# Foam Issues



## time2dive (Dec 29, 2007)

I want to make some tombstones and other stuff out of foam. Here is my problem.... out here in the middle of the ocean I can either get 4x8x2" blue foam at $55 a sheet or the cheaper 4x8x1" white foam for about $25 a sheet, or I can 65 sheets of 4x8x1" if I have Lowes order it....don't need 65 sheets. I have seen what happens when the white foam gets cut with a saw.... the edges start falling apart. Will the white foam not fall apart if it is cut with a hot foam cutter? Will either of them take paint? Inquiring minds want to know.


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## Sunkenbier (Jan 5, 2009)

cutting the white stuff hot is fine and wont leave the jaggies that a saw will do to it. It can take paint but not spray paint. What you can do is put a grey primer on it then spray paint it to get the stone effect. Heres a link to some of the things ive built with the white foam.

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=14678&highlight=foam+work


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I second the Sunkenbier comments. You can paint the insulating foam directly with primer or regular latex paint. Spray paint will cause it to bubble, which can give an interesting effect.

We just started using a hot wire cutter this year, and it gives a very smooth edge (use it outside - it generates fumes you don't really want to inhale). I've also used a very sharp filleting knife on foam and had good results in terms of clean edges.


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## 5artist5 (Jul 10, 2007)

For white foam you can mix up a white glue and water solution and either brush it on or put it in a spray bottle and spray it on if you have a lot to do. You probably want 2 or 3 coats to make sure it's sealed. Let it dry totally between coats.
Then you can spray paint or use other paints that would normally attack the foam.


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

I have always used the 2" foam and a sheet you can get 9 nice size stones out of if you want. Plus it make it easy to drill a 5/8" hole in it so that you can then glue a 1/2" pvc pipe in it that can be used to stake it in the yard with 1/4" (#2) rebar.


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

wow, thats some expensive foam T2D. I don't know if you have similar places out there in Hawaii, but here in the midwest there's a home remodeling firm called Patio Enclosures. They use alot of prefab walls that are aluminum veneered over thick dense foam. I hit their dumpsters whenever I need to make a tombstone and score all my foam for free. ( the aluminum recyclers have already skinned the scrap metal off the foam for me) Perhaps you could check places like that to see if they also have scrap available.

Otherwise, I could find the right ocean current and float some your way.:googly:


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## DeathTouch (Sep 6, 2005)

Man! I think you have to deal with too much sheet! I don't think that is fair.


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