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So I'm doing a bit of scenery and I've used styrofoam as a base. I know styrofoam can melt if you for example use super glue on it.

How does styrofoam react to spray paint(GW's black primer) and green stuff? Will any of these make it melt?

 Karokk wrote:
So I'm doing a bit of scenery and I've used styrofoam as a base. I know styrofoam can melt if you for example use super glue on it.

How does styrofoam react to spray paint(GW's black primer) and green stuff? Will any of these make it melt?

Green stuff is fine; most aerosol spray paints are not. If you want to spray, and don't have an airbrush/spray gun, you'll want to to a thin coat of either paint or watered-down PVA glue first.

I don't know for sure about the GW paints but most spray paints use volatile organic solvents that will dissolve polystyrene foam.

You can avoid that by priming the foam with diluted PVA glue. Mix it about 50/50 with water and paint a complete layer. When that dries it will protect the foam from the solvent.

I would advise you to base terrain on hardboard for durability, rather than foam polystyrene.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I don't know for sure about the GW paints but most spray paints use volatile organic solvents that will dissolve polystyrene foam.

You can avoid that by priming the foam with diluted PVA glue. Mix it about 50/50 with water and paint a complete layer. When that dries it will protect the foam from the solvent.

I would advise you to base terrain on hardboard for durability, rather than foam polystyrene.

Thanks for the help!

It's quite a small piece so think styrofoam will work well, I've used a layer of "plaster" on the storyfoam, will that be protection enough?

Any sort of spraypaint will melt the styrofoam, but if it's protected by something there shouldn't be a problem. What's this "plaster" made of?

yes, even a coating of craft paint will protect it from the spray paint.

Also, if you have a craft store neary by, look for something called "gesso" it will protect it as well.

One note...if you get really good at using it, and you are doing terrain you can use spray primers with very minimal damage (or damage that is fine if you want the texture). note, this takes a lot of practice (I make a LOT of terrain, including commissions).

Usually, I might mix up some watery glue and some craft paint in a spray bottle, and use that as a base coat.

best of luck!