Plaster Of Paris

[zakkhogan]

as i said in a early post , im currently in the process of build the new home for lynyrd.


Ive been looking at the cost of the "Rock Effect" background (not really loooking at spending loads on unnessary things... )


So... Does any body know if there are any toxic chemcials or of any reason why i shouldnt create my own scenery from plaster of parrs?

[Leigh]

Dont think there's any issues mate, just seal it with varnish or something to keep the wet out.

[zakkhogan]

cheers, any tips on paints/varnish?

[Leigh]

You could use a water based wood stain, or maybe the hobby paint Plasticote,and any old varnish should do, as long as what ever you use is left to dry and cure properly,so there's no real smell to it.

[Lisa]

Most people here in Austraya use styrofoam for fake backgrounds because it's an easy medium to work with. It's light, easy to carve, melt, style and to secure in place. Plaster of Paris might be a bit heavy and difficult to work with?? (But then, you might be a sculptor for all I know!).

I've read that they mix sand or dirt or leaves into the paint for a realistic effect and then use several layers or clear paint or sealant or varnish to seal it. Like Leigh says, as long as whatever is dried and aired sufficiently it should be ok. These days paints don't contain half the toxins and chemicals they used to.

[KyleWeiss]

If it's a permanent fixture in a home you own, plaster of paris might be fine...

...considered using chicken wire to make a skeleton mold and bandages dipped in plaster of paris to keep the operation a bit less cumbersome?

Cheers to your efforts, though.

Leigh mentioned a great idea: Water-based stains (which still have some chemicals which will dissipate over time...)... also, consider enamel paints.

KW

[Herptiles.net]

I do my rock backgrounds using tile grout over moulded Styrofoam, with acrylic sealant mixed in, then I paint a slightly watered-down coat (or two, depending if it's a humid habitat) over the cured grout.

I have a couple of setups here with it, I can post some pics... (but too sleepy now).