# What kind of foam is pool noodles?



## HibLaGrande (Sep 25, 2005)

What do I ask for when I look around for sheets of foam that is used to make pool noodles? you know dense stiff and flexible durable. If anyone knew, it would be you folks. 

Thanks
John


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

I believe it is called closed cell. We have it at U-Haul for sale in 1/8" sheets for packing dishes in.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

wow....really! pool noodles are fun to hit people with...lol


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## bolt (Apr 1, 2008)

ethafoam


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## bolt (Apr 1, 2008)

look for "plank" from a industrial supplier - I bought it as 2" 2' x 8' planks


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## bradbaum (Jul 26, 2008)

I have been told you can heat it with a heat gun and just stick it together, But have not tried it yet.


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## HibLaGrande (Sep 25, 2005)

Thanks guys


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## drzeus (Jun 25, 2011)

Not to resurrect a dead subject, but...
Can closed cell foam be painted?
I have OCD when it comes to using plastics (and aluminum) in our props. I love the idea of making it once, storing it off season and having it work without additional effort the following season. Closed cell foams durability and flexibility makes this stuff ideal for damp, long term storage (without the present of light- as it is stored in our somewhat damp basement).
Open cell is an option but it is more subject to the wear and tear of each usage.
I would like to make a sign outta this stuff, paint it, make it flexible and water resistant. 
Anyone had experience doing anything like this??


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

Wow, I just made a quickie Grim reaper and used the pool noodles to bulk out the shoulders... I was afraid the blue would show through the skimpy black robe so I blasted it with Canned flat black spray paint.... lemme look..... BRB

Pool noodles where fine... no apparent degredation from aerosol spray paint.

Ironically as much as I've made for halloween, this was the first time I Used pool noodles... I assume it's Closed cell??


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## drzeus (Jun 25, 2011)

thanks for the info.
Can u determine how well the stuff stands up to the flexing that would be normal for usage/storage, and what type of paint did u use? latex vs acrylic vs oil based? any primer?
Its great to have this resource. Where else could I get the answers to such a bizarre question?!!!
Thanks for your help!!


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

i used some of the blue foam that comes in rolls at Home Depot. It is for insulating something but I don't know what since it is so wide. It is maybe 6 inches wide, probably 1/8th inch think and is very flexible. You can hit people with it but it isn't as satisfying as nailing them with a pool noodle. There is something about the whack and them squealing that is just....

Anyway, when I made the huge cauldron for my witch, I took a big flowerpot from a tree, used the rigid pink sheets to form the cauldron shape and then wrapped it with the blue flexible stuff. I did rough it up a little with sandpaper before gluing it on since I wasn't sure how it would take the spray paint. It was spray painted black and then I smeared a glue/sand/oatmeal mess on it to make it look old and used. It is a pain to carry this entire assembly (the witch and cauldron are stuck together on 2x4s). As such, the cauldron usually ends up whacking me in the head while I am having to grab it to help carry it so that combined with grabbing it has not been gentle. The paint has held up really well. After 2 years, there is maybe a spot here and there that could use a tiny touch up due to our man handling it but I have grabbed it by the lip which I expected would mess it up and it hasn't. The very minor "damage" hasn't been enough to require me to touch it up in fact. I imagine the noodles are the same material. Not sure if the roughing up helped or not but it knocked the sheen off and I would totally do it all again considering how well it has held up.


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

Oh and no primer, just black spray paint as I recall.


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