How to Paint Styrofoam to Look Like Wood in 9 Steps

Styrofoam is used in a variety of applications because it is affordable, lightweight, and easy to work with. The main drawback is that it doesn’t blend well with its bright white color and is generally considered unattractive. Fortunately, you can paint and decorate your Styrofoam to make it look like more beautiful materials, including wood.

How to Paint Styrofoam to Look Like Wood in 9 Steps:

1. Determine Desired Wood Look
2. Obtain Styrofoam and Paint Materials
3. Prime and Seal Styrofoam
4. Sand and Carve Styrofoam
5. Paint First Layer on Styrofoam
6. Let Paint Dry
7. Add Additional Layers
8. Dry Brush Details
9. Add Additional Wood Grain Details

By following these steps, you can effectively make Styrofoam look like wood, allowing you to customize the material to fit into any wood environment or make it appear much more durable and high-quality than it is. Get inspired on how to make your Styrofoam look like wood most credibly.

How to Paint Styrofoam to Look Like Wood

To make your Styrofoam realistically look like wood, it requires more attention and time in both detailing and painting. It’s important to purchase the best woods and stains that match your desired wood color, as well as to use quality products so that they are durable and long-lasting.

1. Identify Desired Wood Look

Before purchasing tools or materials, you should have a clear idea of the wood you want to model your Styrofoam after. There are various types of woods to choose from, so think about where you will be placing the Styrofoam and which colors and grains will best match the surroundings.

While it requires more work, you may want to choose a wood that has more knots and heavier grain patterns. This could give you a more pronounced wood look if that’s the style you’re aiming for. If you’re trying to model your design after a specific style, woodier grains will give a more rustic appearance.

Here are some of the key wood types you can experiment with and model your foam after:

• Pine: On the lighter color side, pine has a very weak grain both in texture and color. If you are looking for something that blends well with existing woods, you can paint your Styrofoam in these brownish tones.
• Cedar: This wood has a slight reddish tint, straight grain, and may have a few knots here and there. Cedar is popular because it looks great both indoors and outdoors.
• Redwood: As the name suggests, this wood has a reddish tone and is typically used outdoors.
• Oak: White oak is typically used for furniture indoors due to its attractive appearance. These grains are more pronounced but not too dark in color to be overwhelming. Oaks have a lighter color with tanning tones.
• Maple: Maple is a light-colored wood with interesting swirling and wavy grains. It might be fun to replicate this in the foam.
• Walnut: Walnut can come in several shades, but is usually known for being darker brown and giving a more rustic feeling. It has a straight grain that you can incorporate into the foam.
• Mahogany: With thicker branches and rings showing the age of the tree, you’ll find this expensive wood in dark brown and red tones. This can provide a more high-end look.
• Cherry: Smooth grains and rich red tones make cherry a unique and desirable wood.

For your Styrofoam, it is usually best to use darker brown woods as this will help hide imperfections and patterns associated with plain Styrofoam. You can notice grain details, but lighter color and stain choices may be more difficult to blend and appear more realistic.

2. Obtain Styrofoam and Paint Materials

Purchasing the right materials is an important part of a successful project. Styrofoam is the brand name for expanded polystyrene (EPS), which comes in a few variations. You can compare different types of polystyrene foam to find the one that is best suited for your project. If you don’t already have the Styrofoam on hand, we recommend buying a little extra to practice your design.

Once you have the Styrofoam ready, you will need to choose your colors and tools. We recommend using the following items to make your Styrofoam look as much like wood as possible:

• Primer or Sealant: This will ensure that the paint adheres evenly to the Styrofoam surface and doesn’t damage the foam.
• EPS Foam Coating (optional): If you want to make your Styrofoam more durable, you can add a coating that helps prevent the material from getting easily damaged or dented.
• Paint: Acrylic paint is recommended for use on Styrofoam as it often adheres most effectively to Styrofoam. If you opt for thicker paints such as for wood, make sure the surface is sealed and primed to protect the foam. Get this in multiple colors: dark for grain, a lighter brown, and your ideal color.
• Brushes: Small and large brushes will depend on your project. You’ll need a larger brush to apply the base coat of color and small brushes to take into account the details of the grain.
• Sandpaper: Used to smooth out uneven Styrofoam surfaces for a more consistent finish.
• Wood carving tools (wire brush, soldering iron, or wood graining tool): These are tools that can help you create the grain and wood details. See
• Wood Stains (optional): Adding a wood stain to your paint can help you achieve your desired wood color. As these stains are specifically designed for certain woods, they accentuate the colors you’re looking for.

The optional items are used to further seal your Styrofoam and add more details to your ‘wood.’ We’ll go into detail on how to effectively use these materials during the painting process.

3. Prime and Seal Styrofoam

This and the fourth step can be interchanged and used together if you’re making alterations to the Styrofoam. If you don’t plan on carving your Styrofoam to create deeper wood grooves or a physical grain, you don’t need to sand or carve the Styrofoam. In any case, you will need to prime and seal the Styrofoam to achieve the best results.

