DIY Waterproof Paper Mache for outdoor weather resistant crafts 

I read it all and eventually I found: Flex Bond Morton mixed to a "pancake" consistency - "Standard ratio mix is 3 parts mortar 1 part water. then add little more water till its brush-able" ... Will make a rough surface that can't be sanded down.

@@brendaseller5461 why would you want a rough surface that can't be sanded down?

@@mert828 it can be sanded everything can be sanded

@@nowirehangers2815 ikr?

@@nowirehangers2815no, not everything. Foam clay can’t really be sanded, it just tears up and makes a horrible texture.

Interesting never heard of it

+kay Kyser Thank you so much for the kind words. I was really just trying to make some fish shaped bird houses. Have had quite a bit of positive response on this one and love the feedback.

I think people love it, because it enables anyone so easily to be creative and produce something functional

+kay Kyser Please feel free to post any of your work on my facebook group facebook.com/groups/1668357033451028/

Right ,Then you could remove and reuse ....Use the .Saran Wrap .

What’s you recipe?

+Sue Pearson very easy to work with. Wear gloves!!

+DIYeasycrafts Yes, thank you!

+Ada Zamora my pleasure. fun project

Glad you liked it!

@leannestrauss8239 You can try mixing exterior latex or acrylic paint with Portland cement, white pva glue, and a bit of water.

I really just do not know. Its basically a cement product so im thinking it would last.

I'm guessing Brooklyn or Jersey. Lol

I do not think it would work well for jewelry. Very coarse like cement.

Mike C did you ever receive an answer?

I would say you want the consistency to be like pancake batter or a touch thicker depending on your preference (start with a half cup or so of mortar and gradually add water while mixing). I have also had a successful sculpture with mixing the mortar or Portland cement (I think the flexbond will be the best long term goal being outside since ive had solid concrete store bought sculptures crumble after being in the elements all year for years straight) with paper pulp for a clay (papercrete) and used garden wire mesh for a form with plastic bags for structure stuffing pulling it out after it's set up. Play around with the stuff until you find what works for you. Wear some gloves and drop some plastic it gets a little messy :) good luck and have fun! Extra note: the longer it dries the harder it sets, wait a few days for it to set before pulling your plastic bag fillings and at least a week before you paint for best results. ;)

tammy g. I responded with my take, hope it helps you.

Mike C: No, this is NOT a 'great method'. It is a very irresponsible way to go about working with papier mache.

the standard ratio mix is 3 parts mortar 1 part water. then add little more water till its brush-able . hope that helps

Not sure but do not see why it would not work.

Thank you

I did not find any blocks that were reasonable, but you can buy a wall sized sheet that is 2 inches thick at one of the big box stores for about $35. It is very easy to cut down to the size you need with a jigsaw or long knife.

Angela Carpin thank you kindly

The paint can said interior/exterior.

No I jut wanted to hollow it out for birdhouse

Maybe ultimate paper mache?

Sheets

AGREED, what is the MIX?

so much for a quick response! :)

Not sure. What type of colums?

not really

Its be outside for over two yrs and no cracking. Do not use cement use flexbond mortor as directed in the video

it has a paper fiber infrastructure - that helps it felx just a little, enough to deture cracking id think

+Laura Brown Im not sure of its name but its standard insulation rigid foam. Got it at Home Depot. Comes in a couple different thickness

And you paint it on your paper? I've used spray foam before, but not like that

+Laura Brown its not spray foam. its a solid sheet of foam insulation. Just carve it to shape and then paint on the flexibond mortor mache

I got it at Home Depot

+Corine Burgorgue For the birdhouse foam was actually the easiest way not only to carve the shape but remove the interior structure. Once dissolved with acetone it pours out of a very small hole as a liquid. If you do not have to remove the interior to create a void as with our birdhouse project the foam can be left and provides a very strong water resistant base.

what could you use that would be cheaper than insulation foam boarding?

foam is free 99% of the time

If you have some type of clay you may be able to carve it and then put the Flexbond over it

Sorry for waterproof paper mache

Yes

You have to watch the video LOL. I do not add anything its entirely new process

@@DIYeasycrafts my understanding is mortar by itself is not waterproof...I have heard that adding white glue works...looking for verification on this notion.

Yes absolutely.

@@DIYeasycrafts I just made a giant Easter Island head out of paper mache. I made the form out of chicken wire but it was so big, it collapsed while covering it. I filled it with packing paper. I'll try your idea for water proofing it. What would be the worst problem I might encounter with my packing paper filling for an outside art piece? I've done lots of costume work, but this is my first outside endeavor. Any advice is appreciated.

Try doubling the wire for strength

Hi! I too have the same questions for my Halloween yard decor. Did you happen to find a solution?

