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Foam core / foam board / fome-cor 

Foam core boards are made with a polystyrene foam core and either a white clay coated, black or brown Kraft paper facing. The original white foam core board was produced for the graphic arts industry by Monsanto and was named Fome-Cor. Today there are several other competitors, as well as a generic version. The way the polystyrene bubbles are formed during manufacture allows the edges to stay sealed, or at least crimped, during die cutting. This creates a characteristic pillow effect. It also means that any accidental impressions or dents can permanently damage the foamboard. The foam center is not affected by moisture, but the surface paper is, and outdoor use as well as wet mounting can be a problem. The surface of foam boards will readily accept oil paints and acrylic paints, but the foam is sensitive to solvents, particularly those in lacquers and shellacs. Fome-Cor cuts easily with a razor blade, if the blade is sharp and without defects; if it is not, it can tear the foamboard instead of cutting it. My experience with this particular foamboard is that it behaves as if it had a grain and tends to cut well in only one direction. This board is commonly used in dry mounting and vacuum mounting, as well as in wet mounting when counter mounting is done.

There are three types of Fome-Cor: original foamboard, acid-free (ARCHIVAL) foamboard, and super thick foamboard. The original is made in two thicknesses, 1/8 and 3/16 inch, and four sizes, 20"X40", 32" x40", 40"X60", and 48"X96", of which the first two are most common. In the 3/16-inch thickness, there is a greater variety of available sizes, but only the first three are readily found. The surface pH is slightly acidic, 5.5 to 6.5, and it is for this reason Monsanto produces an acid-free Fome-Cor where the surface paper is buffered to a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. The printed literature for this board suggests that it is archival and may be used as a substitute for museum board. This seems questionable because, for example, the surface of this foamboard is made from a Kraft paper and not a purified cellulose, or cotton fiber. It is uncertain how much alkaline reserve the buffer can provide in neutralizing air pollutants and the natural formation of acid during the aging of Kraft paper. There are also questions about the permanency of polystyrene itself. This foamboard is obviously an improvement on the original; nevertheless I have reservations about its archival qualities. The acid-free foam core is produced in thicknesses of 1/8 and 3/16-inch, and sizes of 32"X40" and 40" x60". The super thin variety is identical to the original foamboard but is -1/8-thick instead of 3/16-inch. The available sizes are 30" x40", 32" x40", and 40" x 60".

Fire Resistant Foam Board InSite® Flame Resistant This foamboard is used in applications requiring additional fire safety. The board has paper liners that can be easily painted, screen printed, mounted or laminated. Insite Fr, is manufactured by Gilman Brothers which uses flame retardant additives in the foam center and in the paper facers. The polystyrene foam center is UL® classified, R4712N and the specially formulated flame resistant facers meet TAPPI T4610M-94 standards. 

Foam-X ® Board

Foam-X is produced by Primex Plastics Corporation. With all its similarities to Fome-Cor, it has some significant differences.  The formation of the foam bubbles and their higher density in this board allow for better retention of shape and minimize damage. This board is said to have "memory" because slight indentations tend to heal themselves. Consequently, in die-cutting the edges do not crimp or seal as they do with Fome-Cor. I have found that Foam-X does not have any directional cutting resistance and cuts well in all directions. It is manufactured in the same sizes as Fome-Cor and is also available in an acid-free version. This board is now produced with a UV inhibitor to reduce the possibility of ultraviolet light breaking down the foam. There are two thicknesses-0.125 inch, or '/e inch, and 0.210 inch, which is almost 1/4-inch thick and is thus often referred to as '/a-inch nominal. Primex prefers to use thousandths of an inch rather than fractions in referring to thickness. The surface pH is between 6.5 and 7.0 for the regular surface and 7.5 for the acid-free surface. Prime-Foam-X is a little more expensive than Fome-Cor.

Gatorfoam / GatorBoard

Gatorfoam has a foam center of Dow styrofoam polystyrene with a Luxcell veneer. The veneer is a multi layered, resin-impregnated, Kraft paper surface. Styrofoam is a much harder form of polystyrene foam and is much more durable, but does not have any better aging properties. The hardness of the core combined with the Luxcell veneer results in a board that can only be cut with a table saw, which significantly reduces its ease for use in picture framing and storage. The major advantage of Gatorfoam is its thickness, which ranges from 3/16 to 2 inches. 

Gatorfoam is manufactured by 3A composites with three surfaces, one white, one Black the other brown. The brown Kraft is better for receiving paint and for mounting. There are also two grades: Gatorfoam I is the standard, Gatorfoam II is a less expensive version with an expanded polystyrene foam center. This board is primarily used in model building and as a lightweight substitute for plywood.