Coverage question: Thank you! Really useful as I am about to prepare and paint an XPS sculpture for outdoor exhibition in both the dry/hot and rainy/cool Mexican climate where we live. The surface area is about 40-50 sq ft. How much of the West System epoxy would you recommend to cover this? I ask because it is more than double the US price here and I expect this to be a one-off, but long-lasting, project.
I couldn’t tell you with a lot of confidence how much you need for that, I’m usually using it for much smaller projects. You’re going to want to do a few coats for an outdoor project. I think you might need a little more than the one gallon kit. Make sure you mix in small batches and I would get the slow hardener. The more you mix at once the faster it heats up and cures because it’s an exothermic reaction.
Yes although if it’s going to be exposed to a lot of sunlight the paint may fade or deteriorate over time so I would recommend a Uber resistant top coat like an automotive clear.
J Dubs thanks! Yeah I’m still getting comfortable with talking to the camera, it feels a little awkward to me sometimes. I am going to try to do more voice over in future videos. Getting better at this slowly
I'm building large Styrofoam tombstones that will be used in an escape room. Obviously, they need to be able to withstand the constant touching that happens in an escape room. I've finished them, and was just going to paint them with a dry lock paint, it looks like you'd suggest brushing on epoxy before using the paint? This the first time I've worked with foam, and I love the results I got, I just want to make sure I finish the project in a manner that will ensure they'll be as durable as possible. What are your thoughts on this? Epoxy before dry lock?
Epoxy gives you the most durable hard surface but it is expensive. Don’t use polyester resin like comes with fiberglass, it’ll dissolve the foam. A cheaper easier hard coat is “speed finish”. It’s a cement based product for tile underlayment. It works great but it leaves a rougher finish and it thickens as you work so you have to be careful not to put it on so heavy that you loose your detail. That’s what I would probably use for something like old tombstones.
Is there a matte finish of this medium you are using coat?
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This is really helpful! I'm hoping to make my own art deco marquee letters with light bulbs for an exterior sign. The letters would be the part made from styrofoam, and then attached to a metal or wooden board to line them all up. I'm not planning on covering the entire back of the sign with the board - just enough to line them up and then attach it to the side of the building (e.g. a "blade sign"). That means some parts of the letters would be freely open/exposed to all the outdoor elements. I'm mostly wondering if you think this technique you've demonstrated will harden it enough for the letters to a. be able to be attached to a metal rod and not fly off in high winds, and b. not rip in half in winds or hail? Some denting is okay since it will be high off the ground and can't be seen at eye level, but I want to find a way to make it pretty permanent in whatever nature can throw at it! Or do you have another suggestion by chance? Thanks so much!
I’m trying to build an enclosure for a reptile I have the styrofoam carving done I wanna harden it does that epoxy make it hard so it won’t chip like styrofoam normally does where can I get the epoxy from?
Yes epoxy will make it much harder, especially if you build it up in layers. I just order it from Amazon. I like west system because it’s really easy to mix and use
7Annamallover7 your welcome! There’s several different ways to accomplish that, this is the method I like. There are other types of epoxy that will work but stay away from polyester based resin (the fiberglass resin you find at A lot of hardware stores) bc it melts styrofoam. I ordered West System on Amazon.
How long do you wait for each step? I noticed you have different shirts on for each part: Yogurt primer compound mix Resin Painting Polycrilic Is it 24hrs?
If it’s small like the project I did here you could do the entire process in one day. Acrylic paint and polycrilic dries very fast (just a few minutes if it’s not too thick). West system epoxy cures in about an hour or two depending on the volume you mix, the thicker it is the FASTER it dries. The slowest part is the primer compound mix which varies a lot depending on how thick you apply it. This step is only necessary to smooth the surface if you have a lot of pits/gaps/cracks.
How hard is the epoxy top coat? I use foam for sculptures that are in areas where children touch. Currently I am using three coats of titebond wood glue over the xps foam. Unfortunately the application of the wood glue on horizontal surfaces causes tiny air bubbles which are tedious to sand and patch. Thank you for your help
The epoxy coat is very strong if you do a few coats. You can keep layering it until you get the required strength. You just need to be careful not to let the drips and runs get out of hand. Only do small amounts at a time or it will become unmanageable.
Most epoxies won’t hurt the foam, unlike fiberglass resin which will dissolve it immediately. The latex and plaster just fills pits and hardens the surface so you don’t have to use so much epoxy. You can also use it to make different surface textures. It’s not absolutely necessary.
Hey! I don’t take a lot of commissions because I’ve got so much work on my plate already but if you would like to talk to me the best way is to message me through our Facebook page. It’s called Saint Roch Firehouse Project.
Yes it will work on xps foam as well. If you don’t have pits or seams you need to hide you can skip straight to the epoxy step. The hard coat will be fine in the weather but you may want to a clear lacquer at the end instead of polycrylic to protect the paint.
I have yet to find a video that produces a super smooth finish that is then possible to airbrush and not show foam pores? Anyone😅????
I have a bag of plaster. Is that the same as the joint compound you used in thid video? Thanks.
Thanks for the music that was really pleasant!
Coverage question: Thank you! Really useful as I am about to prepare and paint an XPS sculpture for outdoor exhibition in both the dry/hot and rainy/cool Mexican climate where we live. The surface area is about 40-50 sq ft. How much of the West System epoxy would you recommend to cover this? I ask because it is more than double the US price here and I expect this to be a one-off, but long-lasting, project.
I couldn’t tell you with a lot of confidence how much you need for that, I’m usually using it for much smaller projects. You’re going to want to do a few coats for an outdoor project. I think you might need a little more than the one gallon kit. Make sure you mix in small batches and I would get the slow hardener. The more you mix at once the faster it heats up and cures because it’s an exothermic reaction.
