What is Foam Core?
Foam core or foamcore is a type of backing material that is lightweight and commonly used in mounting pictures or as backing for paintings and picture frames. It is commonly made up of three layers, with polystyrene or Styrofoam forming the inner layer. The outer layers meanwhile are usually made with paper-based materials to form some kind of board, which make some people call this material as “foam board”.

Since foam cores or foam boards are very lightweight, they are said to be suited for use as backing for large paintings or pictures. It is sturdy enough to support pictures and paintings, but is still light enough for practicality.

The first foam cores were said to be used for the graphic arts industry in 1957. During that time, the brand name was “Fome-Cor” and was available only in 3mm and 5mm thickness variants. Today, there are now several thickness variants of foam cores usually ranging from 1/16 inch to 1/2 inch. Most foam cores available are in white color, but there are some manufacturers who produce black foam cores or foam boards.

But aside from its common use on picture frames and paintings, foam cores or foam boards are also widely used in science and school projects. Foam cores are available in large sheets, allowing for users to customize big designs and shapes. It can also be easily cut using cutters or razor-type knives. Many students have also taken advantage of this material in making cut-outs of various shapes and sizes for several school projects. Designers and architects also use foam cores in making scale models or miniature representations of design projects like buildings, houses, and cars. Some photographers also use foam cores as light reflectors during photo shoots. In offices, foam cores may also be used as bulletin boards since its surface can be pierced with pushpins to put up notices and other art materials.

Foam cores or foam boards now come in various sizes and thickness variants. Many are also available in stores at specific sizes for retail use at home, at school, or at the office.