Can You Spray Paint Styrofoam – Detailed Guide

Styrofoams are widely used as a packaging material. However, its use is not limited to this, you can also use it as an insulator for your house, electronic appliances, automobile parts, etc. You must have noticed that the styrofoams come in just one color. Many people love colors and must have tried coloring styrofoams to end their curiosity about whether can you spray paint styrofoam?

I am disappointed to tell you that you can not spray paint styrofoams easily. This is because spray paints contain enamel. This enamel melts the styrofoam when it comes in contact with it. But the good news is not all spray paints damage the styrofoam. In this article, I will tell you about what spray paints you can use on styrofoams and how. So just stick around.

Can You Spray Paint Styrofoam?

It is normal for spray paint to dissolve Styrofoam when it is exposed to paint. So while selecting spray paint for Styrofoam you should look for those products that are water-based. Water-based spray paints adhere to the surface of the Styrofoam and keep it safe from getting dissolved.

According to general practice, people usually avoid using spray paint on Styrofoam. This is because spray paints destroy polystyrene completely. I tried and tested many spray paints to completely answer your question of whether can you spray paint Styrofoam.

How to Spray Paint a Styrofoam?

Styrofoam is very famous among people who love crafting. Because of its easy availability and shaping, most artists prefer using Styrofoam. However, they hesitate to spray paint Styrofoam because they are aware of the fact that as soon as paint touches the Styrofoam it will dissolve and will be of no use.

If you are also an artist then you must also prefer using acrylic paints or other paint sources just to be safe. But you can’t deny the fact that spray paint is a lot easier and quicker than all the other sources. Trust me I have been there as well but now I have found ways through which I can spray paint styrofoam without melting it.

Krylon Short Cuts Aerosol Paint

According to my findings, Krylon Short Cuts is safe to use on styrofoam. Now you may ask why does spray paint by Krylon not destroy the styrofoam. It is because it takes less time to dry. The enamel dries quickly without damaging the styrofoam.

Along with that, it is water-based spray paint. If you are wondering how you will confirm if spray paint is water-based or not? All you need to do is check the spray bottle and you will find “water-based” written on the front of the can.

Only specific spray paints are safe to use on Styrofoam’s and Krylon Short Cuts Aerosol Paint is one of them. You get many vibrant color options in this spray paint to choose from. It is completely safe to use on foam materials. Not only Styrofoam it can be used to paint wood, plastic, wicker, etc.

Krylon Short Cuts Aerosol Paint gives your styrofoam a hard-wear touch. They are available in many different cool colors that you can use to cover your foam sheet. It adheres completely to the surface of the styrofoam which ensures its durability. It is super-duper easy to apply no expertise is required. But they are a little expensive because of their specific use.

Using Primers Before Spray Paint

In this guide, I will discuss ways that will keep your styrofoam safe even if you use spray paint on it. All you need to do is use some primer on the styrofoam you are working on. I tried a few primers to choose the best among them that works well for spray painting styrofoams. Try using Mod Podge Glue or Foam-Tac Foam Finish. Both of them work great to keep the styrofoam safe from the damage that spray paint may cause.

You must be curious about exactly what these primers do to the styrofoam to keep it in shape even when you spray paint it. The answer to this is that it makes a layer over the styrofoam surface. This layer not only gives a smooth surface for painting but also does not let the spray paint chemicals be in direct contact with the styrofoam.

What Other Paints Can be Used On Styrofoam?

We can not deny the fact that spray paints ruin Styrofoam’s completely. If you used spray paint on Styrofoam it will be of no use later on. You can use other safe options to spray paint your Styrofoam. These include acrylic paints and water-based paints.

Apart from using specific paints or primers to protect the Styrofoam’s from damage, you can also buy specially coated Styrofoam’s. These specially coated Styrofoam are moderately overpriced. But it takes away the tension of damaging the Styrofoam if you spray paint it.

Final Thoughts about Styrofoam Painting

Choosing spray paint for styrofoam is not an easy task. Styrofoams are a very delicate material and should be used with care. There is no doubt that handling styrofoam is a lot more difficult as compared to other materials. But the crafters and artists still prefer using this material, the only hurdle is to spray paint styrofoam.

Spray painting styrofoam needs little care as common spray paints melt the styrofoam. Therefore, it is recommended to use only special products to spray paint styrofoam. Here are a few suggestions for spray paint without worrying about damaging the material.

• Water-based spray paint adheres to the styrofoam without melting it.
• Use primers to create a layer between styrofoam and normal spray paints.
• Specially coated styrofoam protects the foam material from getting ruined by spray paints in any possible way.

I will suggest you act wisely and look for water-based information before buying spray paint for your normal styrofoam. Or else you can try using the above recommendations to safely spray paint styrofoam. I hope these recommendations help you with your problems regarding using spray paint for styrofoam.