Thank you for this informative video. It is appreciated.
This is just the video i needed. Can this be used for outdoor sign applications?
Yes although if it’s going to be exposed to a lot of sunlight the paint may fade or deteriorate over time so I would recommend a Uber resistant top coat like an automotive clear.
@@Chemical14 awesome thanks!
I enjoyed this video and the explanation of the how to...my only suggestion would be instead of the music background maybe a voice over explanation
J Dubs thanks! Yeah I’m still getting comfortable with talking to the camera, it feels a little awkward to me sometimes. I am going to try to do more voice over in future videos. Getting better at this slowly
I like watching a artist at work looks aw some keep up the videos would love to see more later
I'm building large Styrofoam tombstones that will be used in an escape room. Obviously, they need to be able to withstand the constant touching that happens in an escape room. I've finished them, and was just going to paint them with a dry lock paint, it looks like you'd suggest brushing on epoxy before using the paint? This the first time I've worked with foam, and I love the results I got, I just want to make sure I finish the project in a manner that will ensure they'll be as durable as possible.
What are your thoughts on this? Epoxy before dry lock?
Epoxy gives you the most durable hard surface but it is expensive. Don’t use polyester resin like comes with fiberglass, it’ll dissolve the foam. A cheaper easier hard coat is “speed finish”. It’s a cement based product for tile underlayment. It works great but it leaves a rougher finish and it thickens as you work so you have to be careful not to put it on so heavy that you loose your detail. That’s what I would probably use for something like old tombstones.
Is there a matte finish of this medium you are using coat?
This is really helpful! I'm hoping to make my own art deco marquee letters with light bulbs for an exterior sign. The letters would be the part made from styrofoam, and then attached to a metal or wooden board to line them all up. I'm not planning on covering the entire back of the sign with the board - just enough to line them up and then attach it to the side of the building (e.g. a "blade sign"). That means some parts of the letters would be freely open/exposed to all the outdoor elements. I'm mostly wondering if you think this technique you've demonstrated will harden it enough for the letters to a. be able to be attached to a metal rod and not fly off in high winds, and b. not rip in half in winds or hail? Some denting is okay since it will be high off the ground and can't be seen at eye level, but I want to find a way to make it pretty permanent in whatever nature can throw at it! Or do you have another suggestion by chance? Thanks so much!
This is so cool! Thank you!
I’m trying to build an enclosure for a reptile I have the styrofoam carving done I wanna harden it does that epoxy make it hard so it won’t chip like styrofoam normally does where can I get the epoxy from?
Yes epoxy will make it much harder, especially if you build it up in layers. I just order it from Amazon. I like west system because it’s really easy to mix and use
Thank you for uploading this video. I wanted to see how they painted and applied glossy coats to these.
7Annamallover7 your welcome! There’s several different ways to accomplish that, this is the method I like. There are other types of epoxy that will work but stay away from polyester based resin (the fiberglass resin you find at A lot of hardware stores) bc it melts styrofoam. I ordered West System on Amazon.
@@Chemical14 Oh good to know. I read about polyurethane spray. But that's the most I've learned so far. I appreciate it :)
Would this make it strong enough, say if kids bumped into it? I’m having to make a tree on a wall.
It is very durable with couple coats. If there are very thin areas you may want to do a few extra coats.
How long do you wait for each step? I noticed you have different shirts on for each part:
Yogurt primer compound mix
Resin
Painting
Polycrilic
Is it 24hrs?
If it’s small like the project I did here you could do the entire process in one day. Acrylic paint and polycrilic dries very fast (just a few minutes if it’s not too thick). West system epoxy cures in about an hour or two depending on the volume you mix, the thicker it is the FASTER it dries. The slowest part is the primer compound mix which varies a lot depending on how thick you apply it. This step is only necessary to smooth the surface if you have a lot of pits/gaps/cracks.
How strong would you say this stuff is?
How hard is the epoxy top coat? I use foam for sculptures that are in areas where children touch. Currently I am using three coats of titebond wood glue over the xps foam. Unfortunately the application of the wood glue on horizontal surfaces causes tiny air bubbles which are tedious to sand and patch.
Thank you for your help
The epoxy coat is very strong if you do a few coats. You can keep layering it until you get the required strength. You just need to be careful not to let the drips and runs get out of hand. Only do small amounts at a time or it will become unmanageable.
Thanks
Is the plaster and latex mix meant to protect the foam from epoxy?
Most epoxies won’t hurt the foam, unlike fiberglass resin which will dissolve it immediately. The latex and plaster just fills pits and hardens the surface so you don’t have to use so much epoxy. You can also use it to make different surface textures. It’s not absolutely necessary.
Hi,where can i buy this???i would like to buy this...i want to buy more...i couldnt get buy in online
You can find West System epoxy on Amazon. You can also find it at marine stores because it is often used for coating wooden parts of boats.
Hello I’m not sure why but above the video title it says New Orleans I live on the north shore would you do commissioned piece for me
Hey! I don’t take a lot of commissions because I’ve got so much work on my plate already but if you would like to talk to me the best way is to message me through our Facebook page. It’s called Saint Roch Firehouse Project.
Chemical 14 done
Hi, can you use this method on XPS foam as well as EPS? Also will this weather outdoors okay?
Yes it will work on xps foam as well. If you don’t have pits or seams you need to hide you can skip straight to the epoxy step. The hard coat will be fine in the weather but you may want to a clear lacquer at the end instead of polycrylic to protect the paint.
@@Chemical14 , thank you very much!!
That’s cool