Thread: Best carpet latex?

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Hi again gang -
Again, I apologize in advance if this has been discussed before, but I'm pretty new to the elaborate haunting game (we are fairly new homeowners) without the experience that you all have!
I've seen many do-it-yourself projects that involve carpet latex, or latex adhesive, especially when "corpsing" something. Last year I built my first chicken-wire zombies and had a difficult time finding the appropriate latex - I was met by blank stares in more than one home improvement store! The latex I eventually purchased was a sticky, impossible-to-use mess that never dried correctly, which I eventually gave up on.
My questions: is there a specific latex that I can actually ask for by name or lot number? Something that dries well and is paintable and manageable? Is a diluted mixture of Elmer's Glue a good alternative? (I've seen that in some projects as well)
Thanks in advance for your advice - you guys consistently amaze me with your imaginations and resourcefulness!

Welcome Wolfman Joe! I'm sure someone else will give you better information, but here's my experiences.

I had two I used last year for corpsing that seemed to work well. One was a can of latex linoleum adhesive left over from when our house was built several years ago. It was relabeled with a local store name that went out of business long ago. The other was rubber cement made by Dap and came in a red can. I can't remember the exact name, but I got it at Lowe's in the countertop section. It was pretty goopy and may not be exactly what you want.

Home Depot sells a latex carpet pad adhesive. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053 I don't know how it is but it might be worth a try. It looks a lot like what other people use. Good luck!

I use WELDWOOD contact cement it is tacky for a while but leave your prop in the sun and it dries good and take paint well.

I found carpet adhesive just as impossible to use and it takes a long time to dry. I like to use Mold Builder latex. They sell it at most craft stores and it is pretty easy to work. I think the 32oz bottle was around $15, so the price is right too.

Wouldn't Modge-Podge from the local Michaels or Hobby Lobby do just as well if not better than Carpet Latex?

Me, I like Sculpt-Or-Coat plastic cream -http://sculpturalarts.com/foamcoating.htm

...but for full size corpses, Modge-Podge might be more affordable.

I think you had the right stuff Wolfman. Carpet adhesive in quart or gallon tubs, latex based. The natural rubber in the adhesive means it remains tacky after curing/drying so it seems that it never dries. A quick solution to this is to powder it with either baking soda or talc powder (non scented) then rub it in with your hands. Be careful with the talk as there are some medical concerns I've read about with breathing in the powder. Once you have it powdered up you can blow the excess off.

For the cost, the carpet adhesive can't be beat but it is difficult to work with. I found mine in the carpet section of both home depot and menards at about $5 quart. I've tried heavy duty liquid nails, that has a great consistency to work with but doesn't remain very elastic after drying. Pure latex works great but is a bit pricey and can rub off on areas that have only a light coat of latex.

Carpet adhesive - Cons: sticks to everything, difficult to use, short open time, remains tacky after curing. Pros: Great price about $12 gallon, sticks to everything, remains a little bit elastic after curing, good end result if done correctly. Accepts stains easily, and works very well with the pantyhose/stain combination. My number one choice if you can look past the difficulty in using it, I only use it when I have the patience.

Liquid nails (heavy duty construction adhesive) - Cons: Does not retain any elasticity and spikes and stretched parts can break off, a bit tricky to get good colors out of pantyhose with stain. Pros: decent price at about $15-20 per gallon (164 oz I think), great consistency for using with a brush or hands, long open time, a pleasure to work with too bad it doesn't retain any elasticity after curing, accepts stains easy. Last choice for me only because it becomes brittle over time.

Latex - Cons: Pricey at $30-40 per gallon, thin parts can peel or roll off the prop if that area gets rubbed a lot, I've heard it turns pinkish after long exposure to sunlight. Pros: Great to work with and an overnight dry time, remains just a little bit tacky after curing (minimal) Easy to brush on. Accepts stains easily. Works well with pantyhose but a little tricky with the pantyhose/stain combination. Second choice for me but it's my go to material for most because of it's ease of use

I had heard that if you have old latex paint cans with leftover paint in them. You can actually pull out the latex cause it settles at the bottom. You could comb the neighborhoods asking for old paint cans. Everybody has at least one and they would be free!!

Thanks again, everyone, for your suggestions - I may try one of each and seewhat works the best for me! Has anyone ever gone the diluted Elmer's glue route? Sounds messy, but Elmer's is a known quantity for a newbie like me, and seems less intimidating to work with than strange adhesives.

I would think latex paint would have more flex, which is one of the advantages of using latex in these projects.
I'd be curious if that would work.

Elmers glue, even diluted, will harden to a immovable plastic.

This is the brand I use and it came from Lowes. I found once you stain or paint it it drys a lot faster. I leave the prop out in the sun for a day or so.




This stuff will stretch as you can see in this picture. I poured some on a top and didn't use it all and this is the results after 30 mins.



This is water proof so you can use it to cover whole bodies. Some Chicken wire, paper towels and the carpet latex and you can build a body using this as the skin. So it has many uses.
This whole prop was made using chicken wire, paper towels and the carpet latex and sand cast hands and feet. The whole prop cost 15 dollars to make, if that much, and its 8 foot tall.