# Painting soft foam



## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Some folks on here are fond of soft foam like old cushions... I gotta question: How do I paint it in a way that the surface is completely sealed off without it contracting and distorting the foam? Every kind of thick paint or coating I've ever used contracts and shrinks that side of the foam piece. I know the general procedure is to use thin paint for that reason but I want to completely seal over the foam texture to give it a solid surface.

The department I work in throws out lots of chunks of flexible packing foam (open and closed cell) that would be great to shape and texture as building stones but after painting the "business" side of them it'd be nice if they stayed flat on the stick-on side.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Maybe give the foam a coating of latex first. When it dries, it should have a smooth surface yet remain flexible.


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

I'd like to know what the answer is. IN my experience, anything thick enough to seal is also going to contract as it dries, water or solvent based.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

I don't know what you are sticking it to but when I did the pillars for my cemetary I attached them first then painted it all..same with my tombstones
I used all spray paint on the pillars and on my tombstones..it did not seem to contract .
this yr I painted another with latex one coat..and so far that is good with no contracting.
maybe you are using too much paint at one time for what you are trying to do, that will cause it to contract when drying , try a thin layer first..let dry completely and then another layer.

I am making some bats out of that cushion stuff I will measure a before and after to see what the difference is , cuz I really didn't see any in my other stuff


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