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What can I use to apply a protective coating that can make foam more durable before painting the foam?. Just trying to make it as durable as possible. thanks

I use a nice thick layer of watered down PVA glue. I have also used drywall plaster. Once, I used both methods... It left me with very sturdy terrain!

I have used latex house paint as a first, thin, coat.

I use a couple layers of wood glue most of the time 3-4 to seal it in and than add texture via another layer of wood glue with a little sand mixed in.

Latex house paint.

But I also use plaster impregnated bandage to give it a hard shell.

lots of slightly watered down white glue. I prefer Elmers Glue-All. And you can stir in or sprinkle on some texture like talus or sand.

If you really want to make foam durable, there are specialty products available. Foam Coat (a gypsum cement, I think) and Styroplast (some sort of synthetic), both from Hot Wire Foam Factory, spring to mind. Terranscapes has video reviews of both up on his Youtube channel, if you're interested.

Personally, I keep things simple, like most of the above posters. Either latex/emulsion/house paint or craft acrylic mixed with PVA works reasonably well. A thin (but thorough!) coat is enough to protect against the solvents in spray paints, thicker applications help to actually strengthen the surface. I've also used spackle/drywall filler, when I wanted as specific texture to the surface. Rough up the foam and it bonds reasonably well. Coat it in watered down PVA and the surface becomes plasticized and reasonably resilient. Solid support for vulnerable edges (MDF bases, styrene sheathing, etc.) will do more to keep foam pieces intact than all but the most serious coatings.

 oadie wrote:
Personally, I keep things simple, like most of the above posters. Either latex/emulsion/house paint mixed with PVA works reasonably well.

This. And sometimes with sand added for texture.
I made tonnes of stuff from foam for my store and that stuff got gamed with 6 days a week for 3 years and got smashed around alot.
It held up great.

 Alex Kolodotschko wrote:

 oadie wrote:
Personally, I keep things simple, like most of the above posters. Either latex/emulsion/house paint mixed with PVA works reasonably well.

This. And sometimes with sand added for texture.
I made tonnes of stuff from foam for my store and that stuff got gamed with 6 days a week for 3 years and got smashed around alot.
It held up great.

This, but ALWAYS with sand (play sand works great and is dirt cheap (ba-dum-bum)). Coat it with glue, dump sand over top, let it dry 24 hours. Coat it with glue again and let dry another 24 hours. Then prime, then paint. Once that's all been done it lasts years!