What Is Polystyrene Foam Board?
What Is Polystyrene Foam Board?
Polystyrene foam board (PSF) is a lightweight, waterproof and rigid plastic material that’s made out of polystyrene resins and water.
It’s often used for signs, labels and packaging because it’s inexpensive and easy to cut with a utility knife or electric saw.
It comes in several sizes and thicknesses, so there’s plenty of options for any project you have in mind.
Polystyrene foam board is a white plastic material that’s made out of polystyrene resins and water.
Polystyrene foam board is a white plastic material that’s made out of polystyrene resins and water. It’s rigid, lightweight, waterproof and comes in many sizes and thicknesses.
It can be used as insulation or as a support for artwork or photographs when framing them on a wall.
Polystyrene foam boards are also used to make custom signs because they’re easy to cut with scissors or an electric knife when you need to create letters or shapes that aren’t available in pre-made signs.
What Is Polystyrene Foam Used For?
Polystyrene foam boards are useful in many industries because they’re lightweight, waterproof and rigid. They can be used as a sound barrier or insulation board to reduce noise and heat transfer.
They’re also popular with artists who want to create three-dimensional artwork using Styrofoam molds or carving tools.
The material is easy to cut into shapes using a hot wire tool, which melts the polymer into whatever pattern you want it to take on.
Polystyrene foam is primarily utilized in construction, insulation, and packaging, resulting in its frequent use in items such as coolers and hot tub covers.
Additionally, due to its resistance to moisture, mildew, and rot, it is well-suited for applications in environments with water vapor present.
Is Polystyrene Foam Toxic?
Polystyrene foam has been extensively researched over the years to evaluate its safety. While large amounts of it may have some level of toxicity, the chemical compound styrene, which is present in trace amounts naturally and in food, is not harmful when used appropriately.
Polystyrene is considered safe by the FDA and is commonly used in food packaging.
How Is Polystyrene Foam Made?
Expanded polystyrene, also known as EPS, is created by heating pre-expanded polystyrene beads, aging them, and molding them into blocks.
This results in a strong, lightweight material with beneficial properties such as resistance to mold, bacteria, and mildew, lack of attraction to insects, and high thermal resistance.
The density of EPS blocks can be adjusted by controlling the expansion of the beads before molding.
Higher densities have better heat resistance, lower permeability, and can withstand more force before breaking.
EPS is commonly used in packaging, insulation, and as flotation material in marine applications.
Different densities are used for different purposes such as toys, arts, and crafts, hot tub covers, decorative foam signs, industrial insulation, and construction.
