After the letters are cut out, the question arises of how to paint the foam letters. Everything is simple here. First you need to know that polystyrene foam (expanded polystyrene) is unstable to the following solvents: ethyl acetate, benzene, gasoline, kerosene, acetone, alcohol.
Surface preparation.
The surface does not need to be treated before painting, but if you need to change the texture of a foam product or add strength, you can use the following methods: - Thoroughly coat it two or three times with PVA glue diluted with water. Let each layer dry. (after drying, the glue film stretches, which can bend thin products). — Add sand to the PVA, then the letter or other product will acquire a characteristic texture. — By the way, after PVA treatment, the product can be painted with almost any paint. — Prime with water-based paint. — Irregularities, blemishes and roughness can simply be puttied and treated with sandpaper. - Epoxy resin is used to add strength.
Painting of polystyrene foam products.
For painting you need to use acrylic paints. After using them, the letters will not be erased or become dirty. It is most convenient to use aerosol paint, but ALWAYS, without acetone and other solvents that foam is afraid of. You can use, for example, anti-graphic acrylic spray paint. This way the letters will look neater, and the paint layer will lie smoothly and evenly. For application with a brush, you can use Ladoga St. Petersburg acrylic art paints. Most often you have to apply two layers of paint. But the second layer already covers the surface completely. It doesn’t matter at all what you use to paint the letters, the main thing is that the design matches the surrounding environment.
Painting foam plastic with automotive enamels.
If you first prepare the surface and process the foam letter, you can paint it with almost all available paints. Almost all water-based varnishes and acrylic dispersions in water with additives are suitable for this. It’s better to find polyurethane ones, it’s too bad for the paint to stick to the acrylic later. Don't be afraid to paint! I use an inexpensive (70 rubles) domestic scuba tank, it dries quickly. A couple of layers, and then you can paint with any car paint from a can. You will be pleased with the result. In addition to painting, you can use glitter, rhinestones and other materials used to decorate various holiday attributes to decorate letters. Finally, I would like to remind you that polystyrene foam is a universal material that is effectively used in advertising. Its cost and properties make it impossible to create absolutely any type of advertising in a short time. Therefore, it does not matter at all what the foam letters are painted with, since in any case they will look amazing.
Do I need to paint?
Today, painting of foam plastic is carried out for two reasons:
- Give strength to the material used.
One of the main reasons to use a foam cover is to protect it from deterioration. For example, if the material is used on the facade of a building as insulation, all stages of its coating must be correctly followed: from plaster to the application of coloring pigments. In this way, the apartment or house will become much warmer, that is, we will get the “thermos” effect. Professionals should be invited to perform such work. They know exactly what layer of adhesive mixture needs to be applied to the wall, how to cover the foam, what material can be used as insulation: penoplex or expanded polystyrene. All these, at first glance, little things will help preserve the material from precipitation, and simply from deformation of the foam.
- Achieve a general combination with the main interior design.
It is possible to create unique decorative elements for rooms using polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene. But you are unlikely to like it if the overall style includes a white plinth with a bubble texture or a mirror frame in the same color scheme. This problem can be easily solved; you need to cover the material with a layer of paint. And if you want the color not to fade, to be bright and rich, coat the product with moisture-resistant varnish.
Next, let’s figure out how polystyrene foam differs from expanded polystyrene, and how to paint polystyrene foam? How to choose the right coloring material?
On video: the advantages and disadvantages of polystyrene foam.
Conclusion
Now you know what kind of foam paint exists and how to apply it correctly. Additionally, watch the video in this article. If some points are unclear to you, ask questions in the comments, and I will be happy to answer you.
I’m finishing up gluing foam plastic to the house. Those. The mesh is already glued almost everywhere. Now I'm thinking about how to paint it. Bark beetle, etc. they don’t roll plaster - it’s too expensive, and it’s not repairable
