Foamboards (table)

Description

Lightweight, laminated foam panels. Foamboards are typically made with expanded polymers (styrene, acrylic, polyethylene, polyurethane) between one or two outer layers of papers of paper, metal or plastic. The boards are rigid and can be fabricated or molded into various shapes. Foamboard belongs to the family of graphic artboards. It can be mounted, printed, and laminated. It’s used for different display purposes and comes in a variety of thicknesses, sizes, and densities. Acid-free foamboards are used for matting and mounting works of art.

Depending on the board, the outer cladding may be adhesive paper, cotton archival paper, white clay coated paper, or a common brown kraft paper. Specialized outer coatings are made with aluminum, polymer sheets and/or fire retardants

FOAMS/SUPPORTS	Polymer/foam type	Characteristics	Common Applications	Commercial examples	Working properties	Risks
Chloroprene	thermoset/ closed-cell	soft, flexible, form-fitting sponge rubber, with good thermal and moisture insulation. Resistant to sunlight and oxidation	sports gloves, insulated food holders, knee and elbow pads, joint filler	Neoprene
Ethylene vinyl acetate	thermoplastic/ closed-cell	frequently used foam sheet with a wide density range; provides good insulation, moisture resistance and can be heat formed; buoyant	packaging; shoes, underlayment, marine and sports products, construction, toys, mats	Evasote, Sponge Aero Rubber
Nylon	thermoplastic/ closed-cell	resistant to high temperatures; can be thermoformed; low weight, buoyancy; thermal and acoustical insulator; very durable	seals and gaskets, hard body armor padding, transmission seals, energy absorbing panels	Nomex; Viton; Zotek N		Very clean; can be used in direct contact with objects
Polyethylene	thermoplastic/ closed-cell	strong, resilient; shock-absorbing, good insulator, buoyant; water-resistant; can be heat sealed	cushioning, packaging, flotation devices; not as good for cushioning as PUR in crates, but can work around that by using things like springs for shock absorption	Ethafoam, Plastazote, Polyplank, Volara	Variations in thicknesses and texture, but generally stiffer than polyurethane	Highly inert but best not to use in direct contact with objects.
Polypropylene	thermoplastic/ closed-cell	Durable, non-dusting structural foam with very good cushioning properties; may have a longer lifetime than PE foams	shipping plants; lining boxes, flotation devices	Microfoam; Propafoam; Polypro
Polystyrene (XPS)	thermoset/ closed-cell	XPS is extruded polystyrene. It is rigid, thermal insulation, lightweight, moisture resistant; will not rot or mildew (non-biodegradable). Crumbles and produces puffed beads. XPS does not crush as easily eps	cups, food containers, egg cartons	Styrofoam; Foamular	Stiff enough to hold plywood; can be built into a structure that has wood elements
Polyurethane	thermoset/ open-cell	flexible, soft, good compression memory with uniform texture, burns easily;	cushioning in furniture, packaging; sound insulation; vibration dampening; most desirable properties are its sponginess and ability to be compressed; museum transport, perhaps not as widely used anymore; better for cushioning that the polyethylenes; widely used for crates, outer crates; used for carts, A frames	Polyurethane flexible foam wedges; Tempur-pedic	need to line it with something like Nomex; good for small cavities because it is so pliable it gives the cavity a spongy quality; possible to re-use it if its ok quality	not inert; deteriorates over time with the emission of volatiles; must be lined with something;
Polyvinyl chloride	closed-cell	flexible, durable, high density, resistant to water, oil and chemicals; produces noxious gases when hot	gaskets; weatherstripping; flooring, outdoor and marine applications	Sintra, Forex

Synonyms and Related Terms

cartón pluma (Esp.); plaque de plastique expensé (Fr.); foamboard; foam board; mounting board; cuchinging; packaging materials

Other Commercial Products: Foam Core; Artcare; Fome-Cor®; Gatorfoam®

Collection Risks

Foamboards vary widely in their potential for off-gassing hazardous materials and should be tested prior to use. Boards containing beaded polystyrene may release beads from cut edge.

Resources and Citations

• Wikipedia: Foam Accessed Dec 2023
• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
• Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Dictionary of Fiber & Textile Technology (older version called Man-made Fiber and Textile Dictionary, 1965), Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Charlotte NC, 1990
• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997
• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000
• Rachael Perkins Arenstein, Lisa Goldberg, and Eugenie Milroy, ‘Support and Rehousing for Collection Storage’ In ‘Preventive Conservation: Collection Storage’ Lisa Elkin and Christopher A. Norris (eds.), Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, New York. 2019.
• Pam Hatchfield, Pollutants in the Museum Environment, Archetype Press, London, 2002
• A Glossary of Paper Conservation Terms, Margaret Ellis (ed.), Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York City, 1998