Have you been thinking of trying glow-in-the-dark paints to impress your neighbors? They are a fantastic choice during Halloween, Christmas Eve, and other special nighttime parties and events.
Glow-In-The-Dark paints bring festive vibes to an otherwise dull and dark space. You can splash it on the decor in your garden or backyard to keep it beautifully lit from evening throughout the night.
Plus, you don’t even need to wait for a party for glow-in-the-dark paints to be a great help. Their luminescence offers guidance by highlighting signposts, stepping stones, and even driveways at night.
So, what are the best outdoor glow-in-the-dark paints? The best outdoor glow-in-the-dark paints will not only give off a bright and long-lasting glow but are also waterproof, weather-resistant, and chargeable in sunlight. You will also want to consider whether the type of paint is compatible with your canvas.
If this has been your biggest concern, then you couldn’t have found this article at a better time. We’ll guide you through the 7 best outdoor glow-in-the-dark paints, the selection criteria, and best practices of use. Let’s get glowing.
Choosing Outdoor Glow-In-The-Dark Paint
You’ll stumble upon a variety of products, some designed for fabrics, others for the face and body. It is important to discern which glow-in-the-dark paint is explicitly formulated for outdoor use.
In addition to that, you have to consider the qualities most suitable for your particular needs. The following factors should help guide your shopping.
1. Weatherproof Properties
This is perhaps the most vital aspect to look out for if you expect permanence. As with any paint that will go on exterior surfaces, outdoor glow-in-the-dark paint should be waterproof or weather-resistant.
That’s because of the susceptibility to moisture from rain or snow, which could disintegrate a coat of paint, washing it away. Powder paints, for example, are so vulnerable to wetness.
Acrylic and oil-based paints when fully cured are water-resistant. You could apply a clear coat on top to further enhance protection.
Just check with the manufacturer first and make sure the clear coat is not UV resistant; otherwise, it could interfere with the charging of the glow in the dark paint.
2. Material Compatibility
Next, you want to check that the outdoor glow-in-the-dark paint is ideal for the intended painting surface. Your target object may be concrete, rock, metallic, wooden, ceramic, etc.
Some paints are all-purpose; others will not adhere to metal, plastic, glass, or concrete. Therefore, it would help if you check what materials your chosen paint is specifically designed for to find the right one.
3. Charging Light Requirements
Glow-in-the-dark paint must be exposed to a certain type of light to charge in order to glow later. There are four common types: blacklight, UV light, ordinary light bulb, or sunlight.
Outdoor glow-in-the-dark paint chargeable by sunlight would be most ideal and convenient, especially for vast areas outside. And well, since the paint coat will be outside anyway.
However, these paints may require a couple of hours of direct sunlight, which may be impossible on those cloudy or dull dark days.
The advantage of UV and blacklight for recharging glow-in-the-dark paints is that they yield a stronger glow in less recharge time. Also, the paint maintains a long-lasting glow.
You’ll be required to have these types of light bulbs or lamps that produce either of these lights to illuminate the spot each time you need to charge them. This might be inconvenient and impractical in some cases.
Some brands include the light lamp with the paint, and others have to be bought separately. You have to weigh the options and decide what you think works for you to best recharge your paints.
4. Stability Of The Glow
Discovering the stability of the paint is crucial in determining whether it meets your expectations. This is in regards to how powerful the glow is and also how long it can last.
Outdoor glow-in-the-dark paints vary from subtle to intense glows. Some stay lit overnight while others only last a moment. Maybe two hours, one, or even less.
If you want something for a short-term purpose, then a short glow time won’t matter. But if you are after every day, all night glow, you need superior, long-lasting glow-in-the-dark paints.
5. Daytime Look
In addition to the nighttime glow, you should also think about how the paint looks during the day. Some outdoor glow-in-the-dark paints appear fluorescent or neon during daylight hours. Others are clear and some translucent with just a hint of color.
Therefore, choose the paint accordingly depending on whether you are aiming for a vivid brilliance even during the daylight, or to have a soft, barely-there hue.
