Question Painting HDU

[Tfloraditch]

What are everyone's preferred methods and materials for painting HDU? I am hoping to find something more user/environmentally friendly and faster.

 

[Billct2]

In that case you won't like my methods . There are many places that use all latex paints for HDU with good results. Go to your brand's website, they usually have lots of details.

 

[TammieH]

I prefer high quality Exterior Latex paints, the paint and colors last longer than most, unless you use expensive industrial epoxies

Latex is easier to work with and fast

 

[Modern Ink Signs]

I use a primer/sealer and then paint with your latex paint of choice.

 

[Tfloraditch]

Thanks everyone for your comments. It seems I could have saved a little time by going to the Signfoan website. There is a good data sheet on how to get a gloss finish with whatever paint you prefer.

Dimensional Sign

 

[signbrad]

Since we use Matthews paints almost exclusively, we use the product that Matthews developed for HDU. It's called 6001 Polyester Primer Surfacer and it smells just like Bondo autobody filler. It can be rolled, brushed or sprayed. It dries quickly, sands well, and accepts all Matthews top coats. If you mix it in small amounts in a can and let it start to set up, it can be used just like Bondo to fill dents and gouges. I can acheive a glass-like finish when I need to using this primer.
If you are handy at faux patterns, you can even make a piece of HDU look just like polished marble.
Is it environmentally friendly? No.

Any type of paint works on HDU. Solvents do not damage it and it weathers well even when the back side is left unfinished.

Coastal Enterprises (makers of Precision Board) used to make an amazing solvent-based primer that you could actually wet sand with mineral spirits, which allowed you to fill pin holes quickly and achieve an extremely smooth finish in a short time before top coating. I don't think they have made the solvent-based primer for several years, having replaced it with a water-based version.

Brad in Kansas City

 

[tbullo]

I like to use fsc-88 from coastal. I prefer Signfoam brand hdu and it works fine on it. Back in the day I would also use Jay Cookes. Both of these are waterbased products. Signfoam has signprime I think its called. Its ok, but a little on the thin side.

 

[equippaint]

Be careful using polyester primer as a filler, it will shrink and crack. Use regular filler first and the the polyester to help with pinholes and get a good base to block sand. We use slick sand for fiberglass plugs when we make molds.
For general primer with some filling ability, a 2k urethane primer is much easier to work with. Throw in a touch of reducer and it will lay out like paint.

 

[signbrad]

Be careful using polyester primer as a filler, it will shrink and crack. Use regular filler first....
For general primer with some filling ability, a 2k urethane primer is much easier to work with. Throw in a touch of reducer and it will lay out like paint.

Thanks for the heads up on using polyester primer as a filler. So far we have only used it this way for small imperfections.
"Regular filler first?" By this you mean a Bondo-like product?

What do you use, specifically, for urethane primer?

Sounds like your autobody experience is much greater than mine, which borders on none.

Brad

 

[equippaint]

Thanks for the heads up on using polyester primer as a filler. So far we have only used it this way for small imperfections.
"Regular filler first?" By this you mean a Bondo-like product?

What do you use, specifically, for urethane primer?

Sounds like your autobody experience is much greater than mine, which borders on none.

Brad

Dont get me wrong the polyester primer is awesome stuff but yeah regular body filler like bondo first on anything substantial. Ive sprayed it on plywood, sanded it and then base/clear black and it looked perfect. Just filled the routed edge with bondo first, slick sand, sand and paint. We use the cheap Smart brand light weight filler or evercoat light weight. For urethane primer we use Axalta - Nason which used to be DuPont. Stay away from the single part glazing/spot puttys too (red stuff in the metal tubes), always use a 2 part. For paint we use BLP Mobile both their mothane line and polyprothane line of acrylic polyurethane. Its good stuff at a reasonable price. Auto paint either Omni (PPG) or Axalta. All the same to me, its the local distributor that makes the difference.

 

[Sidney]

You have several options. You can use OneShot enamel (prime 1st) or you can use an exterior laytex paint (prime 1st). If you use exterior laytex paint make sure you apply a low sheen sealer( to help protect from the elements)..... I have extensive experience in this area of signage and have never had a product fail

 

[Signs of All Kinds LLC]

We have carved signs in HDU for about 25 years. We've found this to be the best for a waterbased easy to use primer for HDU sign foams:
www.hduprimeall.com