# Weather proofing foam



## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

I was looking to weatherproof my tombstones and was wondering about peoples experiences. I have heard some use drylock, but alos saw something at the hot wire foam factory that can be used for weatherprooffing. Any input from the gallery would be appreciated.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

I just use a exterior latex paint that I have tinted to the color I wanted. My tombstones are in good shape after four years now. And there were a couple of years that they were left out all winter and taken down in the spring. (they just looked so peaceful out there in the snow). So I would think almost any latex paint would do without buying some expensive stuff. Some do use dri-lock for the texture it makes. And remember, oil base paint eats foam. Just some cheap oops-paint should do the trick.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I agree with Bone Dancer. An exterior latex paint should last as long on a tombstone as it would on a house.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Good news for me since I painted them with exterior latex. Dryloc has a texture?


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## Day of the Dead (Aug 3, 2009)

Yes, Dryloc has a sandy gritty texture to it that helps to simulate a more realistic stone look.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Does it actually simulate the stone look?


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## stagehand1975 (Feb 22, 2010)

Most foam itself is actually weather proof. Will discolor in sun after a while. What you want is to coat it with something that dries hard to protect it from those minor bumps and bruises over the years.


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

Just my two cents..... I personally like Glidden's Gripper Gray Latex primer for sealing almost anything. They also make it in white, but I believe that the white is an acyclic base. I've used it on all types of props, from wood, foam, paper mache, ect. I've also used it on numerous construction projects. It can be tinted to any color you choose. It has great filling capabilities, because it has a high solid (pigment) content, these solids can fill in depressions, small details, nooks and crannies and will adhere better than latex house paint. In my personal opinion, overall, this holds up better to the elements than regular latex house paint. I also use this latex primer in my monster-mud mix instead of latex house paint. Again, just my "two cents"


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## pagan (Sep 9, 2009)

Bobzilla, I am glad to near about the gripper working so well, I have a couple of gallons of it lying around but was afraid to try it.. If you need outdoor latex, walmart has it pretty darn cheap (relatively speaking), and you can get whatever you need, I haven't had much luck with the "oops" shelf


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

It seem that toward the end of summer that the opps-paint is more available. But it still doesn't hurt to check now and then. And as far as tinting the paint I just use the cheap tempra paint from the dollar store. It's water based and works ok for that. 
And as a side note I found that by just dribbling some darker paint (in this case black into gray) into my roller pan and not mixing it much I got a good paint texturing. I got gray with smears of black that made for a good aged look.


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## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

If you go the latex paint route, make sure it is exterior grade and not interior. Most of the oops paint is usually interior. The interior grade paint WILL wash off in a rain storm. 

And if you want the Drylok stone texture, just throw a little powdered quickcrete, or even sand, into your paint job while it is still wet.


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

Thanks for the heads up on the Walmart paint 



pagan said:


> Bobzilla, I am glad to near about the gripper working so well, I have a couple of gallons of it lying around but was afraid to try it.. If you need outdoor latex, walmart has it pretty darn cheap (relatively speaking), and you can get whatever you need, I haven't had much luck with the "oops" shelf


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Quick question, where do you find drylok? I've used just plain acrylic paint on most of my props, and then seal them with elmers glue. Is there anything that I can use to toughen up the foam so that it can withstand rugged abuse? I 'm going to use foam in some parts of my haunt that might be bumped into and I'd like to find something that's will make them withstand a little more contact. (Something like polyeurathane?)


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Howling jack,

Go to hotwirefoamfactory.com and look under their foam products. They have a sealant and an additive that can give the foam a very hard coating or another that can give it a rubberized coating. At least that is the claim. I have never used either, but was considering trying some out.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Jaege, you might want to follow this thread as well:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=21373

Jeff is posting updates as information on this material comes in.


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