High Index Reflective Micro Beads 1 Pound

This product is great, but it's application is more tricky than YouTube videos might lead you to think. You need just the right thin application of fresh paint to receive the glass beads. If the paint coat is too thick, the beads will sink below it's surface and will be of no effect. Based on my experience, you need to apply a very thin spray coat of paint to get just the right effect. The beads are very small. I used a standard salt shaker to apply them, and a good paint brush to recover the excess after the paint was fully dried. In my case, I was making a 3' X 4' outdoor sign for our church social hall. The background coat was a burnt orange. The stenciled lettering was 5" sized in white. Before applying the last coat of lettering, I first applied two base coats of slow-drying oil-based Rustoleum spray paint to make sure that the lettering stood-out in the daytime, and let it fully dry, before applying that last thin coat to trap the glass beads. After applying that last coat and before applying the beads, I removed the stencil, so as to preserve the stencil and increase the recovery of the excess glass beads once this last coat had dried. The result was amazing. Next, I used tape and newspaper masking to outline a large arrow which had not been included in the original stencil. But, it took me three tries on the arrow, before I got just the right thickness (thinness) of paint to match the original lettering in reflectivity. That's where I learned that the paint needed to be just so thick and no more.

Todo bien

Reflects well. I applied several layers of white paint to the surface I was coating then applied the beads to the last tacky coat of paint. I included a photo of my plywood test sample.

So great! I used this on my house numbers - watched their YouTube explainer video - and it turned out great! The numbers are blue on a black background and so totally invisible in the dark, but they absolutely POP when you get a light on them. Discrete, but visible for delivery drivers. Exactly what I was looking for! Just need to find a practical use for the rest of it, but I'm sure something will come up. Great buy!

I enjoyed the product because the beads are so thin I'll probably buy again

Didn't reflect enough

Using this to overcoat lettering on our camp signs. The red enamel paint beneath the beads shows through in the same color during the daylight, which is exactly what we wanted. During nighttime the beads are *very* bright. Not so much that they would blind using a flashlight or car headlamps, but plenty bright to get your attention. Again, perfect for our needs.Application is, as has been said, pretty straightforward. You only need to embed a thin layer, so you won't go through alot, and it won't look like much when you are done. Make sure you don't overcoat and you'll be just fine.I can see how the price would add up quickly for large jobs, but for our camp-wide needs, this will be an excellent investment for the price. I appreciate the folks from Cole making this good product widely available for more craft users like ourselves.

covered freshly sprayed paint, dumped off excess....is very reflective.