Art is the ultimate form of self-expression. Whether you sculpt, draw, paint, take pictures, or anything in between, it’s all about your vision and your artistic style.
Acrylic pouring is an art form that’s open to many different styles and expressions based on the colors you use, the additive you use, and the effect you create: cells, waves, marble, and more.
Acrylic pouring is done using a pouring medium to thin the paint and allow for the cells and other effects to appear. Floetrol is the most popular pouring medium used, but there are others out there.
So, what is the best Floetrol substitute? The best Floetrol substitutes are silicone oil, Liquitex, Golden GAC 800, and Novaplex 233. These pouring mediums will give you a glossy finish. Elmer’s Glue, Mod Podge, and dish soap are affordable alternatives, but they won’t give you professional results.
If you’re looking to test your acrylic pouring skills but not quite sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to review all the pouring mediums available for your use to help you dive into the world of acrylic pouring.
What Is Floetrol?
Floetrol is a paint additive or conditioner that’s used with water-based latex paints. When used for home improvement projects, it can help the paint have a smoother appearance without obvious brush marks.
When Floetrol is added to paint, it thins the paint by enhancing the water aspect of water-based paints to make it smoother. This thin, smooth texture is what makes it easy to work with.
In acrylic pouring, that same principle of thinning the paint is applied. When the paint is thinner, it naturally gives way by opening little circles, or cells, to show paint layers underneath.
Floetrol is popular for acrylic pouring because it’s generally cheap and easy to get. When compared with other paint pouring mediums made specifically for paint, it’s typically the cheapest.
There are other options that are just as cheap, if not cheaper, than using Floetrol, but those are usually household products and not specifically paint pouring mediums. We’ll explore these other options below.
Alternatives For Floetrol
Although Floetrol is the most popular option for acrylic paint pouring, it’s not the only option. There are plenty of alternatives available that you can easily purchase and use with your acrylic paint.
If you’d like to try something other than Floetrol for your acrylic pouring, check out our list below. We’ve given you several different options, from art supplies to household products, so you can try whatever works best for you or is already in your cupboard.
| Rank | Substitute | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Silicone Oil | Creates cells almost instantly |
| 2. | Liquitex | Designed to not craze |
| 3. | Golden GAC 800 | High-ratio use |
| 4. | Novaplex 233 | Affordable alternative to Liquitex |
| 5. | Elmer’s Glue | Thickens paint |
| 6. | Mod Podge | Dual-purpose |
| 7. | Dish Soap | Kid-friendly |
1. Silicone Oil
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Silicone oil is one of the best additives for acrylic pouring. It creates cells almost instantaneously upon pouring, giving you a dynamic look right off the bat.
Even though you’ll see cells immediately, you can make your painting even more dynamic by using a culinary torch to heat the surface. This will exaggerate and spread the cells to give you even more style in your work.
Because silicone oil works so well, it’s very easy to get. There are several different brands and manufacturers to choose from.
Aside from Floetrol, silicone oil is one of the most popular pouring mediums used by artists who create acrylic pouring paintings.
One of the great things about silicone oil is that it’s easy to use. It typically comes in a small bottle with a dropper lid, so you can add as many or as few drops as you want.
When using silicone oil, be sure to make sure your bottle is labeled 100% silicone. It should not have any other additives or ingredients.
If there are other chemicals mixed in with the silicone, it may not produce the same results and you’ll be left with a disappointing painting.
2. Liquitex
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Another top choice among acrylic pouring artists is Liquitex. Liquitex is a paint pouring medium manufactured as an art supply, which means it’s intended specifically for artistic painting use.
Because it’s made as an art supply, it often comes at a higher price, but many artists agree that it’s well worth it.
When acrylic pouring artists are discussing which pouring medium they use, it typically comes down to Floetrol or Liquitex. There is much debate over which is better, though no one can agree on one over the other.
This debate is a good indication that if you’re looking for a Floetrol substitute, Liquitex may be your next best option.
