Foam differences


So I went to purchase my foam today (the blue 2" Squareboard stuff made by DOW), and one of the folks in the hobby shop told me that a "hardshell" is used with the foam. He defined hardshell as a thin layer of plaster or something similar. Do you all use a hardshell, or attach directly to the foam?

Thanks.
 
Hard shell has nothing to do with the use of foam. You can certainly use plaster to coat foam and make a hard shell cover for something like a mountain. You can also do the same thing with pieces of foam and latex caulk. The guy at the hobby shop may have been telling you how he used foam but it's certainly not a "part" of using foam.
 
The blue and pink foam can be used directly if you texture it 1st with a Sur-form, otherwise the surface is a bit too smooth. It often has a clear plastic film on one side, it peels off easily. I use Sculptamold over mine, a very thin coat mixed with "dirt" colored latex house paint gives me the texture I want. But the foam can be used without any cover at all if you wish.
 
The availability of foamboard must be a regional - geographic problem as here in the Milwaukee area that is the most popular item. Could be the weather extreems that call for foamboard over the beadboard? My entire N Scale layout is built using 2", 1" and 1/2" pinkboard. Great stuff to work with. Carves well with a 'bent' hacksaw blade, box opener, serrated steak knife (as the wife first!) etc. Got several large pcs from construction sites as 'scrap'. Elmers white glue does well for bonding pcs together. I use it to glue foam roadbed to the pinkboard then the track to the roadbed.
 
Scootermon said:
The availability of foamboard must be a regional - geographic problem as here in the Milwaukee area that is the most popular item. Could be the weather extreems that call for foamboard over the beadboard?
Click to expand...

You hit the nail on the head Scooter, thats exactly why the Blue/Pink foam is not easy to find out here in California, the climate is to moderate
 
Im not saying that insulation is not needed, Homes are usually built out here with the white foam "bead board" stuff. This is what i have been told by several contractors when i worked at Lowes. The white foam apparently provides less of a barrier then the blue/pink foam. Of coarse most homes still use rolled insulation, and the blown insulation made from recycled paper products is becoming more and more popular out here, as well as many other places in the US
 
im down in Chicagoland and all the homes use the pick and blue insulation. I used th 1" pink foam board and love it so easy to use and work with. Some homes had the white foam installed but I dont think it has as high of a insulation property as the pick and blue stuff?
 
Thanks for the tips. I figured that I'd be able to put the foam in place, paint it (latex or water based only), add scenery to it, and call it good. Since I'm not doing mountains or rocky terrain, I didn't think I'd need to add any plaster cloth for scenery or protection.
 
Thank you, Ken. I'll sculpt it some, but now I understand what you all are talking about. Back to the store for me.
 
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