How would you harden foam?

[Deleted User]

I want to make foliage clumps hard, but don’t know how to do it. I’ve tried soaking them in PVA and paint, but neither worked.
Any advice? Experience?

[Steve Johnson]

I’ve found pva has worked OK for me, but it depends how hard you want it? You could try water based lacquer/varnish instead of the pva and see if that works.

[Mike]

I have used pva mixed with water and washing up liquid.
I then spray it with a clear acrylic coat, or many coats.
Not solid solid but ok.

[Usagitsuki]

I also use a mix of PVA and water (maybe 1 part PVA to 2 or 3 of water), and a drop of washing-up liquid to break the surface tension of the water. Then use an old Vallejo dropper bottle and drip the mix onto foliage/flowers/trees etc.

Sengoku 'blog: https://tenkafubu608971038.wordpress.com

[willz]

I have on the odd occasion accidently dropped super glue foliage, it went rock hard, though at times you get a white stain of  the glue which you can paint out (when dry).

[Deleted User]

@Willz
can you describe that a little more, so I could replicate it?

[willz]

I take it you mean the foam based foliage from Woodland scenic’s or similar, just super glue foliage onto base and drop a small amount over the piece of foam foliage.  Hopefully it won’t go white but if it does after it dries paint it out.  Always do this in a well ventilated room.

Does this help.

[Deleted User]

It soak into the foam and doesn’t just clump on the surface?
I’ll give it a try.
Did you use the medium or thin stuff?

[Etranger]

I just put a spray matt varnish over all. It stiffens the foam up, & perhaps more importantly, stops it coming loose again.

[Sane Max]

for woodland scenics clump foliage? watered down Mod Podge, or the home made version, (1 part indoor varnish that does what it says on the tin, one part pva glue, a squirt of washing up liquid and enough water to make it thinner than paint, soak and leave to dry. I just made a batch of it and can vouch for it.)

[Deleted User]

@Sane
Thanks I’ll give that a try if the superglue method doesn’t work. Is “indoor varnish” floor varnish? Waterbased I’m guessing?

[Sane Max]

yeah, the indoor varnish is water based, outdoor is solvent based.

I used Wilkinson’s own brand, and it’s gloss, as that’s what I had in the house – works just as well and loses its gloss thanks to all the PVA and washing up liquid. I use it for solidifying fabric, sealing terrain and also sticking labels on stuff 🙂 I really slap it on and it dries in a few hours.

https://www.wilko.com/wilko-ultra-tough-quick-dry-clear-gloss-varnish-25-0ml/p/0314976?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIicD179u77gIVNfbVCh0amgTHEAQYASABEgLWgvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have yet to experiment with the unthinned down mixture, it does seem very mod-podge reminiscent.

the superglue method works fine, I just always try to avoid using it when I can, years of working with the stuff means I am deffo developing sensitivity to the fumes, and i hate the cloudiness and misting you can get with it sometimes.

[Author]

Posts