Test Tuesday: Spray Paint

In this Test Tuesday we are testing spray paint. I am using Touch ‘N Tone all-purpose household spray paint in black. Keep in mind that different manufacturers of spray paint will use different formulas and the results of this Test Tuesday may not reflect the results achieved with different brands. It is a good idea to always test any new medium on a scrap piece of foam before applying it to your projects.

I laid all the samples out and gave the entirety of them a quick light coat, then added a heavier layer to the bottom portion of each of the samples.

Readi-Board Samples

On the standard Readi-Board samples you can see the paper facer begin to buckle as the foam beneath it is damaged. Peeling the paper facer back shows how some of the foam has begun to dissolve. The areas that had a higher concentration of paint saw the most dramatic damage.

Adams Premium Samples

The heavier paper facer on the Adams Premium samples helped to protect the foam from the spray paint’s solvents. There was still damage to the foam beneath, but not nearly to the extent that the Readi-Board samples saw.

Left to Right: No Paper, Readi-Erase, Readi Water Resistant, Readi-Grid

Naturally the No Paper sample was damaged the most. There is very pronounced pitting on the surface of the foam. The Readi-Erase sample performed very well. There was damage to the foam on the edges, but beneath the dry erase facer was untouched. The Readi Water Resistant also performed well. You can see in some areas the paint penetrated the paper facer, but the damage is minimal compared to the Readi-Board and No Paper samples. The Readi-Grid sample showed an interesting reaction to the spray paint. The foam beneath the area most saturated with paint seemed to dissolve slightly. Attempts to remove the grid paper facer were not very successful, as the paper tore in small sections. It appeared as though the spray paint affected the integrity of the paper.

It should come as no surprise that I do not recommend spray paint for use on most of our foam board. If the edges of the Readi-Erase and Readi Water Resistant were properly protected then it may be a viable paint option.