Model Railroading > Painting the ground on a layout

Would it be better to use latex or acrylic paints to paint the base ground color on a pink polyfoam layout base? In building a small n scale layout (3'x6'), I used the pink insulation foam panels as a base. I have finished carving the landscape, hills and all and am ready to paint. So I would like opinions as to the best paint to use. Thanks.

You can go to craft store and buy the large bottles of various acrylic colors for cheap, and mix them to make all kinds of colors for various purposes.
 

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

> Would it be better to use latex or acrylic paints

There's no difference.  Latex hasn't been in paint for decades.  Just a marketing word.  Indeed, Kem-Tone, the original "latex" paint has never had latex as part of the formula.  Latex was a highly restricted WWII material and Kem-Tone was formulated to use a synthetic binder that could get around the war restrictions.  Nowadays, usually, paint labeled latex is cheaper because it has less acrylic polymer and more fillers.  If you've ever had real latex paint you'd know because about a week after a can's contents have had air exposure it smells like gym socks.

Too much information?

Chose by color and by price.  It's going to get covered up anyway. You can probably find a cheap gallon of something close on the miss mixed paint shelf at your dealer.

Lighter Wrote:
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> > Would it be better to use latex or acrylic
> paints
>
> There's no difference
>
> Chose by color and by price.  It's going to get
> covered up anyway. You can probably find a cheap
> gallon of something close on the miss mixed paint
> shelf at your dealer.

Agreed. I just went to my local Home Depot and found a gallon from the reject bin and used it for a base color.

Posted from Android

I've used all kinds of paint on the pink foam but on my most recent layout I also went to the back of the paint section at the hardware store and found reject colors. That was excellent, as the sample sizes were only 50 cents and had all kinds of useful tones (browns, greys, yellows.) I've used them as base paint and for scenery.

Edit: added a photo of the paint. The layout is all foam and it has been holding well.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/19 07:18 by inCHI.

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I have wondered if regular price or inexpensive paint would be a good cover for pink foamboard. I suspected that it would be OK, but now have some confirmation, so thanks for that. I have a small N-scale layout on a single large, cut piece of pink 2"-thick pink foamboard, a Christmas layout that sits atop a large writing table desk, next to the Christmas tree in the living room. I wanted the edges to look nice sitting atop a nice piece of furniture, and wasn't sure if cheap paint would cover well. So I popped for the Behr premium in an eggshell finish at Home Depot (only a small can, all I needed, but it was still pricey). I carefully carefully matched the color to the wood of the desk using the Behr smartphone app to get "in the neighborhood", and then the old fashioned paint chips to finalize. It covered beautifully with one coat applied with a small foam "brush", and looks good. But that was a special need. Good to know that the cheaper paint will work OK for an overall ground base coat on pink foamboard, which is my base material of choice.

MC
Muskegon, Michigan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/19 06:50 by ironmtn.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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>
> Agreed. I just went to my local Home Depot and
> found a gallon from the reject bin and used it for
> a base color.
>
> Posted from Android

I did the same. It will last years. $10.

-Jason
 

I go to the local Walmart store and buy the $10 per gallon interior latex flat paint for my scenery.

Dennis

Not at all, Lighter. I'm also a history buff and love finding out the backstory to just about anything. :)

Thanks All. Your answers and comments were just what I was looking for and should be very helpful.

Found a full gallon of somewhat earth colored paint on the returns rack at Home Depot for less than half price. 

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