[gazpacho]

Hiya all over the pond,

ever since my first HHN experience a few years back i have been big on celebrating Halloween over here at home. Unfortunately not many people share my enthusism and I still have to come over to Universal studios, orlando for my fix.
Last year I made my first "haunt" and it all went quite well and even got a few minutes on the local TV station. This time around I want to be more ambitious and was looking at making some "monster mud" creations, but over here in the UK just try and get your hands on Latex Paint and Drywall Joint Compound !!! I went into my local hardware store and they looked at me with blank faces when i asked for those products. The closest I got to Latex Paint was errrrrr Latex Body Paint which they sell in the xxx adult stores.
If anyone has any pointers or help they might be able to share to enable me to make my own "monster mud" i wold be very grateful ..... or its ebay and lots of £££ on pre made props


thanx for any help you might have ......... a desperate UK halloween haunter !

John

 

[gazpacho]

I found a cpl websites here in the UK which might have the "compound", but is it the one (or similar) to that used over in the US ?

EVERYTHING ABOUT DRYWALL JOINT COMPOUND (MUD)

LAFARGE RAPID SAND LIGHTWEIGHT JOINT COMPOUND 22.5KG - H01268

As for the latex paint ......... that could be the end of my dream to make my own props if its unavailable over here !



John

 

[zerot]

you could try plasterboard adhesive get it from wickes only thing that might work its for use with plasterboard joints and the joint tape come in 25kg bags and its cheap as for the paint i would try flexible exterior house paint and just experiment im going to try it soon for a project tombstone im designing hope it helps

 

[Frankie's Girl]

Check art supply stores as well. Latex paint is also pretty much identical to acrylic paint, which is used for fine art painting. Art stores around the US sell large gallon jugs of it for students. It would be a much more expensive than if you could find house paint.
Acrylic Paints

It might help to ask at a paint supplier for "acrylic latex" - it is the technically correct name for the paint - they contain a plastic resin made of acrylics or polyvinyls rather than rubber (the "latex" fetish paint).

Product Finder - Acrylic Paints

 

[partsman]

Most any house paint that is water clean up should have some form of latex base to it, but you should definitely look for exterior paint for monster mud, not a requirement, just makes sense for the weather that you all get over there

 

[Terra]

Yep, like everyone said, the word 'Latex' is a bit of a misnomer. I've found the the word 'Latex' is used interchangeably with 'acrylic latex' paint or just 'acrylic' paint. When I buy 'latex paint', I'm just grabbing the cheapest gallon of exterior water-based paint at Home Depot. Here's a picture of a cheap one at Sherwin-Williams:

Here's a picture of drywall compound. I use the all-purpose:

 

[gazpacho]

hey, thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions.
Frankies Girl, those sites have lots of info for me to check out, Iam sure I will find something there !

Zerot, are you in the UK ? it was Wickes where i asked about the latex paint ..... LOL.

Partsman, hey we have just had four whole days of nothing but sun !!!!!! thats probably our summer over though

Terra, Thanks for those two images. they could come in useful if I have to go back to my local hardware store ..... but after the looks they gave me when I asked for the paint, they might call security when they see me enter the store !

 

[gazpacho]

hopefully I may have found what iam looking for (now where have I heard that line before)
If you have time could you you please take a look at these two sites and confirm/advise if these are what I need to make the UK version of the infamous Monster Mud:

Wickes  – Building Materials – Plaster – Ready Mixed – Jointing Compound

Windsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint 500ml Black on eBay, also Acrylic Paints, Painting Supplies, Painting, Drawing Art, Crafts (end time 24-Jun-09 22:27:03 BST)

 

[Terra]

That jointing compound looks like the right stuff. While I was at your Wikes store, I looked for a paint that you can use. This looks to me to be the right stuff: Wickes *–*Paint & Decorating*–*Trade*–*Masonry Paint*–*Trade Exterior Smooth Masonry Paint



This is called a vinyl-based paint and it is basically the same as latex paint and should do nicely. It will be a lot cheaper than using artist's type paints.

 

[gazpacho]

thanks for the time you have taken to help me out Terra, I will check that paint out ! It will be a one stop shop as they have the quick mix drill attachment to whip it all together too !!!!

 

[Terra]

You are very welcome. Have fun mudding!

 

[Terra]

Oh, by the way, found this little blurb: What is latex and acrylic paint?

Latex and Acrylic
Latex paint is a general term which covers all paints that use synthetic polymers such as acrylic, vinyl acrylic (PVA), styrene acrylic, etc. as binders. This is what always used to confuse me, as the term "latex" is applied to most water-based paints, regardless whether the can says they are 100% acrylic, latex or vinyl styrene. It is only because natural latex and synthetic polymers share the property of looking milky when wet, and clear and flexible when dry, that they call this whole family of polymers "latex" in the paint US industry.
Our brothers and sisters in the UK use the general term "emulsion" instead of latex but it is the same type of paint that we term “latex” paint in USA.
100% acrylic resins cost twice as much as vinyl, and paint companies try to balance them to keep costs down. For example 20% acrylic and 80% vinyl ingredients make up a typical common interior house paint, while paints that have more acrylic in the mixture are better quality and cost more. PVA (polyvinyl acetate) is even cheaper and it is the main ingredient for white glues and most cheap paints.

 

[Baron Samedi]

As the saying goes.."two countries seperated by a common language"...

Stick around on the forum gazpacho, and you'll soon get a feel for how the different brand names and products convert to what is available to us here in the UK.

In the vast majority of cases, there is a viable alternative available here.

 

[Scry]

As the saying goes.."two countries seperated by a common language"...

Stick around on the forum gazpacho, and you'll soon get a feel for how the different brand names and products convert to what is available to us here in the UK.

In the vast majority of cases, there is a viable alternative available here.

Perhaps we brits should band together to translate all this wacky american naming non-sense hehehehe

 

[Baron Samedi]

Perhaps we brits should band together to translate all this wacky american naming non-sense hehehehe

It's a thought Scry...We already have a "Haunters Dictionary", Maybe we should have a US-UK translation thread too..

I remember on a trip to Florida, being somewhat bemused when somebody suggested I might like biscuits with my fried chicken...

 

[partsman]

I remember on a trip to Florida, being somewhat bemused when somebody suggested I might like biscuits with my fried chicken...

What's wrong with biscuits with chicken?? Brits...who can figure em?

 

[Scry]

It's a thought Scry...We already have a "Haunters Dictionary", Maybe we should have a US-UK translation thread too..

I remember on a trip to Florida, being somewhat bemused when somebody suggested I might like biscuits with my fried chicken...

haha, I can only begin to imagine the look on your face!!
what the F are they anyways???

It's almost as bad as the time I was watching an american kids tv show with my neice and a character fell over and said she'd bruised her fanny.... childish but terribly funny at the time.

back to OP: As i do a lot of painting anyways, i've always automatically made the connection between acrylic and latex....

funny about the xxx shop advice though

 

[Wolfman]

gazpacho, tricky stuff, that. On your first attempt, only batch up a small amount, and keep it stiff. And use a drop cloth, if you wanna keep the missus happy.

 

[Wolfman]

Here's an excellent tutorial using MM-

Monster Mud Wall Breaker

Notice, this guy used a drop cloth...

 

[Baron Samedi]

haha, I can only begin to imagine the look on your face!!
what the F are they anyways???

Oooh.. they're as weird as buggery, they really are...
Try to imagine something halfway between a scone and a dumpling..
That's a biscuit...Apparantly. Don't taste half bad though, in all fairness.