HELP! Plastidip melted my foam!

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  • I haven't logged in to this website in 2039203 years but I could really use some help! I read lots of tutorials about using pink insulation foam and everyone always recommended plastidip. However, it ate through my foam! I'm frustrated, upset, and I could really use some help.

    1) What did I do wrong?? Why does it seem to work for so many others and not me?

    2) [URL="https://imgur.com/g53Bo7H"]Suggestions on how to salvage this[/URL]: It's an axe, made of 1 inch pink foam with a sanded edge. Bubbled all over.

    Please, any help would be appreciated.

  • ....Did you use spray or paint-on?

    If spray, that's the issue. The chemicals used to keep it sprayable eat away foam. I've never personally seen plastidip suggested for pink foam, as the foam itself is still really fragile even once coated. (I've seen it for EVA foam)

  • Yup, it's the spray format issue.

    Sanding, a lot of sanding, then seal with something that will give it a smooth texture like mod podge.

    Please tell me you have cardboard or wood or something in the middle of your pink foam sandwich, otherwise it's still going to be too fragile.

  • Coat it with paper mache, then either bondo or paperclay, lots of sanding to smooth the surface, then paint.

    I've personally had success with spray-can plasti-dip on insulation foam. The first few coats have to be ridiculously light coats, with plenty of dry time in between. If you try to get full coverage on the first coat, the propellant will destroy the foam.

  • I think when people say that Plasti-dip doesn't eat at foam they mean EVA Foam. Having said that Bondo All Purpose Putty could help you fix it, but it will require a bunch of sanding.

    I've also seen a spray can from Krylon I believe that is specifically made to coat foam so that you can spray paint it with normal paint afterwards. At this point I generally use a coat of Modpodge on all of my foam for general protection and damage resistance.

  • Plasti-Dip comes in brush on as well as spray formats. Thus the name. It used to come in these funny tall skinny cans that you could dip your tool handles in.

    It isn't the paint that melts foam, it is the propellant that makes it spray. This rule crosses all types of sprayed colorants and sealers.