I did! But its a lengthy process. Will take a bit to type it up.

@@TiffinFL We tried the flex bond and it works well but was too heavy for our purposes (which wasn't really very heavy at all but we needed floating ghosts and the mortar mix weighed the frame down too much, so they just hung there instead of swaying with the wind). If you want to make something permanent to be outside year round, this flex bond method is the way. But for temporary stuff like Halloween deco, its really only needed if you think something might fall on the deco and harm it, like a big tree limb or something. We've talked about doing a demonstration tutorial on this, but now our Halloween display is permanently canceled due to local teens becoming destructive. Its one thing to throw stuff at store bought deco, its another to trespass, vandalize, steal, and damage personal property of hand made pieces. One says "fuck Capitalism" and the latter says "I'm a spoiled brat who has no appreciation or respect for anything, especially myself and my community". So, this is probably the only tutorial we will have to offer: (Note: our theme was Ghostbusters, so most of our deco needed to act as their own little light box so they glowed on their own. This method gives both opaque or translucency in the finish, just depends on what you are wanting to achieve. This will not fully seal certain projects and dampness will occur where any gaps are left for cords or rigging, but it will not ruin or cause a failure to the prop and the dampness will fully dry out in just an hour in the sun. Also, some of our figures needed to be fully 3D and sealed while others could remain open in the bottom or back for access. The piece and its needs will determine which methods and steps below will work best for you) 1. Chicken wire for the frame and general outer shape. Be sure to figure out all rigging needs at this stage so you don't have to cut it back open and repeat the seal process later. If you want the figure to glow from within, see Note 1 below. We use LED rope light so it doesn't get too hot and the lights are sealed inside the rope tubing for extra waterproofing protection. Note 1: if you want the figure to glow from within but not cast the shadow of the chicken wire frame, make a full 3D tape ball figure from masking tape and plastic shopping bags (only plastic bags, not paper). Once the outer skin is laid on the figure and dried (still leaving access to the inside somewhere), you can remove the plastic bag form and fill the space with rope light then finish sealing the form. External lighting will not effect or show the chicken wire, only internal lighting which back lights the wire will. Note 2: Insulation foam does not need anything to seal it except outdoor latex paint + a UV clear coat unless its at risk of being harmed by falling objects, then use the flex bond method for extra sturdiness. A mixture known as "goop" in theatre (part outdoor latex paint, part painters caulk, and part joint compound -- mix ratio of each depends on sturdiness and aesthetic needs) can also work if flex bond isn't available to you. 2. Cut several sized strips of cheesecloth in advance, enough to apply at least 3 layers to the frame. 3. Have a whole bloody box of disposable gloves on hand, as well as a dust mask or respirator. You're gonna go through them quickly. 4. Choose a 1'x1' section of your frame/form, cover it in spray adhesive (we prefer gorilla glue spray for its waterproofing, but any kind will work. You'll go through several cans so start on something small to gage material needs and cost. No need to spend the extra on gorilla if not needed). 5. Lay/stretch a precut strip of cheesecloth over sprayed area of the chicken wire frame and smooth with gloved hands and a small dry chip brush. Work quickly in small sections as the spray dries fast and you can end up gluing yourself to the frame or, well, to yourself. The gloves will get coated and unusable rather quick. I replace them the first time I pick up a can to spray the frame and the glove sticks to the can rather than my hand. They are so sticky at that point that they are useless anyway and will cause you to backtrack on your progress. Dont bother with expensive pvc or workers gloves, just the same results and money wasted. 6. Repeat step 5 all over the frame until at least 3 layers of cheesecloth are applied and fully dried. Tap your finger against areas of gapping in the chicken wire, if the cheesecloth holds firm, you can move on. If not, add another layer of cheesecloth to the whole frame until you get solid tap results. Do not just spot treat the weak spots as the cheesecloth is acting as structural integrity. Let completely dry for at least 12 hours. 7. Make a basic mache glue mix using wood glue and water (yes it will give a yellow tint to the mix but the wood glue is more durable after being cut with water than basic white glue, and you can fix the tinting with paint or lighting). I suggest getting a gallon of elmers wood glue as you will be repeating this step just as many times as the cheesecloth step. 8. Cut and prep materials for mache process just like the cheesecloth. For EXTERIOR lighting and OPAQUE finish: newsprint is ideal. For INTERIOR lighting and a TRANSLUCENT finish: use extra large white coffee filters (we tend to buy them in bulk from costco for these projects, like 1,000 in a box for $5 - they go translucent when wet but retain strength & durability like newsprint). 9. Coat your prepped strips in the glue mix, throughly soaking the strips, then apply to the frame using a chip brush to smooth the strips or apply more mix or straight glue where needed. Coat the entire frame TWICE, allowing the piece to fully dry in-between layers (having a few box fans running while working will speed this process up). 10. Repeat the tap test process from step 6 to find and treat weak spots. For opaque finishes, simply apply more strips where needed for aesthetic or structural integrity. For translucent, pop a flashlight or bundle of string lights inside the figure to seek out leak or weak spots first. Mark weak spots to be reinforced with more filter strips and only patch these weak spots first and allow to fully dry, then cover entire figure with more filter strips to match the light leak from the patched areas (this is really only necessary if you need an even finished look. If your finished look needs a patchy, dark blotchy appearance - like craters on the moon - then you're good to go as is by simply patching necessary areas). NOTE: This is your last chance to get easy access to the inside without having to recover the entire piece in mache again should you have to break inside for work. If making a translucent piece, this is the point you will pull out the plastic bag form underneath the outer cheesecloth and paper shells and fill with rope light. 11. Cover entire form in one last layer of mache material, sealing any holes or gaps for cords or rigging to prevent water leaks. Allow to fully dry. 12. Coat any openings or gaps left in the frame around wiring with FlexSeal clear coat spray. Allow to fully dry. 13. Using ONLY LATEX paint with primer included (indoor or outdoor) paint your finish. Remember, if going translucent, paint with the interior lights turned on so you get a balanced paint finish that isn't too dark; I tend to use enamel spray paint as a base for these so I can get a solid base color coating in a thin layer, then add latex on top, but that does take some practice. If opaque is desired, just layer your paint as needed. 14. After your finished look is achieved and the figure is fully dry inside & out, cover any more gaps or weak spots with another layer of FlexSeal clear coat. Let dry. 15. Finally, and the MOST IMPORTANT step: cover entire figure in at least 2 coats of Ace Hardware's Seal Tech waterproof coating (follow directions on the can for ideal results: humidity can screw it up). Only Ace makes and sells this product and it is a dream come true. It will even waterproof any soft goods you want to put out: it didn't just seal the mache skull of our ghostbuster but also the wig, legit jump suit, and his shoes. It is as thin as water so it can be brushed on or put into a pressure sprayer without issue. Repeat this last step every year before putting display pieces back out. The Seal Tech is like Shellac, gives a good natural seal but wears over a 6 month period of constant exposure. Just to be safe, always recoat every season. NOTE: For certain fully 3D projects, an extra outer coating of FlexSeal clear on top of the Seal Tech is perfectly fine if it makes you feel better. Just note that the Flex Seal leaves a lightly textured matte finish. If the finish needs to be smooth, stick to the Seal Tech or try multiple layers of Shellac. The Shellac will hold up for the month but may need a quick touch up after a few weeks if its been really wet out.

