will white paint(say enamel primer) block LED light through plastic styrene? don`t want interior to be black…
thanks
Probably not without multiple coats. Try using a gray primer or otherwise painting the inside walls with whatever color you do prefer inside. Any darker color should be close to black in light-blocking effectiveness. Another option is to paint the OUTSIDE of the building with black as the primer, then cover it with your finish color.
8 Times out of 10, semi-gloss, or especially gloss paint will reflect light, not obsorb it. Almost all my structures have white gloss walls and aluminum foil ceilings. the details inside have the colors. I also for the ceilings use a mirror finish stick on paper, that looks like a rather dull mirror, but reflects light perfect. I got a roll of it from a Drafting Supply house, but you could probably get it from a craft store also. A lot of my buildings have wall paneling, scribed Norteastern basswood. Best done before building is put together, but I have done it after. Experiment!
Take Care!
Frank
BTW: Forgot to mention, a lot of my structures are painted the same color inside, as they are on the outside. In my experience, that also works. Most building models I have ever seen use black, so it acts as a view block, rather than see the rest of the undetailed building.
The advice from a review in MR that I recall was for painting the interiors of unpainted plastic construction vehicles cast in yellow plastic, where the unpainted plastic looked waxy because light would shine through – and the colors advised for the interiors were either black or silver.
Dave Nelson
I like to detail and illuminate the insides of my structures. For this freight house, I printed a sheet of “cinder block” pattern I downloaded, cut to shape and glued it to the inside walls. I did the same for the floor.
When viewed at night with the room lights dim and the structure lights on, this simple process adds a lot to the building.
Instead of regular paper, I printed these on cardstock. The thicker paper effectively blocks the interior light. I also use incandescent bulbs, 16-volt bulbs run at 12 volts, to give me a less intense light.
Paint it black first to block the light, then paint your white over the black.
White - no matter how thick will not block light. Look at a piece of 1/16" white styrene - light will still still glow through that.
Mark.
Mr. B’s fabulous interiors and wallpapering reminded me of another trick I’ve used – black construction paper. This works well for lining a building that’s already built, which you want to light. Another advanatge of either wallpaper – classy like at the Beasley’s or cheap like here – is that you can cut it so it overlaps and seals light leaks. Doesn’t matter what color the paint is if there’s still a gap for light to escape at an awkward place.
I’m with Mark R.
White paint by itself won’t do the job even if you really guck it up. Paint the wall panels black or silver or grey (just make sure the grey covers thoroughly), make sure you seal all the light leaks at the wall joints, and then finish with your desired colour.
Sounds like you might be trying to cut corners. Don’t. Its not worth messing up the work you have already done. Worse still will be getting the building all together and discovering that it glows in the dark.
Dave
Kilz might work. It is very high in solids and designed to cover stains.
Thank you everyone for all the great advice.
Im gonna be building the Lancaster Farm house from walthers, with interior lighting, definitely dont want glow in the dark.
I want to have the interior walls white, or a light color, so yes, i was trying to cut a corner[banghead]