BLOG – FOAM CRAFT

Foam is all around us. There are countless products made of foam,
specifically Styrofoam (also known as EPS or Expanded Polystyrene)
from the crown moldings in your home to the exhibit you just saw in
the museum or the cool sign on the store you just shopped at.
But why would a fabricator choose to use foam when clearly he has
other choices of materials, such as metals, aluminum, plastics, PVCs
Acrylics or wood.
Dimensional lettering can be used as directional and architectural
signage, attached to a building, office entrances or on walls for
branding a message. Fabricator and sign shops have been using
various materials to create dimensional letters, logo and signs for retail
stores, companies, stages, weddings, trade shows, conventions and for
any event. But imagine making letters from metal to go on a stage.
Metals and wood are considerably heavy and are inconvenient for
transportation and for handling when moved from one place to
another. Wood can yield a great finish look, yet is heavy as well and
takes a great amount of time to work with. And plastics and PVCs are
not an easy material to shape and machine.

Therefore, more and more fabricators are now using foam, which is a
lightweight substance as a source for creating large dimensional
letters.
There are many ways in which the dimensional letters can be created.
They can be left as raw white material if called for. They can be
covered in matte, semi-gloss or gloss finish. The letters can be painted
with specialty paintings to resemble wood, or with Faux bronze like
paint to add a metal look. They can be laminated, covered in vinyl, in
fabric or even be illuminated in the back to add a light effect to them.
Acrylic can be laminated in the front of the letters to match a specific
logo color or to make a sign look colorful. Looks like acrylic cut letters
have become one of the most popular choices for indoor sign letters.
A block of EPS foam is typically 4 by 4 by 8 feet. Therefore, the most
convenient size to create the project is up to 4 feet. However, there is
no size limit while creating and fabricating letters. If they need to be
larger they can be made in sections and glued together, and while
sanding the glued pieces, the seam is almost completely eliminated.
The letters are cut using a CNC hot wire foam cutter. The foam is used
to add dimension to the letters.
Foam letters are a great option for instance, if you want depth on a
lobby wall sign.
They are actually 2D that can resemble a 3D project.
By giving it enough thickness they can be “stand alone” letters on a
stage. For instance, a 4 feet letter should be made at a minimum of 8
inches thick to be able to stand on its own.
Styrofoam has become a product used in every aspect of daily life.
From industrial to residential applications, Styrofoam blocks can be
used for any product or project. Styrofoam comes from a form of
polystyrene. Manufacturers can shape and mold the blocks to fit the
packaging requirements of many products and items, no matter the
size or shape. Another application for these blocks appears in
theatrical displays, where artists sculpt Styrofoam blocks into a variety
of shapes and sizes. Styrofoam works well for this application because
it is lighter than other products.
The foam can be cut fairly fast. A few single strokes of the hot wire
melting into the material can create a letter in no time. Another
advantage to the foam substrate is that it is easy to cut, mold, shape,
carve and sand to a smoother finish.
Round letters can be made flat at the bottom to be able to hold their
own.
Dimensional letters will help a company attract customers and be
more attractive.
Yes, there are certainly a lot of choices out there and it can be
confusing at times trying to sort them out. I would say that if you are
budget conscious, but still want a quality looking sign, then foam
letters and logos are one of your best options.Dimensional foam signs,
logos and lettering are a great way to enhance the character and
depth of your message or logo and to build recognition to your brand.