Insulation foam board

hi folks,

I’m needing some help/advice, i hear you csn make your own walls using insulation foam board and that you can buy it here in the UK.

i alreadu have some but it’s the wrong type as it seems to have like thin layer of ‘hair’ on it which wouldn’t look right when i try to crarve a stone or brick design into it.

can anyone pount me in the right direction for the good stuff, or at least a link to it on ebay, as i want to have a crack at making my own for a change.

kind regards

Klaus

I don’t know what brands you may have in UK, but what you should be looking for is expanded (or extruded) polystyrene panels, usually pink, or blue. They come in various thickness, but most commonly from 1" - 2" - and 4", and 2’ x 8’ in size. I would suggest looking in DIY, and large hardware chains as ordering large sheets online come with hefty shipping charges. Over here, Dow Chemical is a common brand. On U-Tube there are numerous tutorials on how to construct with foam board. Most involve a “hot wire” cutter by Proxxon, or you can make your own (also on U-Tube). Thin foam board (1/4" - 5mm) is also available in 2’ x 2’ sheets as notice boards, but you have to strip off a paper layer (sometimes it’s a shiny plasticized layer).
:grinning: :canada:

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where i live, one can find pieces of that stuff in the back corner of the local DIY store, waiting to be disposed of. The store is typically more than happy to let me take them off their hands, which saves them the trip to the dumpster.

:beer:

Amazon has several different sizes of blocks and sheets of polyurethane foam, as well as hot-wire sculpting tools. It should be available in different densities as well. Back when I built architectural models, we used several different types.

Amazon.com : polyurethane foam carving block

That is a significant statement. You need the higher density stuff. Also not the ‘High Density Foam’ used for upholstery - I think that is what you may have purchased sounding by the ‘Hairy’ nature.

This is the type made here in Oz:

Google “high density hobby foam board UK” and you will get hits like these:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Fityle-Density-Building-Architecture-Diorama/dp/B08MKT2RC2

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that blue foam board looks like the stuff i have already, i will check the rest of the sheets, maybe i have a bad batch?

It’s quite versatile stuff.
A few years back I bought a cheap block from evilbay that I carved into an alien chestburster for a Halloween costume.
I used a hot wire to cut the basic shape, then sanded smooth and details pressed in with a pencil. You have to careful not to use too much pressure sanding as it’s very easy to tear or gouge out more than you need. And don’t sand too fast! The foam can melt from the friction and clog up the sandpaper.
Somewhere I’ve got photos of the process.

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Recently I’ve found a source for really thin (2 - 3 mm thick) polystyrene - disposable party plates (not the paper ones). If you have anything like “Dollar Stores”, or “Dollar Plus” in your part of the planet, you can get a package of a couple of dozen plates (imported from China, of course!). Cut off the raised rim and you have a flat circular section 6 - 8 " in diameter.
:grinning: :canada:

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I use this company for foam board:
https://bluefoam.co.uk/

What’s the brand for the thin foam board as notice board?

Don’t know the brand - not a well known one (made in China) as it is available in local dollar plus type stores. If you find any, choose the type with a glossy facing material for writing on with washable markers. It seems to be a plasticized paper material, but it peels off very easily.
Note: when peeling off the surface material the foam sheet will curl slightly. Best to cut pieces to size, then peel.
:grinning: :canada: