Tips for Painting on a Foam Board

Painting on foam board.

One of the most versatile modeling products, foam board is extremely durable given it's lightweight and very easy to cut and build 3-D structures with. It is also paintable. Architects use the material to construct miniature models of their designs, while craft enthusiasts put it to many good uses as well. Considering it is typically sold with white outer layers of paper sandwiching the foam core, painting is often necessary to finish a project.

Tips for Painting Foam Board

Spray Paint: If you have a choice, use spray paint over brush-applied paint. Spray paint does not leave streaks when applied, and you have just as many color options with spray paint as you do with other paints.

Acrylics: Use acrylics when painting on foam board, rather than oil-based paint. Acrylics dry faster and are easier to clean up.

Sand Foam Edges: Sand down the foam edges before painting. Otherwise, they could chip away and leave visible white spots. The paper layer, when painted, will look much different than the foam edge, but both will hold paint.

Cut First: Don’t paint then cut, do it the other way around. Cut the material into the desired shape before painting.

Painting foam board is an easy task, provided you follow a few of these tips. Happy crafting!