Mixing your own "safety" paint - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

jproffer · 07-10-2005, 10:37 PM

OK painter friends...a question:

I need to mix paint and "sand" together for safety purposes. I know I can buy this stuff pre-mixed, but I have about a ton of sand sitting in the back without a home

, and I also have means to screen out anything to big to mix into paint...SO:

Anyone have any idea how much per gallon, and what size "sand" is usually used for this?

**ProWallGuy** · 07-10-2005, 10:42 PM

I honestly don't know if the type you buy to add to paint is any different from play sand or whatever. I'd do it.
How much? I usually start adding it to a paint setup (five gallon bucket), mix it good, and test drive it with a brush. When it looks thick enough, I paint away.
Remember, you can always add more, but you can't take it back out!

**slickshift** · 07-10-2005, 10:52 PM

I did make my own for a boat project a while back
I really can't remember the ratio
It was play sand type, it might have been labeled "landscape sand" (?) but it was...pre-screened(?)...all the same size, or close anyway
I made several mixes, like PWG says (though I did gallons), and tried them before I got the ratio right

**Teetorbilt** · 07-11-2005, 10:19 AM

I have found that if you premix it tends to get streaks. I do it this way.
Make a sand shaker from a coffee can with nail holes punched in the bottom. Roll out some paint and shake the sand onto the wet paint. Let dry and come back with a lockdown coat. The end results are far superior to premix.

If you want to play around with textures, you can use glass beads, bubbles, Q-cells, different grades of sand or, for real serious jobs, ground walnut shells.

Dale · 07-12-2005, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jproffer

OK painter friends...a question:

I need to mix paint and "sand" together for safety purposes. I know I can buy this stuff pre-mixed, but I have about a ton of sand sitting in the back without a home

, and I also have means to screen out anything to big to mix into paint...SO:

Anyone have any idea how much per gallon, and what size "sand" is usually used for this?

If you're using your own sand I'd wash it first to get the dust off....or not.
I like Teedorbilt's idea for even application.

jproffer · 07-12-2005, 06:00 PM

Thanks Dave, I thought the same thing, I already washed it....actually I washed it, sieved (screened) it, took out the sizes that I wanted, washed it again and sieved it again to get any little amount of dust that was left out. One of the advantages to working in a rock quarry QC dept.

Good idea Teetor about sprinkling after the first coat.

**ProWallGuy** · 07-12-2005, 06:47 PM

Quote:

I already washed it....actually I washed it, sieved (screened) it, took out the sizes that I wanted, washed it again and sieved it again to get any little amount of dust that was left out.

Hell, after all that, I would have went and bought some painters sand and called it a day!