Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Is there any difference in terms of terrain building between these two types of foam?

1) Adhesives

2) Cutting

3) Paint

 

?

insulation foam is much more stable, the flower foam usually crushes easily and is very crumbly. Not sure how it is for painting, never got that far in using it.

-Hans

There are two types of green foam at flower shops.  My wife does arrangements so we have both around the house. 

• The fine-grained one crumbles horribly and gets dust on everything. 
• The more open type has too many nooks and crannies to make proper terrain. 

If you must use something other than insulation foam, I'd go with the white stuff.  It is light and can be made into decent terrain using copious ammounts of 50/50 water/white glue to seal it. 

Either way, a bread knife or a sharp razor work well.  For detailing and thin pieces a hot wire cutter works well.

 

I would strongly reccomend against "flower foam" The stuff is so fragile that it will crumble when you look at it.

Won't glue/random objects strengthen the flower foam?

Oh, it's the white flower foam, if that makes any difference.

Oh, i'm sure you could make the flower foams work. But from my experience, the insulation foam is just dramatically better all around.

Like reckless said, the fine grain flower foam is far too easy to damage. We're talking that you will make dimples in it with your fingers, no matter how gentle you are. This stuff is usually dark green/grey.

The white stuff, which is the more open cell foam, is much stronger. But you're going to get an absurdly unuseable surface, kinda like when you split a thomas english muffin in half. It doesn't hold any kind of adhesive very well, and just sucks all around.

Thanks for that information, Hans. I'll keep it in mind when I give it a go.

Insulation foam is where it's at.