# Pink house insulation foam



## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

Hey folks, here is what I am thinking of doing for my backround. 

I have a HUGE sheet of that pink house foam. I use it to create dioramas and such in my other hobby. 

ANYWAY, what are the chances I can use this for my backround just painted?? I am hesitant to get into the whole "grout" process, and I am wondering if just painting it with acrylic paints would hold up to moisture over time??


----------



## davefan13 (Jun 14, 2007)

Just regular fluffy insulation won't work...I'd assume it would easily be waterlogged and fall apart. A Great Stuff and silicone background isn't hard and looks really good.


----------



## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

ROFLMAO 

Thanks for your response, but I am not dumb enough to try it with the insulation you are referring to. 

No offense intended, but it made me laugh. 

This is what it is 
http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/Wood/4X ... 20Foam.jpg

Basically just sheets of foam. A lot of railroad guys use it for landscaping and such. I would carve it to look like rock.

The problem with the GS and Cocoa fiber is that I am making a rock-style tank, and this method would not work with what I am thinking about.


----------



## winsch1027 (Jul 1, 2008)

I am thinking of making a rock back ground instead of the greatstuff coco fiber method. I have a few sheets of 4 in. think pink insulation foam left over rfom my model railroad. I am still looking up methods of how to make the back ground with out the grout.


----------



## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

so are you basically saying it's hopeless??


----------



## winsch1027 (Jul 1, 2008)

Ive never heard of a method that never used grout/cement and stuff like that. there could be one out there but i dont know


----------



## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

hrmmm, I don't think there would be a problem painting it, as model railroad guys paint them(to my knowledge). I am just wondering how it is going to hold up


----------



## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

If you paint it, then seal it with epoxy, it would hold up fine. Might be a little shiny, though. Why do you want to aviod the concrete/grout method?


----------



## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

I dunno...patience?? lol

I am intimidated by it to be honest. Having to "leach" out the tank after, getting the right consistancy of the concrete, etc. I am going to be doing a lot of "3D" constructing, and I am nervous about coverage on it. 

I also wanted to avoid the epoxy route do to the shiny effect. 

Hrmmm, seems I am out of luck.


----------



## calvinyhob (Dec 18, 2007)

though about habi-crete??? (sp?) Anyone have experience with this stuff too i have been thinking of doing my next tank with it so any input would be great! :mrgreen:


----------



## reptileink (May 1, 2005)

it's actually haba-crete. Seems to be a great product, but really worth the price?? I doubt it. I am sure those here who use grout/cement will tell you it's just as good.


----------



## mharness1 (Jun 27, 2008)

I too looked into Haba Crete and couldn't find it, I knew Josh's Frogs used to carry it so I contacted him about getting it. He doesn't have it listed now for a reason. Before you buy ask Josh's Frogs about it. Just giving you a little tip.


----------



## calvinyhob (Dec 18, 2007)

i talked to josh and ya i guess his order he placed did not get fulfilled so he does not have it currently. And i have seen a couple post on here about buying it from the website that sells it like people placing orders and not getting their order. Stuff looked cool


----------



## mharness1 (Jun 27, 2008)

Yea thats I thought too, I was really wanting some. Just wanted to give you a heads up so you didn't get ripped.


----------



## -Jex- (Mar 29, 2008)

I have used this foam and painted it with textured spray paint. After i just covered it with a clear coat and i haven't had any problems with it so far. I have heard of people using acrylic paints on the mortar and concrete before so i think it would work. I know their only complaints were that eventually they did start to wear a little but i don't think it was a major problem.


----------



## SnakePaparazzi (Jul 20, 2008)

I just recently looked into using HabaCrete... I was not impressed by the information that I received. HerpInvert is the place to get it though. It costs $10 per pound and then there is shipping. It is not much lighter than grout or mortar. 1 pound dry is 8in x 8in 3/4 inch thick.

For the price (for those of us with skinny wallets) I am going to go with the grout or mortar method.


----------



## gold3nku5h (Jul 24, 2008)

There is one guy that used some similar packaging foam from his workplace, roughed the overall shape of the rock wall, and each rock, then after doing a base paint he sculpted it a little, and a little more after another thing of epoxy, I think it cost him a little to do it, but it turned out really amazing. I've been thinking of what the thread was called. Using epoxy with water tank? idk, i'll search and give you a link or something.