There are several products you can use to seal your Styrofoam, and this should be done so you don’t risk damaging or compromising the construction of the material:

• Craft Sealants: These are available at craft stores and can be used to protect your Styrofoam. Mod Podge is a typical solution used on many craft surfaces. This is a great option if you already have it or can find one that is more specific to the Styrofoam application.
• Polystyrene Primer: Useful for any polystyrenes, this primer is the most common one to protect this material. Just make sure it’s not in a spray can when you use it.
• EPS Foam Coating: For more durability, you may want to look into foam coating. This is an epoxy that fills in any cracks in the Styrofoam and creates a seal to fully harden the piece of Styrofoam. You should do this before carving or sanding.

Regardless of the type of primer or sealant you use, do not use any that are in spray can form. The aerosols in the can will actually melt the Styrofoam and that will ruin your project! We recommend applying it in order to achieve the best results and properly protect your working material.

You should apply a full coat of primer or sealant to your Styrofoam. Make sure to let this dry before moving on to additional coats or making any changes to the board to achieve optimal effectiveness.

4. Sand and Carve Styrofoam

If you are using the coating foam, you should do this before carving or sanding so that the piece of Styrofoam can be properly sealed and covered. Consider doing this before and after any physical changes you make to the surface to ensure all areas are sealed before applying paint (avoid contact with plain Styrofoam).

In this step, your carving and sanding tools come into play. Often, you’ll notice imperfections in the Styrofoam that can make the surface uneven. Consider using sandpaper (lower grit) and gently apply it to the surface until you achieve a consistent texture. The goal should be to smooth it out without removing too much or being abrasive since it can be delicate.

If you plan on using carving tools, intend to add a little texture to achieve your wood finish. For all steps, we recommend practicing on a piece of Styrofoam that you won’t be using for the final product, so you don’t make any changes that you can’t fix. This gives you an opportunity to improve your style and the carvings you may want to make.

Use the following tools with these instructions to properly execute the Styrofoam:

• Wire Brush: This may be the easiest solution and will create a straight grain (most woods do). You should apply even strokes onto the foam to achieve a realistic appearance. Use the brush in one direction and apply pressure (enough to make a noticeable stripe but not too deep). Then you can reseal and let these areas dry.
• Soldering Iron: Using heat, this tool can cut a variety of materials. It gets very hot, so you should be cautious when using this method. This can be used for more dramatic indentations. Here’s a quick guide on using the tool.
• Wood Graining: These come in a variety of patterns that mimic the grain of real wood! You can create indentations on the Styrofoam by running it over the material or apply paint to it and make the grain more pronounced with additional paint (we recommend this). Use darker paint than your desired end result to create these grains.

The changes you make should be simple to avoid overwhelming the Styrofoam. You can achieve the wood look mainly through painting, but adding the physical indentations can make it even more realistic.

5. Paint First Layer on Styrofoam

Once your sealing or priming has dried, you’ll want to get your paint ready. Apply a layer evenly in a lighter wood color than the plan you want for the board’s foundation. This will help reduce the contrast between the white and dark colors and also create a more balanced and natural shade.

Here are some tips:

• If you want to lighten your wood effect, consider using a darker color underneath and paint the entire board. This will give the grain more energy and life. From this point, you can apply additional coats with the lighter color you desire for the final result.
• If you made indentations in the Styrofoam, consider painting one in a slightly darker shade and let it dry so that it shines through your wood color. You should apply these carefully with a small brush to ensure the strokes stay clean where they should be.
• This is also the time when you may want to paint knots if you want to have them on the wood. You can paint these by hand if you feel confident or use wood graining tools that specifically include knots. If you’re doing it yourself, practice with a pencil beforehand or use a stencil to ensure you get exactly the look you want for the finished product.
• Your color layers should be applied as evenly as possible. It’s okay if it’s not perfect because wood is often inconsistent in its coloration. The goal is to avoid obvious changes in one coat that give the appearance of it being painted or that brush strokes show.

6. Let Paint Dry

After each round of paint, make sure it fully dries. This not only leads to a better appearance but also allows the paint to seal and adhere better to the Styrofoam. It also gives you a better idea of the final color you will have and any areas that may need touch-ups.

Wet paint is a poor indicator of the finished color you will be left with. Checking after each dry leads to the best and most desirable results.

Here are some tips for applying paint to enable faster drying:

• Thin coats: Working with thinner coats allows you to control the paint easily and it dries much faster. You can apply more coats in less time and the quality is typically better.
• Ventilation: Have a fan on or nearby if you want it to dry faster. Even airflow speeds up this process!
• Divide into sections: Focus on one section at a time and then move on to the next. This allows that section to dry while you work on the next. This is helpful if you’re working with multiple pieces of Styrofoam.
• Avoid moisture: Try to paint in non-humid areas, as moisture in the air will slow down the process. To counteract this, keep the air ventilated with open doors or make sure there is airflow and movement around the work.

Providing the best environment for drying not only ensures you are painting with the greatest efficiency, but also ensures the best quality with solid coats.

7. Add Additional Layers

The best-looking results are often completed with multiple shades of color. After you’ve painted your grains now dark and covered with a lighter natural color, you can add more coats to make the Styrofoam look more realistic. You should take your desired paint color and lightly apply it, especially if it’s darker.

Let each additional layer fully dry before adding another. Keep all brush strokes in the same direction as the grain so