Painting vs. mudding ground blinds?

[MDJ]

Talk to me about "painting" vs. mudding ground blinds? Mudded a pair of Power Hunters yesterday, but would like to try this painting version of the same. Do you find it easier? What are the advantages? Disadvantages? Are you priming the material prior to painting? Are you "misting" the material?Have used Krylon "CAMO" paint for years, but not on cordura. Appreciate the help - M.D. Johnson

[TEAM GTG]

M.D.
This subject will get you as many answers as there are people. I much prefer PAINT. And by paint I don't mean a mist coat. I mean INTERIOR GRADE FLAT latex paint. You can take a sample of earth from your most frequently hunted areas to any major home improvement store, and they will mix it up for you to match. You use a paint sprayer (I used a wagner electric), but you can use an air compressor sprayer as well to coat the entire thing. After you have applied the paint you essentially coated your blind with a water resistant top layer, and you have a base shade that can still be mudded if need be. Paint is much cleaner IMO. If you want to knock the shine off your current camo blind I would use Krylon 1311...this way you get the shine off, but you still see the camo. You can buy 3 cans of 1311 for what it would cost you to get 1 can of Krylon Camo. Again, you can always mud if need be, but a properly painted blind will fit in almost anywhere.
I hope this helps you out.

[Mark Brendemuehl]

MD- Paint is SO much faster, easier, cleaner, and does not need to be redone in rain etc. I dust mine, just to take the sheen off of the flat surface. I still want the camo pattern to show through, but, want it more subdued.
Dusting it with paint is the way to go for sure. You can do a couple of blinds for a few bucks and be done in a matter of minutes. There is no need to "prime" the material. Just dust it from about 2 feet or so away and you are good to go.

Mark

[Tyler Stolz]

I agree that paint is much easier. We just did our Ground Forces and my Power Hunter and it was very easy and fast. It also doesn't have to be redone every year (other than touch up if needed).

[penpal]

Forget All That Mudding Garbage. Go Get Some Flat Latex Mixed Up And Paint Away. You Wouldn't Regret It

[Micah Evans]

the only reason i will ever mud one up, is if im not going to be using that blind in the same thing. i have a field that has winter wheat in one part with a pond in it, and then another part is plain grass. i like to keep my options open, and not have to have tons of blinds, when i can just change it when needed. but if its going to be in the same stuff, paint it. we painted a bunch of ours green, for snowgoose hunting in grass fields, but i cant use it for anything else. hope this helps!

[Joe Fladeland]

Hey M.D.,


In my opinion, painting is the ONLY way to go. I remember spending hours mudding Power Hunters and Finishers. My last two blinds, a KW-1 Finisher and a KW-1 M-2, took a matter of minutes to paint and the results were awesome. I've used the Krylon Camo and the Rust-o-leum Camo in the Khaki color and both brands seem to work awesome. One thing I've found is make sure you are in a well lit area where there isn't even the slightest breeze. This will help ensure that the entire blind gets an even coat of spray paint. Another tip is to use something to "puff" up the blind. For example, with a Power Hunter, I put boxes inside the blind to fill the blind so there aren't any folds or creases in the boot bag. I do this with the finisher as well.


Hope this helps.

[Robert Nelson]

MD,
TR...or GTG hit the nail on the head, paint paint and more paint. To mud up anymroe is useless when u can paint.
Regards,
Robert

[CamoHunter870]

I also find using paint much easier and more permament then using mudd.

I did my Ground Force last spring and then redid a couple Power Hunters this fall with a mixture of Krylon Camo paint in kh, black and brown.

All the blinds turned out great and it was much cleaner then mudding them. Just make sure to use the paint in a well vented area.

[Zach White]

It is still up in the air for me, when we get new blinds I mudd them no matter what because it brakes them in much faster. Once the mud starts falling off and wearing off I go back and paint them. Mudding is faster and easier but to me it doesn't look as good as a freshly mudded blind.

[Kevin Kriha]

One more thing to keep in mind is all the Avery blinds and a lot of other companies have went away from cordura due to its ability to adapt to temperature changes they are now using a form of plastic material that keeps its form much better in different temps. Also mud does not adhere well to this new material so painting is your best long term solution. Also being that is plastic Krylon Fusion in the camo colors seems to adhere the best. Like others have said just dust the blind.

[oakleaf]

Do both I prefer flat black and a good mudding. Once that mud starts to wear off you will have a good solid dark base color underneath. Where I hunt field khaki is way to light for our soil so i find that doing both does just the trick.