After cutting letters out of regular styrofoam insulation (the kind you get from the lumber yard) is it possible to make it more durable for outdoor use.
I have tried coating it with epoxy resin and that works ok on the fronts because you can lay the letter flat and pour in on fairly thick. (about 1/8") But the edges have to be brushed on so it doesn't get thick enough. I don't think it would hold up during a hail storm.
You can't use regular fibre glass resin because it melts the styrofoam.
I have heard of styrofoam letters being used outdoors for several years. But I didn't hear how they were finished.
Are you talking about the white "bead board" or the pink styreen ?(or blue depending on who makes it)
I have used it for outdoor and it hold ups as long as its painted with 100% acrylic latex house paint. Once that is applied, you should be able to coat it with PELUCID, a water base top coating that will turn rock hard when it dries. Birds or Hail wont get through this stuff.
Do a Search for PELUCID, or go to the POR15 web site. One of the merchants here sells the stuff....he'll be on here posting next! hahhahahahahahah
hope this helps
------------------ Draper The Signmaker Bloomington Illinois USA
Get To A Letterhead Meet This Summer! See you there! 309-828-7110 drapersigns@hotmail.com Draper_Dave on mIRC chat
Posted by Glen Collin (Member # 2192) on :
Thanks for your response. I am talking about the pink or blue stuff that comes in 2x8 sheets (1 to 2" thick). Not the big bead white stuff. I will definetly try to find some Pelucid. Wish I had known about this bulletin board a few years ago.
Find yourself someone who sprays two part polyurethane coating. This is the same material they use for spray-in truck bed liners. Someone must be doing that up there. Line-X is a national chain in the states but I bet you can find a company up there that does it. It mixes in mid-air and kicks (turns solid)in about about 3 or 4 seconds. (What's the metric version of seconds in Canada? .....just kidding) This puts an extremely durable coating over the foam that still has a little flex to it. Check your metric version of the yellow pages (kidding again) under truck accessories and you should find someone who sprays truck liners. This material is used for a lot of other purposes but looking under truck liners will be the way to find someone with a spray rig that does it. Keep in mind though, some of these materials are sandable and some are not. You just might have to experament a little.
Dave must have posted while I was typing (lol)His pelucid idea works fine if you are working on small letters. (and probably better for small letters) Just make sure you seal the foam well first with latex paint. I've only tried pelucid once but had graet results. Look into the urethane if you have to cover a lot of ground. When you say foam letters, I think of 3 foot letters (1 meter... whatever...enough with the metric jokes) I usually work real big. Correct me if I'm wrong here Dave, pelucid will eat raw foam? Correct? I'd like to know that myself.
Oh no I'm not! I ain't sayin' NUFFIN about Pelucid! And no.................it won't eat foams except one weird one, and I don't remember the name or color.
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
Posted by Rosemary (Member # 1926) on :
He's keeping his word, sorta. So now I have to post about it. Gee willies! You guys are all too much, inCLUDING dad!
Go to our website at www.stmariegraphics.com and go to the products page. Read about Pelucid there. We ship every day as long as the email order is in by 9am Mountain time.
There! Now will you kids behave?!?
------------------ Girls carve too! Behind every good Woman, there's a man.............waiting.
http://www.stmariegraphics.com
1911SRs and Paul Reed Smith Bass Guitars!
Posted by Rosemary (Member # 1926) on :
Ok, so he's answering before he reads it all. Gosh!
We use Pelucid on the largest mural carvings we do. Every one of them. Why just "small letters"? I didn't understand that one.
------------------ Girls carve too! Behind every good Woman, there's a man.............waiting.
http://www.stmariegraphics.com
1911SRs and Paul Reed Smith Bass Guitars!
Posted by Print Wright (Member # 850) on :
Hi Glen There was an article in Signcraft a couple of months back. Prime (water based) the styrofoam then paint with a slurry of paint and sand. The letters can be faced with acrylic. I've tried it out on a sign and it worked well. The sand forms a tough coating. Kerry Wright Gladstone Australia
------------------ Kerry Wright Gladstone Australia
Posted by Rob Larkham (Member # 2105) on :
I have done foam carved signs before with the blue foam. Coated them with three coats of two-part epoxy resin used for building boats. Rock hard and paints very easy.
------------------ Rob Larkham RL Graphic D-Sign Chester, MA rldsigns@aol.com
Posted by Glen Collin (Member # 2192) on :
I experimented with the epoxy resin. What type of paint did you use on it?
It looked pretty good but I couldn't get a heavy enough coat on the edges. I was worried about hail damage breaking through.
I am going to try getting some of that Pelucid. It looks like it would work good because you don't have to worry about paint sticking to it. Just clear coat over the painted sign. It would probably work good on an mdo panel too because it would seal the end grain on the edge.
My Dad has us seal all porous materials edges with Pelucid. Completely waterproofs the edges, and evey time it gets wet, it gets harder and harder. I like it because I don't have to mix anything.
------------------ Girls carve too! Behind every good Woman, there's a man.............waiting.
http://www.stmariegraphics.com
1911SRs and Paul Reed Smith Bass Guitars!
Posted by Rob Larkham (Member # 2105) on :
Just build up the sides with more coats of apoxy. I painted it with oneshot. It was like a surf board when I was done.
------------------ Rob Larkham RL Graphic D-Sign Chester, MA rldsigns@aol.com
Posted by roger bailey (Member # 556) on :
Pelucid, the quick, easy, effective way to seal it !! Why work any harder, or use up any more shop time then necc. ??
Roger
------------------ Roger Bailey Rapid Tac Incorporated Waikoloa, Hawaii
Posted by Glen Collin (Member # 2192) on :
Rob, there is an excellent article in Signcraft May/June 99. Step by Step Epoxy Finished Letters, by Dave Beatty. He is guilding over the epoxy letters. As a base for the gold leaf he paints directly on the epoxy with Lettering Enamel and Dekor Silk screen ink. I wonder why he would mix the two paints. Would it be to increase adhesion?
