styrofoam question

[Sickie Ickie]

After carving styrofoam, is there something that can be placed or painted on it to create a hard surface?

[ScareFX]

Although I have not used it, I read that Durham's Water Putty can be used to make a very hard surface on foam. ( http://www.waterputty.com ). I believe you would still have to paint it to make it waterproof.

I have used monster mud to smooth out a stone but my more recent stones are just painted with latex paint.

[Ugly Joe]

You're talking styrofoam, right?
Big clumps of foam...

I've had "some" luck at sanding it with a fine grit sandpaper, but it can only get "so" smooth - however, with some primer and a couple coats of paint, it does okay.

Drywall joint compound or spackle will give a wonderfully hard, sandable, carve-able surface, but it MUST be covered thoroughly with a durable paint if it's going to be exposed to any kind of elements.

I've also seen some foam painting paints at JoAnns and Michaels that claim to give a smooth surface on styrofoam, but they're kind of expensive - I haven't tried them yet for that reason.

[DeathTouch]

If you hit it with a torch, then it will make it hard.

[Sickie Ickie]

Just to make sure everyone is on the same page I'm talking about extruded styrofoam...the pink or blue sheets.

I'm carving a head for a prop, but I want it to have a hard surface so it doesn't get dinged.

[ScareFX]

There was a thread in another forum back in January that covered this topic.

Here's what they ended up doing to strengthen foam.

It looks like the solution I'm going to end up going with after some experimenting is a mixture of wood glue, Durham Water Putty and cheese cloth. 2 parts wood glue, 1 part Durhams and 1 part water over a layer of cheese cloth. The water putty by it's self is very hard and fills well but is brittle. So by adding wood glue and spreading a mixture over a layer of cheese cloth you get a very hard, non-brittle coating. It's cheap, I can get everything I need at Lowes, it's non-toxic and no fumes...

[ScareFX]

There are also products like this available. A bit pricey however.

http://www.demandproducts.com/liquidrock.html

[Hellrazor]

wouldnt the Epoxy melt the foam?

[Sickie Ickie]

Has anyone used hauntedportrait's recipe? I'd be very interested to know if it worked.

The rock is too expensive at this juncture for me. Thanks though!

[ScareFX]

wouldnt the Epoxy melt the foam?

Not sure about that Hellrazor. The products from that company are made for foam so I would not think it would. But I've not used it. Just saw it as a resource.

[SpectreTTM]

wouldnt the Epoxy melt the foam?

I have coated foam before with 5 Min epoxy. As well as epoxy resin (I think the polyester stuff will melt the foam).

The trouble is that it goes in really thin and takes many coats to get any kind of thickness.


Here is another product

http://alt.xmission.com/~spl_efx/vanillacryl/vanillacryl.html

And a future product.

http://alt.xmission.com/~spl_efx/materials/foamcoat.html

I haven't tried either of these they are expensive. But the look ok.

[Gothikim]

I haven't used it (no real need), but this product looks like it would work well to protect foam stuff, and might be pretty easy to use: http://www.sculpturalarts.com/foamcoating.htm

[Ugly Joe]

Another idea, which I've used on more than one occasion, is to add fiberglass resin (with or without the cloth) to the finished product.

NOTE!!! Be CERTAIN to cover ALL exposed foam with paint (latex is fine) before applying any of the resin - otherwise, say goodbye to your hard work...


I used fiberglass resin over my Vilethings-esque skeleton marionette - I carved it from the extruded foam (not styrofoam), and once complete, to make it durable, I primed all the foam parts, and applied fiberglass resin to them...

I does obliterate fine details, but it gives a good, hard surface that can be sanded smooth, and carved (carefully...with a Dremel) and/or painted as you see fit. Additonally, the color of the cured resin is an amber-ish color, not too dissimilar to bone (eh...it's a stretch).


Finally...it's a lot cheaper than most other options. Walmart carries fiberglass resin for a good price.

[Sickie Ickie]

Gothikim: there is no price on that stuff.

Thanks guys! It still looks as though most stuff is expensive...I wonder if wood glue would do it?

[SpectreTTM]

Gothikim: there is no price on that stuff.

Thanks guys! It still looks as though most stuff is expensive...I wonder if wood glue would do it?

Took a bit to find but here

https://mmm1935.dulles19-verio.com/sculp4/orderform.html#soc

The order button was not working. If you plan to order this stuff I'd call to
place the order. I don't trust a site when parts of it don't work.
Tells me the site is not maintained and the company could be out of business.