How to Finish Foam Model Wings

A toy plane constructed from cut styrofoam is as lightweight as balsa wood, but more durable against being damaged. To finish the wings of the plane prior to launch, paint them using crafts supplies designed for foam material. The supplies can be purchased from a hobby shop or hardware store. No special tools are needed.

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Work gloves
220-grit sandpaper
Compressed air
Wooden stir sticks
Lightweight spackle
Fiberglass cloth
Scissors
Measuring cup
Baby powder
Latex paint primer
Misting spray bottle
Acrylic spray paint can

Instructions

- 1
  
  Put on work gloves. Sand the foam wing’s surface area with the 220-grit sandpaper. Sand the edges of the wing with the sandpaper. Blow off the loose foam dust with bursts of compressed air.
- 2
  
  Cut the fiberglass cloth with a scissors to make patches that are the same size of any holes on the wing. Place the patches aside for now.
- 3
  
  Apply spackle to the end of a wooden stir stick. Run the end of the stick across any holes in the foam wing. Repeat this until the hole is filled with spackle. Run the edge of the stick against the sides of the hole to remove excess spackle. Sand the spackled area with the sandpaper until it is even with the rest of the wing’s surface area. Blow off the loose spackle with bursts of compressed air.
- 4
  
  Place the fiberglass cloth patches on the wing where the holes were. Apply the water-based polycrylic to a model brush. Paint each patch with the brush until it is saturated. Let the patches dry for an hour before sanding them until they are even with the rest of the wing’s surface area.
- 5
  
  Pour an ounce of the polycrylic into a measuring cup. Add an ounce of baby powder. Stir the mixture with a wooden stir stick until it is smooth. Paint the surface of the wing where the patches are with the mixture, using a model paint brush. Let the patches dry for three hours before sanding them until they are even with the rest of the wing’s surface area. Repeat the procedure.
- 6
  
  Apply paint primer to a foam brush. Brush the wing with the paint primer. Let the paint primer dry for three hours. Moisten the wing with the misting spray bottle. Sand the moistened wing with the 600-grit sandpaper. Continue to alternate between misting and sanding until the surface of the wing looks smooth.
- 7
  
  Blow off the excess dust with bursts of compressed air. Shake the can of acrylic-based paint. Spray the wing with the paint. Let the paint dry for six hours before applying another coat of paint. Repeat the entire procedure from the very beginning to finish the other wing.