# Balsa Foam??



## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

Hi all - im wondering is there any alternative to using Balsa Foam??.. in the UK if you can get some a decent size sheet costs a small fortune!... i was thinking along the lines of the 'green' stuff flower arangers use??.. or will i just have to dig into my pockets?


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## otto (Jan 1, 1970)

I love Balsa foam, I hate the price, but the stuff carves great! I like to harden it with a mix of half water and half wood glue after carving.


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## PRE-SCENES 2 (Aug 16, 2005)

Ian,
I was wondering the same thing but found an aternative...sort of?! On another forum the question was asked about blue or pink foam insulation and how to seal it after it being carved/sculpted. It ws introduced to me there, a product called "*Aqua Resin*". It is non toxic and was designed to adhere to foam. I'm not sure what product you have over there that is equivalent but big sheets of it here is around $8 (USD) for a 1 inch thick by 4 foot by 8 foot piece. You might need to Web search "*Aqua Resin*" and find out if it serves you in the UK and if it is within reason to purchase. I believe it is a fairly new product worth checking out.


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## Chinxy (May 23, 2003)

Guys! I Love the stuff! And a few years ago one of the craft stores went out of business and had it on sell. A $1 for each block so I bought 15 blocks and still have some blocks in my closet. I carve them for what ever I want to make like stones and walls! Then I put Mod Poge Matte-Mat which I can buy at Michaels for about $3. When it dries it get very hard. And can paint over it very well. So that's my 2 cents on the stuff! Ian - it great stuff!:thumbsup:

Chinxy!:dude:


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## Mark McGovern (Apr 25, 1999)

Aaah, I just use Styrofoam. Latex house paint primer seals it and provides a surface to which anything will stick. I texture the foam with Durham's, plaster of Paris, Celluclay, whatever will give me the texture and strength I need. These materials can be mixed and matched; once dry they can be further detailed with Dremel and other tools. And all this stuff is *cheap*.

Balsa foam? Bah! Humbug!


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## Night-Owl (Mar 17, 2000)

Yeah it's pricey but it's great stuff! Chinxy; someone besides me that uses Mod Poge to seal foam, cool. Cheaper than resin and works better than gesso IMHO. I get my balsa foam from Dick Blick, nobody local carries it.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/balsa-foam-ii/


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## gaz91 (Nov 26, 2007)

Ian, ive had good results from using florists foam the green one, u just have to give it a couple of coats of white craft.
Heres a couple of pics, the backgrounds are all made of florists foam


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## btbrush (Sep 20, 2010)

I bought my urethane foam (that's what it is) from Jiffy Foam many years ago. Don't know if they're still around but had really good prices. I use Envirotex two-part epoxy to seal after I've carved and fit and added all the texture. Dries rock hard, paint with anything. I pant the epoxy on with acid brushes cuz you can't use them again. I'll do some research and see if I can find some foam. I've only got a couple sheets left and want to do a diorama base for my Three Stooges.
Bruce


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## IanWilkinson (Apr 23, 2010)

gaz91 said:


> Ian, ive had good results from using florists foam the green one, u just have to give it a couple of coats of white craft.
> Heres a couple of pics, the backgrounds are all made of florists foam


Excellent use of the 'Green foam' from the florists!.. i never knew it could be used to sutch great effect!.. by White Craft, do you mean White PVA glue??


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## gaz91 (Nov 26, 2007)

that's right ian pva glue:thumbsup:


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