Rigid Foams
Rigid foams are indispensable in model making for creating lightweight yet stable structures, base forms, and detailed architectural models. These materials are known for their ability to be cut, shaped, and sanded with precision, making them ideal for projects requiring crisp lines and strong, unyielding components.
Quick Reference: Foams Table
Use this quick guide to understand the primary characteristics and common uses of different foams in model making.
| Material | Key Characteristics | Common Model Making Uses |
|---|---|---|
| XPS Styrofoam | Denser, smooth, closed-cell, less crumbly, moisture-resistant. | Architectural models, detailed terrain, dioramas, carving, base structures. |
| Polystyrene Foam | Expanded beads, extremely lightweight, affordable, can be crumbly. | Bulk shaping, terrain building, basic models, void-fill, insulation. |
| EVA Craft Foam | Highly flexible, bendable, heat-mouldable, lightweight. | Cosplay armour, prop making, padding, complex 3D forms, costumes. |
| Foam Board | Polystyrene foam core with paper/card facings, lightweight, rigid, flat. | Architectural models, presentation boards, lightweight structures, baseboards. |
| KAPA Foamboard | Premium polyurethane foam core, superior flatness & stability, clean cuts. | Professional architectural models, exhibition displays, high-precision finishing. |
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XPS Styrofoam
Characteristics:
- Material: Extruded Polystyrene.
- Texture & Consistency: Denser and smoother than EPS, with a closed-cell structure (no visible beads). This makes it less crumbly when cut.
- Resistance: More resistant to moisture and less prone to crumbling than EPS. Like EPS, it can be dissolved by certain solvents.
- Colours: Commonly found in distinctive colours such as dark grey or dark blue, often indicating its use as an insulation board.
- Highly valued for architectural models, detailed terrain, dioramas, and carving projects where a smooth finish and structural integrity are desired.
- Its consistent density allows for more precise cutting and finer detail than EPS.
- Good for creating durable base structures that require less surface finishing than EPS.
- Often available as insulation boards from building suppliers, as well as in smaller sheets for craft and modelling.
Product Options
Polystyrene Foam
Characteristics:
- Material: Expanded Polystyrene.
- Texture & Consistency: Made of numerous small, fused plastic beads. Can be somewhat crumbly when cut or sanded, producing tiny static foam balls.
- Weight: Extremely lightweight due to its high air content.
- Resistance: Not resistant to solvents found in many glues and paints (e.g., aerosol spray paints, contact cements, some plastic glues) which will dissolve it.
- Primarily used for bulk shaping, basic architectural models, terrain building in wargaming, and as void-fill or insulation.
- Excellent for roughing out large forms that will then be covered with other materials (e.g., plaster, fabric).
- Its affordability makes it suitable for large-scale, less detailed projects or prototypes.
- Widely available in various thicknesses and block sizes, often from construction or craft suppliers.
Product Options
EVA Craft Foam
Characteristics:
- Material: Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate.
- Texture & Consistency: Flexible, bendable foam.
- Workability: Heat-mouldable for custom shapes. Very easy to cut, shape, and glue.
- Properties: Available in low and high density. Highly flexible and lightweight.
- Highly versatile material for cosplayers and prop makers.
- Ideal for cosplay armour, prop making, padding, complex 3D forms, and costumes.
Product Options
Foam Board & KAPA Foamboard
Foamboard, or foam core board, typically consists of a lightweight polystyrene foam core sandwiched between two sheets of paper or card. This construction provides excellent rigidity and flatness for its weight. KAPA Foamboard is a premium brand of foamboard, often distinguished by its higher quality polyurethane foam core and superior finishes.
Standard Foamboard
Characteristics:- Material: Polystyrene foam core with paper or card facings.
- Texture & Consistency: Smooth, flat surface. The core can be easily compressed or dinged if not handled carefully.
- Workability: Very easy to cut with a craft knife, providing clean edges. Takes glue and paint well.
KAPA Foamboard
Characteristics:- Material: Polyurethane foam core with chromo substitute cardboard facings, providing superior flatness and stability.
- Texture & Consistency: Very smooth, non-porous surfaces. Known for exceptional rigidity and resistance to warping.
- Workability: Allows for extremely clean and precise cuts without crumbling. Preferred for complex architectural details.
- A highly versatile material for architectural model making, presentation boards, prototyping, and creating temporary or lightweight structures.
- Ideal for walls, floors, roofs, and massing models due to its ease of cutting and assembly.
- KAPA variants are highly favoured in professional architectural model making, exhibition displays, and high-quality presentations where precision and a flawless finish are paramount.