6. Type Of Paint
Outdoor glow-in-the-dark paints come in many forms. There’s creamy or fluid paint, gel paint, powder paint, brush-on, spray paint, and even paint markers. They could also be acrylic-based or oil-based.
Here, it is a matter of personal preference. The most important thing is that it has some permanence to hold up to outdoor environments and works with the material you plan to paint.
The 7 Best Outdoor Glow-In-The-Dark Paints
There are plenty of glow-in-the-dark paint brands in the market. Some work wonderfully, and others just don’t hit the mark.
You either have to buy and test several products, browse through thousands of reviews, or just take a wild guess hoping to land on exactly what you want. Luckily, we’ve saved you from all this hassle. Take a look at some of the best glow-in-the-dark paints available to buy online!
Rank | Product | Key Features |
---|---|---|
1. | SpaceBeams Aurora Glow in The Dark Paint | Non-toxic, water-based, UV-charged |
2. | TechnoGlow Glow-In-The-Dark Paint - Bright Blue | Acrylic, permanent, UV-charged, non-toxic |
3. | Art N Glow Premium Glow-In-The-Dark Acrylic Paint | 14 colors, UV-charged, clear in daylight |
4. | FolkArt Best Outdoor Glow-In-The-Dark Paint | UV-charged, short-term glow, smooth |
5. | Rust-Oleum Glow-In-The-Dark Spray Paint | Spray-on, clear in daylight |
6. | DecoArt Glow-In-The-Dark Paint | Non-toxic, UV-charged, short-term glow |
7. | Neon Nights Glow-In-The-Dark Paint | 8 colors, water-based acrylic |
1. SpaceBeams Glow-In-The-Dark Paint Aurora Bright Green
The Aurora glow-in-the-dark paint by ScapeBeams is a non-toxic, water-based, and also non-flammable paint. Safety is guaranteed regardless of the application or where you want to paint.
The formula is made tough for outdoor use, and it is okay to put varnish over it for enhanced longevity. This paint is rechargeable by direct sunlight, though it is UV or blacklight that gives amazing results.
Its daylight color is cream or off-white and it glows bright fluorescent green once all lights are out. There is also a bright blue version.
Aurora paint literally outshines the rest when it comes to glowing intensity. It holds the most potent charge that produces the most brilliant glow that can last for hours on end.
It has a thick but smooth consistency that is easy to apply.
2. TechnoGlow Glow-In-The-Dark Paint – Bright Blue
TechnoGlow’s acrylic-based luminescent paint is permanent. It stays fixated for the longest time, making it ideal for an outdoor glow. There are also light blue and green versions.
Consequently, it is the best paint for permanent surfaces like concrete, though it will adhere to wood, metal, stone, and other surfaces too. For the brightest glow, layer up several coats against a white primer as a background.
With good quality light, whether artificial or natural, the paints recharge in less than two hours, and a couple of minutes for a blacklight.
It yields a blue glow that lasts all night long. Not only does it glow in total darkness, but the brightness intensifies when a blacklight is introduced.
This is a nice and reliable paint that is non-toxic and safe for you and the environment as well, especially since you’ll want to use them outside. You may use a varnish over it to safeguard it from environmental elements. It will hold up for years.
3. Art N Glow Premium Glow-In-The-Dark Acrylic Paint
Art N Glow acrylic-based glow in the dark paint is just like your ordinary acrylic paints except that it is made with premium-grade strontium aluminate powder.
You’ll be delighted to pick from a variety of 14 fluorescent colors, including red, green, sky blue, aqua, orange, yellow, purple, and more.
It contains both blacklight-reactive pigments as well as a phosphorescent pigment in its composition. It produces a brilliant glow in the dark and shines even brighter with a blacklight.
This paint charges perfectly with regular artificial or natural sunlight, but for outstanding results, it is better to give it a charge boost with some blacklight. You must also apply it on a white backdrop in multiple layers for the glow to really pop.