Like many other companies, Liquitex does have issues from time to time keeping up with the demand for their product. Occasionally they will be out of stock or marked up at a higher price, but this always evens out over time.
3. Golden GAC 800
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Although Liquitex is the most popular and well-known brand of acrylic pouring medium, Golden is another brand that has a competitor product: GAC 800.
You can’t really talk about Liquitex without adding in Golden GAC 800. They may be competitor products, but they have enough differences that it’s worth trying both of them to see what your favorite is.
Golden GAC 800 has a much different formulation. It’s intended for high-ratio use, meaning that you add up to 10 parts GAC 800 to 1 part of your fluid acrylic paint. This is the highest ratio you’ll find!
GAC 800 helps thin the paint and encourages cells while preventing cracking, just like Liquitex. It keeps your colors at their natural vibrancy and dries to a high-gloss finish.
4. Novaplex 233
Novaplex 233 is the only product not available on Amazon. Currently, you have to buy this acrylic pouring medium directly from the small company that makes it in California.
Even though you can’t easily order Novaplex 233 on Amazon for prime delivery, it’s still a great Floetrol substitute that’s used widely by many artists.
Novaplex 233 works just as well as Liquitex, given that it’s another brand’s version of an acrylic paint pouring medium. It will act the same way, thinning the paint to allow for versatile pouring designs.
If you look at the pricing, Novaplex 233 is generally cheaper at the market price, but you do have to pay for shipping and wait longer shipping times.
5. Elmer’s Glue
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Shifting to household products that double as acrylic pouring mediums, PVA glue is one of the top contenders. The most common and readily available PVA glue is Elmer’s Glue All.
If you’ve used an acrylic pouring medium made by an art supply company before, then you’ll notice a difference with Elmer’s Glue right away.
Although Elmer’s Glue is a great option for those looking for something cheap and easy to get, it does tend to make the paint a little thicker and make the pouring a little more difficult.
To combat this, you’ll likely want to add in a little water with your glue and paint to help thin the consistency of the glue. You can also mix glue with silicone oil to get interesting looking cells!
Another drawback to Elmer’s Glue is that it won’t keep your paints looking sharp over time. The paint colors may deteriorate or fade, but as long as you’re just looking to make quick crafts and not looking for art that lasts for decades, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Elmer’s Glue will also dry to a matte finish, which may have a dulling effect on your paint colors.
6. Mod Podge
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Like Elmer’s Glue, Mod Podge is an adhesive used widely for a variety of different arts and crafts.
The great thing about Mod Podge is that they have a line of products for every different craft you could need an adhesive for. They have products with a matte finish, a gloss finish, for outdoor use, waterproof, and even a glitter option!
Since they have similar qualities to PVA glue, Mod Podge is another great option if you’re looking for a dual-purpose acrylic pouring medium.
One thing that puts Mod Podge a little above Elmer’s Glue is their gloss finish. If you use the gloss finish product, you’ll still get that shiny, glossy finish you’d want for your paint while still using a household product to achieve it.
Just like with Elmer’s Glue, you’ll want to mix in a little water to thin the consistency of the Mod Podge and make for easier pouring.
7. Dish Soap
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Your final option, and the most economical of them all, is dish soap. If you really want to try your hand at acrylic pouring but don’t have any pouring medium or glue on hand, dish soap works great.
Dish soap has that same sticky, slightly thick consistency that you see from glue, but it’s a little thinner and is easier to work with.
You’ll want to add a little water with your dish soap and paints, just as you would with Elmer’s Glue or Mod Podge, to get the best results.
Although you won’t get the professional results that you would get from traditional art pouring mediums, using dish soap is a great way to make acrylic pouring a cheap and fun craft for a large group of people.
If you want to try acrylic pouring with a group of kids for school or a party, dish soap is your best choice.
Up Next: The Best Substitutes For Mod Podge
