Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint that Cooperates with Paint Mask

[neato]

I'm looking for a paint that cures (not dries) relatively fast, bonds well, and doesn't have all the additives that cause the mask to not adhere well.

Any recommendations?

I'm on my third attempt at making a carved sign after 2 different finish fails.


My first attempt was Valspar - It bubbled off the surface, which wasn't really a paint failure more than my failure to prep the HDU well.

For the second attempt I changed everything just to be sure and went with Benjamin Moore Moorguard (satin) paint, which didn't accept the mask at all, it just didn't stick. So in a desperate attempt, I coated it with an exerior acrylic clear, which apparently the paint also didn't accept and it peeled up with the mask.

 

[KMC]

try using Mathews Paint Home they have paints and primers designed for sign makers

 

[Jean Shimp]

I feel your pain...I recently posted about a paint mask problem causing me to "eat" a sign due to mask leaving adhesive residue on a freshly painted surface. I am going to try using a different mask that was recommended - Gerber Ultra paint mask. I have also switched to DTM (direct to metal) latex paint as it seems to cure harder and fasted than regular acrylic latex paint. I use Richard's brand paint. Sherwin Williams also has a DTM line but it is much higher in cost. I've been using the DTM for over a year and so far it is doing well. For HDU I am using FC88 as a primer.

 

[neato]

I feel your pain...I recently posted about a paint mask problem causing me to "eat" a sign due to mask leaving adhesive residue on a freshly painted surface. I am going to try using a different mask that was recommended - Gerber Ultra paint mask. I have also switched to DTM (direct to metal) latex paint as it seems to cure harder and fasted than regular acrylic latex paint. I use Richard's brand paint. Sherwin Williams also has a DTM line but it is much higher in cost. I've been using the DTM for over a year and so far it is doing well. For HDU I am using FC88 as a primer.

Hi Jean. Thanks for the reply. The DTM paint works well for primed HDU too? That might be the ticket.

 

[TimToad]

We had a similar issue recently with Corafoam brand HDU and remain convinced that there was some kind of contamination in the top layer of the foam itself, dampness in the foam ( it came from Houston just after the big floods ) or a curing issue during its manufacture. Our usual priming regimen was followed just like it has been for years and its like the primer wouldn't adhere anywhere that we didn't route or sand thoroughly.

We use STIX brand urethane primer and the first coat is thinned quite a bit so it soaks in well.

Did you surface or sand the flat plane at all?

 

[neato]

Hi Tim

That may have been the issue with my first attempt. On the second one I did sand well and used the STIX primer based on your suggestion in another thread. That stuff is great! I didn't have ANY paint lift issues on the second attempt. But the vinyl didn't want to stick to the Moorguard paint I used, so stupidly I coated it with a satin acrylic clear which, just like the vinyl, didn't want to stick.

I think I have the paint adhesion issue solved, now I just need to find a good paint that vinyl will stick too.

 

[studio 440]

I'm looking for a paint that cures (not dries) relatively fast, bonds well, and doesn't have all the additives that cause the mask to not adhere well.

Any recommendations?

I'm on my third attempt at making a carved sign after 2 different finish fails.


My first attempt was Valspar - It bubbled off the surface, which wasn't really a paint failure more than my failure to prep the HDU well.

For the second attempt I changed everything just to be sure and went with Benjamin Moore Moorguard (satin) paint, which didn't accept the mask at all, it just didn't stick. So in a desperate attempt, I coated it with an exerior acrylic clear, which apparently the paint also didn't accept and it peeled up with the mask.

looks like bad prep and no primer or maybe too aggressive paint mask

 

[TimToad]

Hi Tim

That may have been the issue with my first attempt. On the second one I did sand well and used the STIX primer based on your suggestion in another thread. That stuff is great! I didn't have ANY paint lift issues on the second attempt. But the vinyl didn't want to stick to the Moorguard paint I used, so stupidly I coated it with a satin acrylic clear which, just like the vinyl, didn't want to stick.

I think I have the paint adhesion issue solved, now I just need to find a good paint that vinyl will stick too.

Modern latex/acrylic paints even with exterior grades contain so many additives for scrubbability, that its like putting oil on top of water. What about laying some paint mask down and just infilling the whatever it is you're cutting out of the vinyl?

Can we see the whole layout again to know what part is cut vinyl?

 

[neato]

This is actually a carved sign. I carve and paint through the mask.