually use a red or rust colored primer maybe even a brown depending on the color. And for dark colors I usually hit it with flat black or the brown. Remember that the base color always effects the final color in some way or another.
P.S. All the primers I use are ACE rattle can primers. They do not soften or attack the plastic. But to be sure I on a new brand or release of something I always spray a sprew or inconspicious area first to test it.
Hope this helps out
rs2mike
If I’m trying to paint engineering plastic like trucks or side frames, I hit it with a coat of Plastic Adhesion Promoter paint from Dupli Color. I then spray them with enamels.