@@KtO680 Wow! I'm so sorry to hear about the vandalism to your haunt. It's such a shame and I hope you have the opportunity to share your creativity and passion with your community again soon. Thank you so so much for this incredibly detailed response. There are some ideas I haven't even heard of before and I'm eager to try! I searched for the shellac you mentioned on Ace's website but wasn't able to find anything called "Seal Tech". Do you have a link for it? I've also read great things about a product from Hot Wire Foam Factory called Styroplast (link below). I'm looking forward to trying a couple different methods to see what works best for sealing a ton of props. hotwirefoamfactory.com/024_Styro_Plast.html Thank you again for taking the time to share each step!!!

@@TiffinFL can't seem to find the Seal Tech online. But my husband owns the local Ace and said it could be a warehouse supply issue and they've been holding back on listing certain limited supplies since 2020. Hes going to check the formal system today while at work and see if that is the case and he can still get the Ace number you can use for a special order or hell learn if they have discontinued it. It was primarily marketed as a concrete sealer but could do any porous surface. He said if it comes back discontinued he'll see what Ace chose as the new identical replacement. If nothing else, he said if they still have a can on the shelf right now, it can be arranged to be shipped to you from his store rather than a warehouse.

white crap packing foam you get in most boxes works just as well for this

The recipe seems to be go buy a $50 bag of specialty mortar. It says it’s “polymer fortified” so probably some Elmer’s glue to a $10 bag of thinset mortar would have similar results.

Bad video.

Home Depot

yes

I just mixed with ware till I got consistency I wanted.

Birds have been living in it for years. It was washed out and had no smell prior to mounting

Plaster of Paris def not. My only experience is with the solution used in this video. I would stick with what is known to work

@@DIYeasycrafts Thank you so much

@@DIYeasycrafts Make more videos l love them

Sorry not a computer tech. Just used a standard web page template from godaddy.