Foam board or foam core is an excellent material when you want to mount photos, displays, posters or the like. As mentioned in our article “What is Foam Board” you do have to be careful if you’re planning to archive photos on foam board, since some types may degrade photographs over time. Some people do have trouble or find it inconvenient to work with the materials that will attach photos, drawings and artwork to the board, which is why many people love self-adhesive foam board.
Self-adhesive foam board takes the guesswork out of how much or what type of materials to use to attach your art to the board. It is sold with the adhesive part covered in paper. When the paper of the foam board is peeled back, you can press your photos and artwork onto the board for excellent results. Most of the adhesives used are pH-neutral, though you should definitely make sure the type you are buying advertises this fact. This means adhesives used won’t degrade your photographs.
The other thing you’ll note with this type of foam board is that it is pressure activated. Things won’t stick to the uncovered foam unless you press them into the board. Normally you can take your time repositioning things you’d like to attach, but you should do it fairly immediately. Most types of self-adhesive foam board will let you attach and reattach but the adhesive will dry within about 24 hours and will no longer be active.
If you’re using foam board for things like construction, you probably don’t need self-adhesive foam board. It is more expensive because you are paying for board and adhesive. Really it’s best use is for mounting art, but here you can find so many things to do with it. You might create a collage of your child’s best school art projects for the year or suitably frame pictures, or your latest sketches.
If you plan a lot of projects with self-adhesive foam board, you might consider purchasing sheets of it in bulk, since this is often less expensive, especially if ordered online. Still prices will vary greatly, and buying in bulk means getting boards that are all the same size. You can cut larger sizes down fairly easily, especially if you leave the paper over the adhesive.