Art n’ glow paint will appear clear barely there during the day but emerge into a white luminance in total darkness. Some specific colors like green seem to produce a higher quality glow when fully charged and applied as per instructions than others. So you can expect glow brightness variation between colors.
The paint can glow for anything from 6 to 12 hours.
4. FolkArt Best Outdoor Glow-In-The-Dark Paint For Wood
Looking to get some outdoor wooden items lit? This version of Folkart paints is the best outdoor glow-in-the-dark paint for wood.
It goes on neutral during the day with only a hint of yellow but glows into a luminous yellow when engulfed in darkness. It is perfect not only for wood but terracotta and a variety of other hard porous surfaces.
The formula is smooth and creamy like FolkArt’s many other acrylic paints and is very easy to brush on. It is necessary to apply a minimum of three coats or more coats for optimal results.
The FolkArt glow in the dark paints work with any type of light for activation but bright direct UV light will produce the most intense glow.
You must charge it for very long hours. Even still, you shouldn’t expect sheer brilliance. Just a decent glow in a very dark setting or with a blacklight.
The biggest downside with this paint is that the glow fades quickly, in a few minutes to an hour to be precise. You have to recharge it frequently. It could be ideal for occasional decorations.
5. Rust-Oleum Glow-In-The-Dark Spray Paint
Rust-Oleum is a brand to reckon with when it comes to paints. Among its specialty paints is this glow-in-the-dark max.
It is the best outdoor glow-in-the-dark paint for those who prefer the quick, easy, fast-drying application alternative to brushes.
The paint glows wonderfully when applied on a variety of surfaces correctly. This includes shaking the can well before spraying, starting with a bright white undercoat, applying multiple coats, and giving it a good charge.
You might use sunlight, but this will take very many hours to activate the paint. For excellent effects, you’ll need UV light and either complete darkness or black light. It will not glow even with the dimmest light visible or nearby. It must be all black.
For outdoor use, you’ll have to refresh the paint occasionally with a new coat.
6. DecoArt Glow-In-The-Dark Paint
This glow-in-the-dark paint from the DecoArt range of paints will add luminosity to a variety of objects, including ceramic planters, pumpkins, and even highlighting murals on your walls.
It is non-toxic as per the US standards of safety. The paint is mixable with transparent acrylic paints in a one-to-one ratio, but it is best used on its own.
You can use any light to recharge this paint. It doesn’t require any special lights. However, you will achieve the best results with UV lights or blacklights at close range and for a couple of hours.
It is recommended that you paint it on a white background for the glow to really shine. During daylight, this paint appears milky with greenish-yellow tints and a light lemon glow in pitch darkness.
This is a decorative glow and will therefore not last for more than two hours before needing to be recharged again.
7. Neon Nights Glow-In-The-Dark Paint
If you are an enthusiastic artist who wants to mix up colors, then you’ll love the neon nights glow-in-the-dark paints.
You get 8 different flamboyant tones including, red, blue, white, green, yellow, orange, pink, and purple.
They are fantastic for detail highlighting on outdoor walls or objects but impractical for extensive coverage.
The paints are acrylic water-based luminous glow paints and versatile enough to adhere to wood, metal, plastic, etc.
The application is very straightforward; you just need to apply it on a white primer for the optimal glow. Direct bright lights are the best for activating these paints. You can charge it in sunlight or using UV lights but for a mind-blowing glow, go with blacklights.
And those are the 7 best outdoor glow-in-the-dark paints to add flair to your outdoor space. Remember your glow will last as long as you apply and charge the paint correctly.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for the quality of light and the duration needed. The proximity of the object to the light also matters.
Blacklight is known to provide good quality light for glow-in-the-dark paints to charge and produce the ultimate glow that you desire, followed by a UV light and lastly natural light or ordinary light bulbs.
A common reason why your glow in the dark paint might not be working is if you are painting on a dark backdrop. Ensure you always use a white or light-colored primer.
Lastly, glow-in-the-dark paints are made differently from blacklight reactive paints and will never achieve their kind of light intensity. It is always good to adjust your expectations accordingly to have fun with this type of paint.
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