Which shades are available and how long do they glow?
The glow in the dark paint comes in light shades that look whitish by day and have a long afterglow, and in tinted shades that look coloured during the day too. The table lists all shades without glitter.
| Shade | In daylight | In the dark | Afterglow duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow-Green | whitish with a slight green tint | yellow-green | up to 12 hours |
| Blue-Green | whitish to slightly greyish | blue-green | up to 12 hours |
| Natural Blue | light, whitish | blue | up to 12 hours |
| Blue | light blue | blue | up to 12 hours |
| Green | light green | green | up to 4 hours |
| Yellow | yellow | yellow-green | up to 4 hours |
| Orange | orange | light orange to salmon | up to 4 hours |
| Pink | light pink to pink | pink-green | up to 2 hours |
| Natural White | whitish | white | up to 2 hours |
The afterglow duration applies after a full charge, in complete darkness; in a thin coat the paint glows for a slightly shorter time. Choose Natural White for its neutral daylight colour, not for a long glow. Three shades are also available as glitter glow paint.
Typical uses are star designs on walls and ceilings, pictures on canvas, painted stones and decorations. For markings on light switches and stair edges that should give orientation at night, the long-glowing shades are the right choice.
Which surfaces does glow paint adhere to?
Glow in the dark paint adheres to paper, cardboard, wallpaper, canvas, wood, rubber, stone and glass, as well as to fabric and leather. Preparation is what matters:
| Surface | Preparation |
|---|---|
| absorbent, e.g. wallpaper, paper, wood | paint directly |
| smooth, e.g. glass | prime first |
| dark | prime in a light colour, ideally white |
| fabric and leather | a clear protective coat on top is useful; wash textiles at no more than 30 °C |
How to apply glow paint
Apply glow in the dark paint with a brush, sponge or roller in several thin coats.
- Stir the bottle thoroughly, including at the bottom. The glow pigments settle over time.
- Paint small designs with a brush or sponge and larger areas with a soft roller.
- Apply 2–3 thin coats and let each one dry. Every additional coat strengthens the glow.
- For a smoother surface, thin the paint slightly with water.
- Clean brushes and rollers with water and close the bottle tightly.
Then charge the design with daylight or lamp light, fastest with UV light or sunlight. You can do this as often as you like.
What is glow paint not suitable for?
Glow in the dark paint is not weatherproof and is too thick for casting resin or pouring. Outdoors and on furniture in everyday use, seal the dried coat with a solvent-based clear varnish. For resin, stir in glow pigments instead. If a larger surface should be barely visible by day, the almost transparent glow in the dark varnish is a good fit. For hands and numerals there is the finer-grained luminous paint for watch hands. The safety data sheet for lumentics glow paste also covers the glow paints; you will find it under safety data sheets.