White Glue to seal upholstery foam?

Something I have seen costume builders do around the internet is use water thinned white glue/ wood glue / Elmer's glue to seal closed cell foam such as L200, and EVA foam.

I was wondering if you could use the same thinned white glue to seal upholstery foam? In the foam fabrication lessons I learned that  spray glue from a can was used to seal the foam. So could you use thinned white glue, from a paint gun to seal the top of the foam so latex will not absorb into the foam?

You may risk clogging up a paint gun, but it could potentially save a lot on sealing glue.

How about brushing thinned white glue on the foam?

Best Answer

  • Christopher VaughanChristopher Vaughan ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2014 Answer ✓
    I think this would work for hard surfaces, but the dried glue would crack on any organic movement (ie flexing the arm ect.) for that you need to use a flexible glue like rubber cement, super 77, ect.

Answers

  • That makes sense. Thank you for the answer.
  • I'm using regular upholstery foam for my project. I did some test for sealing it and tried Plasti dip spray. I used two coats and then used spray paint for a base color. I didn't notice any difference between the two. Maybe this is because the foam is just too porous.
  • Hello, Michael! Thank you for the reply.
    Where you using the upholstery foam for a creature build?
    Or something like an armor?
    Did you coat it with liquid latex?
  • I'm building a reptilian gorilla like monster out of upholstery foam. I don't know what else to call the foam because that's all the bag says. I bought it from Hobby Lobby at an inch thick (the thinnest they have). I'm using this foam to act as the entire body. Here is a very recent image of my progress. https://www.facebook.com/DarthAyato?ref=hl#!/photo.php?fbid=705996832754120&set=a.705995789420891.1073741830.411198492233957&type=1&theater
    I haven't tried coating it with latex because as I understand it is expensive or atleast to me it sounds that way.
  • Jared LeeJared Lee ✭✭✭

    Latex can be a bit pricy.

    I suppose you could just spray glue your build and and skin it with panty hoes, or spandex. Then airbrush it/ paint it.

     

  • The foam will absorb the latex. You could spray glue as Jared said, or maybe put some latex in a flat surface, dry it with a hairdryer in order to make a thin film of latex, then aply it to the foam with a little latex sprayed on it. You expand the film when you are aplying it to the foam and you can get some interesting textures. 
    I usually give the latex a bit of base colour using food dust(?) colorant; i try to avoid the liquid colorant because it could mess with the latex properties.
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