No one material is innately GOOD or BAD. ALL materials have ADVANTAGES and DISADVANTAGES. The secret of success is to find a way to use a material's advantages and be alert to the disadvantages. I became interested in foam-core after reading a number of biting remarks on several forums about the unsuitability of the material for anything like model railroad layout building. Yet I had seen pictures of a modeler lifting a foam-core 2'x4' module above his head with one hand.
The Advantages of Using Foam-Core Board:
- Functions much like plywood
- Very light weight
- Greater overall strength than cardboard
- Easily cut with hobby knives
- Easily bonded with various wood/paper glues and hot glue sticks
- Easily painted with hobby acrylics and household latex paints
- Accepts most plaster type materials used by hobbyist
The Disadvantages of Using Foam-Core Board:
- Easily dented
- Not as strong as plywood
- Will warp if painted or wet on only one side
- Some chemicals will dissolve the foam
- Edges are raw and may need to be treated
My engineering background allowed me to see foam-core as just another material that could be fabricated into shapes and structures by using glue instead of rivets and welding. Here are several photos showing the building of the foam-core layout frame for the diorama.
Tools and Equipment:
- Utility or hobby knives with extra blades
- Cutting board or surface to protect table
- Steel straight edge or carpenters square
- Ruler, tape measure and pencil
- Latex or acrylic paints to seal both surfaces when required
- Adhesives - wood or paper glue, hot glue sticks (I prefer yellow wood glue-fast gripping)
- Usual collection of hobby tools is helpful
While similar to paper and card stock, foam-core has thickness and the modeler has a tendency to tip the blade when using the straight edge. Keep the knife vertical and use several strokes to cut the top paper surface and not crush the foam. Also remember that paper is very hard on blades so replace them often.
Following are some pictures of other uses of foam-core board.
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