Foamcore

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Foamcore or Foamboard is a very strong, lightweight and easily cut material useful for backing, mounting photographic prints, framing, 3D design and painting. It consists of three layers — an inner layer of polystyrene clad with outer facing of either a white claycoated paper or brown Kraft paper.

The original white foamcore board was made in 1/8 inch (3 mm) and 3/16 inch (5 mm) thicknesses for the graphic arts industry by Monsanto Company under the trade name Fome-Cor. Monsanto sold the business to International Paper in 1993, and the business is currently operated by Alcan Composites. The surface of the regular board is slightly acidic. For archival photo purposes Alcan produces a neutral, acid-free version. Similar products are now available from competitors in a wide range of sizes and thicknesses.

Foam cored materials are available with a cladding of solid styrene and other rigid plastic sheeting, some with a textured finish.

This material does not hold up well to some glues, such as superglue, and certain types of paint. The foam tends to melt away and dissolve. While Elmer's White glue works well in casual settings, the water in the glue can warp the fibers in the outer layers. Best results are typically obtained from the higher-end spray adhesives like 3M's Super 77. In situations where a craft store is either not nearby or closed, a hot glue gun can be used as a substitute, although the low viscosity of hot glues can show up in finished projects with board warp, bubbles, or other unsightly blemishes. Now on the market are self adhesive foam boards, and while this looks like a perfect idea for mounting, it is in fact very very tricky to get right, this is because the glue sets too fast. It will be cheaper to buy plain foam board and then repositionable spray mount as you will not make as many mistakes.

Foamcore is commonly used to produce architectural models, prototype small objects and produce patterns for casting. Scenery for scale model displays and dioramas and games such as Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game and Void^{[citation needed]} is often produced by hobbyists from foamcore. It's also often used by photographers as a reflector and in the design industry to mount presentations of new products.