# A Question On Foam



## jr747 (Feb 7, 2008)

For my indoor layout, I'm working on building a mountain. I want to use blue foam (I heard from somewhere that blue foam is better than pink but I don't know why). I live in Massachusetts and I've been to three Home Depot's and all I find is the pink stuff. They sell Owen Corning Extruded Polystyrene Insulation called Foamular 250 in 2 feet by 8 feet sheets that are 2" thick. It looks pink but it has a purplish tint to it which I think is strange. I don't know if it's just the exposure that makes it turn that way. Anyway, I can't find the blue foam sheets. Does anyone know where I can find it?


Thanks.


J.R.


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

I believe there is no difference between the two. It is pink or blue to differentiate it from white styrofoam.


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## Dave Ottney (Jan 2, 2008)

JR, 
Either foam will work fine for you. I use the blue stuff when building foam RC planes because it is less brittle than the pink stuff but for doing scenery again either one will. Lowes carries Dow blue insulation foam in various thicknesses. 
Just be sure to have a shop vac handy as you carve the stuff. Its all pretty messy. 
Dave


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

They are one in the same the pink and blue foam, the color difference is due to seperate manufacturers who want to differentiate their products from each other, go ahead and get the pinkie stuff, I have to use the 2" thick smurf stuff out here on the left coast, its great unless you are zip texturing your layout like I did when you go to paint it and then spend the next few days finding little spots of blue hidden in the cracks of your rock faces. The pink stuff blends into the landscape much easier. 

Ditto on the shop vac, it gets messy. I used a simple wire brush and sanding blocks to shape my foam into sandstone landscape forms, a drywall saw also works great. Do a small area, vacuum it up, do the next section. it goes VERY fast. If your doing hydrocal plaster over the foam then the foam just becomes the sub base. Have fun!


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## jr747 (Feb 7, 2008)

Thanks for all the comments! I have never worked with foam before but I know that there are video's on Youtube.


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

When I was into Lionel trains, in the basement, I used foam for scenery. I sculpted it with Laquer thinner. The laquer thinner eats the foam and the resulting surface resembles rock faces. Then I would take water based paints and water them down to make a wash. Brushed different colors on, let it dry, then plant trees and bushes, along with grass etc. My wife hated the oder when it would drift upstairs once in awhile. I didn't even notice it


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

i cut the foam with a knife and use a welding iron to melt it to the rough, rocky look. 
(beware, use a mask! that stuff stinks)


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Susie used to say "That's a boy house," or "girl house" based on whether they were using pink or blue foam.


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## Daniel Peck (Mar 31, 2009)

Here were I am out they make cast concret walls and let me have all the scape I can haul off from the building for free.... we used 4 truck loads for a school project last year.


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## jr747 (Feb 7, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. Since it doesn't matter, I'm using the pink stuff but I can't find the blue anyway. Now I'm trying to find sources on how to make realistic mountains out of it. Does anyone know of any good sources?


J.R.


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## SoCalStu (Dec 27, 2007)

Here's a video series (I believe about 8 in all) on constructing scenery with foam. It may not be to G scale but the technique is identical. Have fun! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1D4...re=related


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Dan, do you have any pictures of how the foam looks after the lacquer thinner? 

Thanks, Greg


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By SoCalStu on 13 Oct 2010 08:20 PM 
Here's a video series (I believe about 8 in all) on constructing scenery with foam. It may not be to G scale but the technique is identical. Have fun! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1D4...re=related


This was the primer I used, watch them all then get your tools and give it a whirl, I ended up only using a drywall knife to shape, a hard wire brush to 'carve' the sandstone rock texture, and a sanding block to smooth out . You may need more tools or less if you hardshell plaster over it.


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 13 Oct 2010 09:21 PM 
Dan, do you have any pictures of how the foam looks after the lacquer thinner? 

Thanks, Greg 



Wow, I've been away that long! Unfortunately I have no photos of my old Lionel layout. And the only video, VHS, was taped over by someone other than I, boy was I mad. The lacquer thinner leaves more of a cinder look. If you have ever seen some older parking lots or driveways, then you know what cinders are and what the surface of them looks like. However, with alittle practice, you can smooth out the crater like mountains.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, I'll definitely try it out as one of many techniques you can use. I'm also into Z scale, and I need techniques for forming foam scenery. 

Thanks, Greg


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