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I realise that this question may have been asked 100s if not 1000s of times before but, I have some lovely polystyrene packaging that would make a great building for 40k or fantasy games. now i want to texture and paint it so it looks more building than packaging. If I use textured paint (artex or similar) would it melt the polystyrene?

What have other folk used in the the past any hints/tips be grateful for folk.

Thanks in advance

You could just paint it black then dry brush codex grey then lightly dry brush skull white over it. But, if you want to use textured paint it shouldn't melt it. But, I would test on a small off cut piece just to make sure.

I work this way:

I make a mummy of it with masking tape. Then I cover it with modelling putty (I use the brown kind, since green stuff is hard to find here and it's very expensive).

As you apply the putty, you can texturise it, when it gets dry, you can paint it normally.

Brush-on textured paint should be fine. Check that it's acrylic (or water-based)... if it's not, you might have issues. In which case it would be best to test a small piece first.

You can buy textured acrylic sprays these days that are safe for styrofoam. It will say on the tin if that's the case. Don't buy the other kind... they'll melt it.

For the really rough option, painting the foam with PVA glue and then coating it with fine sand gives a nice, coarse finish. It's also quite durable.

Some people like to just spray the styrofoam with regular spray paint, using the theory that the slight (if you're lucky and find a paint that's not too noxious) melty effect gives it all the texture it needs. Tends to wind up looking like styrofoam that's been sprayed with spraypaint, though.

If you are using regular textured masonry paint then you should be fine, but as n0t_u said test it somewhere it can't be seen. Some texture paints actually have a sheen/silk finish to them and this may leave you with an ever-so-slightly shiney building - so definitely test a bit!

@Dark - Using modelling putty, even if you are using Brown rather than Green stuff, seems rather expensive to me; given that it comes in such small quanitities [I'm assuming that you get it in the same small packs as us in the UK]. I have always used white wall tiling grout, watered down so it is "paintable", this give you a great textured finish because the grain is so much smaller than even fine sand. This will also seal the polystyrene [don't leave gaps if you are going to spray!], it is rock hard and durable [dont use plaster, its too soft btw] and will take any paint. Its dirt cheap, you can buy it by the bag load if you want and you can even scratch/carve into it as well!

I don't know there, last time I bought a 1kg (2.20Lbs) for $20 (£3.11). Green stuff comes at $12 (£1.9) the small GW's pack, and it' hard to find anyway, not worth it.

Great its Grout, never thought of that. I have a bag in the shed and was going to chuck it. No longer will it be destined for the bin.

Thanks Folk

Dark wrote:I don't know there, last time I bought a 1kg (2.20Lbs) for $20 (£3.11). Green stuff comes at $12 (£1.9) the small GW's pack, and it' hard to find anyway, not worth it.

I think your prices are a leeeetle off there mate.

The pound isnt worth that many dollars!

Check my flag, those wherent dollars, that's why I exchanged them to pounds (since you mentioned that currency).

Yea, the grout method is brilliant.

I use it on bases after Ive graveled them sometimes, as it makes it look more like rocks protruding through the ground as opposed to rocks piled onto a completely flat surface.

Polystyrene scenery is handy and fun!

Amazing now you write the word polystyrene and it attracts the intrest of over 170 people lol.