What are glow in the dark paints and varnishes?
Glow in the dark paints and varnishes are ready-mixed coatings with phosphorescent pigments that store light and release it again in the dark – without electricity. The pigments are strontium aluminate doped with europium and dysprosium. Strontium aluminate is the common material for a long afterglow today. There is nothing to mix: stir, apply, charge with light. If you prefer to stir pigments into resin, glue or plastic yourself, you will find them under glow powders and pigments.
Which glow paint suits your project?
The choice depends mainly on the size of the area: paint for designs and pictures, varnish for larger surfaces, watch-hand paint for tiny markings and watercolour for pictures on paper.
| Product | Container | Application | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glow in the dark paint | bottle, 100 g (approx. 90 ml) | brush, sponge or roller, 2–3 thin coats | star designs, canvas, stones, decorations, light switches |
| Glitter glow paint | bottle, 100 g (approx. 90 ml) | as for the glow paint | designs that should shimmer by day |
| Glow in the dark varnish | metal tin, 250 ml | brush or roller, 3–4 coats of approx. 40 µm each | starry skies, markings on doors and steps |
| Luminous paint for watch hands | glass bottle, approx. 2 g | needle, toothpick or fine brush, 2 coats | hands, numerals, model making, jewellery |
| Glow watercolour | set of 5 pans, 2 g each | water brush included | pictures on paper |
The watch-hand paint has a fine grain and can be placed precisely with a needle or toothpick. The glow watercolour is made by hand; thanks to the water brush you can paint without a water jar, even on the go.
What is the difference between glow paint and glow varnish?
Glow in the dark paint is an acrylic paint for designs and pictures; glow varnish is an almost transparent coloured varnish for thin coats on larger surfaces. Both are ready to use. The paint comes in many shades, including tinted ones that look coloured during the day too. Green or blue-green varnish is barely noticeable on light surfaces by day. It is dry after approx. 1 hour, and one tin covers more than 2.5 m² with three coats.
Which shade glows the longest?
The light shades that look whitish by day glow the longest: up to 12 hours after a full charge, in complete darkness. The more strongly a shade is tinted, the shorter and weaker its glow.
- Up to 12 hours: light, whitish shades such as yellow-green, blue-green or natural blue
- Up to 4 hours: lightly tinted shades such as the yellow, green or orange glow paint
- Up to 2 hours: white and strongly tinted shades such as pink or blue-blue
Each product states its exact value. The glow is most intense in the first few minutes and turns into a faint glimmer after 1–2 hours. Glitter and the fine grain of the watch-hand paint weaken the glow slightly. A true red afterglow is technically not possible. You can read how the glow works under afterglow explained.
How do you charge glow paints?
Glow paints charge with any light source, as often as you like. UV light or sunlight is fastest. Guide values for a full charge of the glow pigments:
| Light source | Time |
|---|---|
| UV light from 365 nm | 2–4 minutes |
| Sunlight | 6–9 minutes |
| Fluorescent lamp | 20–24 minutes |
| Incandescent bulb | approx. 25 minutes |
How to get a good coat
A light surface and several thin coats do more for the glow than anything else.
- Stir the paint or varnish thoroughly, including at the bottom – the glow pigments settle.
- Paint absorbent surfaces such as wallpaper, paper or wood directly. Prime smooth surfaces first, and prime dark surfaces in a light colour, ideally white.
- Apply several thin coats and let each one dry. They glow more strongly than one thick coat.
- Thin only slightly with water. Thinning it more reduces the glow.
- Outdoors, seal the dried coat with clear varnish.
Good to know
Afterglow is an aid for orientation and effects, not a light source. It is only visible in real darkness and barely under a street lamp. The ready-mixed glow paint is too thick for casting resin and pouring; for those, stir glow pigments in directly. The glow paint also adheres to fabric and leather; wash textiles at no more than 30 °C. You will find the safety data sheets on each product page and collected under safety data sheets.