What can I do to prevent styrofoam melting when I spray it with automotive acrylic paint?

I have to spray paint a certain styrofoam sculpture for a friend but the thing is I'm gonna be using automotive acrylic and we all know that would melt styrofoam. Now I heard there's something you could apply to the styrofoam first which would prevent it from melting when spraypainted on.

Btw, I'm sticking to automotive acrylic and telling me to use another kind of paint is out of the question.

FYRE offers an initial Valid clue. I'll just add my two cents.

Without knowing at all WHY you HAVE to use a paint that attacks Styro; I have a suggestion.

Among other things; I've been involved with theater as long as anything else, and have used WHITE/ Large cell foam, often; in dozens of various theatrical sculpted set pieces.

In doing so I connect with companies that sell in the specific situation you are asking about. These would be companies that sell to the theatrical Craft trades and venues.

FOAMCOAT,,,or FOMECOAT ??? are two products designed to seal Styro,,often over Cheese Cloth, both applied, usually brush coated, and the substance "hardens" but then allows nearly any base formulation to be painted over. I pay about $26 a gallon. It looks like ELMERS glue, but is likely a thinner consistency.

Obviously in any such project SAMPLE TESTING should be considered; and your notion to STICK with automotive, I want to assume is a very defined color/ glitter/ etc.

Steven Wolf

anything solvent based will eat (deteriorate) the foam. You need to coat first with a latex product. In some cases if you need to surface the foam for your automotive acrylic, try coating with Durabond. This is a drywall compound, but is the setting type like concrete. You can thin mix with water, apply with a brush, and sand to as smooth a finish as you would like

I haven't tried this on styrofoam, but you might use something called Gesso. It's an acylic primer that you can buy at any hobby store that sells other painting supplies. It's rather thick, so spraying it on will be a pain. You could probably use a roller, and do a few coats, allowing it to dry in between. By the way, it dries very fast, and after a few layers can be lightly sanded, buffed and then should provide a strong enough barrier between the styrofoam and the auto paint.

Nothing, do not spray it on the styrofoam, it will eat it up each time. Protect the styrofoam or use alternative material
Good Luck