What is Gator Board Vs. Foam Board or Core

What It Is:

Put simply, foam board printing is the application of printing on a foam board, similar to the type of board you remember using for high school or college presentations. The foam board is just that, a semi gloss exterior with a foam center. You probably encounter more of these printings, in the form of signs, than you realize. Walking into a local business or convention hall, they are often used as name plates to direct foot traffic to the correct business. They can be informative and detailed or a way to get your business’ name into the view of passersby! If you’ve ever driven down a street and seen someone holding and twirling a sign to promote a local business, foam board printing may have been their secret weapon!

Foam Board Printing is a frequently used application to display photos, fonts, trademarks, words, and more. Name your desired images, content, or information and we can create marketable professional eye candy. Foam Board is lightweight and durable due to its foam core. Images and content printed on foam board are lasting and resistant to sun exposure and here at Foam Core Print they are easily customized.

Choosing foam board printing (also known as foam core board) is a high quality, yet economical and efficient choice for your printing projects. It is the most preferred choice for mounting prints, artwork, and photographs as well as being the backing found in picture frames. Printing on foam board allows you to mount your images on sturdy, museum-quality material. The final product is highly resistant to damage such as denting of crushing. The choice of board thickness typically range from 1/8" to 3/16", but 1/2" options or greater are available as necessary for larger displays, depending on the service provider.

Foam board is made of 3 layers of lightweight yet sturdy materials that are easily cut and folded to be formed into practically any shape. The inner layer is composed of resilient polyurethane foam or polystyrene, and the outer two layers are formed of either a white clay coated paper, natural brown Kraft paper or cotton archival paper. The surface of the standard foam board is slightly acidic like most other types of paper. However, archival paper types (neutral, acid-free) are also available which have been buffeted by an alkali reserve. These are a preferable choice for most modern printing projects because of the level of permanence in the imaging.

When you choose poster board printing using foam core, you are ensuring that you will have a streamlined, vibrant display for your photos or artwork. The colors of the image stay vibrant much longer when mounted on foam core because, during the laminate process, foam core printing creates a moisture barrier that is crucial in preventing bowing and warping - the two fundamental problems arising during other mounting procedures. Foam board printing is highly preferable over other mounting or framing options, which are not only more expensive but provide lower quality material and image quality. Almost any size you could require is easily available for mounting your images using foam board and can be ordered online with ease. Besides image mounting, foam core printing is often used in the creation of architectural models, prototypes of small objects, and patterns for casting. Foam core is often used by professionals to create scale model displays and dioramas of the scenery for video games. As a result of its image quality, sturdiness, reliability, and inexpensive cost, foam board (aka foam core) printing is undeniably the best choice to use for your project.

Yes! Gator Board Printing is another option. Though Gator Board Printing is the use of a display board which also contains a foam board, the difference is in the strength and durability. Gator board is foam between wood fiber and a melamine veneer. This is a personal choice taking into account your budget and the strength of materials needed for your signage or project. Though they are very similar, the gator board has a far more rigid surface which is superior at resisting moisture. This can be helpful for individuals or businesses looking for more permanent signage. Gator board is also purchased unprinted, as a working surface for builders using stucco or clay. Though gator board is more durable, both signs are roughly the same in weight.