----------



## gold3nku5h (Jul 24, 2008)

I found it, it looks absolutely amazing, and in pretty good detail i might say. It would probably work out pretty well as you both seem to be using very similar products besides the fact that yours is ALOT finer bubbles/pores than what his is i believe. Also it might be a little different in the way it adhears to the pink stuff. But its worth a try and i dont think its all that expensive. member-s-frogs-vivariums/topic30203.html#p225994

and let me know how it turns out, or if it even helped because i hope i got it to you in time, even though its only been like a week. so good luck. hope that works.


----------



## IN2DEEP (Aug 7, 2007)

A good tool to carve the pink foam is a Japanese saw (you could use a drywall saw, looks similar). Turn the blade on an angle and drag at an angle and you will see how quickly It removes foam and adds alot of texture. Grout should have no problem sticking to that surface.


----------



## scott r (Mar 2, 2008)

This is a ruins background I am working on for the very back wall of an octagon. The entire thing is pink insulation board like you are talking about. The feathered serpent head is a glue up to make a block. I cut the block to shape with my bandsaw, used a dremel tool to carve, covered with a thin grout, and airbrushed with acrylic paints. The area under the snake head will be a water fall in the middle and a fern will be planted on the left and right sides. I have the front panel to go on after I finish plumbing the waterfall.


----------



## Fishman (Jan 16, 2007)

Very cool! I like the Mayan themed background. Can't wait to see it with plants.


----------



## IN2DEEP (Aug 7, 2007)

This is my attempt at carving foam into a tree stump.I used a Japanese saw to carve it and a little sanding to knock down most of the texture it created.







The brown is Gorrila glue (was a store selling it 60% off, so I got 12 4oz tubes). While wet, mixed and covered it with peat granules, cork bark, and dry moss run through a coffee grinder. I was trying to avoid the washing process with grout. It has been a long process and the result is unpredictable. I would not syggest it for someone who is trying to cover a detailed piece, but it has worked well for what I'm doing. The tank is 32" tall, so I have room for glue to expand.


----------



## pet-teez (Oct 3, 2007)

That looks pretty slick so far!
I was wondering what would be the best way to replicate the large/tall/skinny roots but you did a good job. hmm




IN2DEEP said:


> This is my attempt at carving foam into a tree stump.I used a Japanese saw to carve it and a little sanding to knock down most of the texture it created.... The brown is Gorrila glue (was a store selling it 60% off, so I got 12 4oz tubes). While wet, mixed and covered it with peat granules, cork bark, and dry moss run through a coffee grinder. I was trying to avoid the washing process with grout. It has been a long process and the result is unpredictable. I would not syggest it for someone who is trying to cover a detailed piece, but it has worked well for what I'm doing. The tank is 32" tall, so I have room for glue to expand.


----------



## morselchip (Jul 17, 2008)

IN2DEEP, how did those tanks turn out? I'd love to see some finished pics!


----------



## HerpInvert (Dec 17, 2008)

we use the white outside insulating rigid foam. it's basically a sheet of styrofoam and comes in varying thickness from 1/2" to 2".

as for our product, since i don't want to come across as a spammer, please just do a search for my other posts, they're the same so reading one will do. we are giving samples and working on rebuilding the relationships with our vendors, Josh isn't the only one that we deal with but the only one that got caught in the mess.

this was the first layer of habacrete over foam, at 1/8" thick:










these are the finish product after adding stones that i made, painting the hardscape and the substrate for an arid enclosure I made of oak:





































i'd post some of the raw foam, of tropical habitats that were done the same way but they're all marked up with our logo.


----------



## Derek Benson (Feb 19, 2004)

I use the pink insulation foam sheets. I use them as like a template for the background so the great stuff can be removable. frogmanroth gave me the idea as well as a couple of them to use. They work excellent, so far I have 20 verts, 55, 40s all done this way.

It's pretty much the shape of the background and then do your great stuff and decorating on it so it can be removable if ever necessary.


----------

