Green vs. Pink Foam

Hey George,

It's funny you posted this. Yesterday I was watching an N Scale guy on YouTube. He was building a small extension to his layout and used the green stuff. He discussed how it was no different from the more common pink foam but that it was simply a different manufacturer. 

He is actually modeling a foam manufacturer on his layout. This does not mean he is an expert on the subject but I thought it was worth sharing. I personally, have never used the green material.

Not sure if this helps but there you go...lol.

Dave

luvindemtrains posted:

Hey George,

It's funny you posted this. Yesterday I was watching an N Scale guy on YouTube. He was building a small extension to his layout and used the green stuff. He discussed how it was no different from the more common pink foam but that it was simply a different manufacturer. 

He is actually modeling a foam manufacturer on his layout. This does not mean he is an expert on the subject but I thought it was worth sharing. I personally, have never used the green material.

Not sure if this helps but there you go...lol.

Dave

 

 

Thanks Dave!  That does help me greatly.

George

Pink and blue are essentially interchangeable. Not so sure about green.

All of it is the same,  some may have a plastic film coating.

Green comes in 4X8 sheets as opposed to the2X8 pink.

jmiller320 posted:

All of it is the same,  some may have a plastic film coating.

 

Generally the thinner sheets of foam will have a plastic film covering, to help avoid breaking the sheet during transportation.  You can simply peel the plastic off whenever you want.

Pink and blue foams are basically the same thing, just two different colors by two different manufacturers.  Unless another manufacturer has recently stepped in with a green-colored extruded polystyrene sheet, normally the green foam is a somewhat different product.  Like the various green foam shapes one can buy in craft departments at various stores for making floral arrangements with artificial flowers.

I've never used the green stuff for scenery building, although I suppose you could if so desired.  It may have some disadvantages that I'm not aware of. 

The pink and blue foams are a denser foam and used in construction. I don't know about the green sheets. Pink is sold at Home Depot and the blue at Lowes.

Dick

I have used both the pink and the green in 2" thickness and I have noticed no differences between them in any way.

Mixed Freight posted:

jmiller320 posted:

All of it is the same,  some may have a plastic film coating.

 

Generally the thinner sheets of foam will have a plastic film covering, to help avoid breaking the sheet during transportation.  You can simply peel the plastic off whenever you want.

Pink and blue foams are basically the same thing, just two different colors by two different manufacturers.  Unless another manufacturer has recently stepped in with a green-colored extruded polystyrene sheet, normally the green foam is a somewhat different product.  Like the various green foam shapes one can buy in craft departments at various stores for making floral arrangements with artificial flowers.

I've never used the green stuff for scenery building, although I suppose you could if so desired.  It may have some disadvantages that I'm not aware of. 

The Green for flowers is much more porous to easily insert the "stem" portion.

The Lowes Green extruded insulation I've had is just like the Pinkish Owens or the Blue Dow brands.

I think what is going on, as Mixed Freight suggests, is that there may be more than one kind of green foam. Traditional green foam that florists use is a unique product and lacks the "sculpting" ability of blue and pink. But, it is quite possible that somebody has started producing construction foam in green. I haven't seen it, though.

Avanti posted:

I think what is going on, as Mixed Freight suggests, is that there may be more than one kind of green foam. Traditional green foam that florists use is a unique product and lacks the "sculpting" ability of blue and pink. But, it is quite possible that somebody has started producing construction foam in green. I haven't seen it, though.

Not sure about the "pink", but the blue-green at Lowes comes in different thicknesses, which may be helpful.

I found the 1" thick to be best all-around for my layout. It provides decent sound insulation for my Fastrack; a good base on which to paint and add ground cover; is thick enough to plant trees and other scenery; and is not so thick as to require extra long drill bits for installing wire.

I bought a sheet of the green Lowes 2-inch thick green insulation foam that BobbyD pictured above a few years ago.  It has a slightly different texture than the pink and blue foam, but I think it works out just about the same.   

Good evening George, I use the green foam for scenery and making retaining walls.

What I like about the green is when it comes time to paint or weather the green color is not as hard to cover as the pink with paint.

I attached a couple of photo's of retaining walls I made out of 1" thick green foam.

It is amazing how tight of a bend you can put in the foam before it actually snaps.

Good luck have fun !!!!!!

The walls look great, Mark!

I've always used the 1" Dow Blue product.  Dow once marketed the product as a Styrofoam insulation product.  I'll be ready for a new batch soon to put against the wall on the long side of the '25 table length that's rest flush against the wall to create a removable base for the scenery backdrop.   I like the density of the Blue, and the ease of making smooth cuts with a retired electric kitchen knife...easy to shape the product as needed.

I'm sure the OC Pink product is readily comparable.  I'm not familiar with the green...although it probably boils down to your color preference and cost

I recently used the one inch green foam from Lowes. The green is their own brand, a bit cheaper than the blue or pink, at least here. Same product, Lowe's color! Works great, medium brown latex covers very well, one coat! If that helps!

Mark Boyce posted:

I bought a sheet of the green Lowes 2-inch thick green insulation foam that BobbyD pictured above a few years ago.  It has a slightly different texture than the pink and blue foam, but I think it works out just about the same.   

Thanks for pointing that out, Mark & BobbyD.  I haven't bought or paid attention to foam for several years now, as I have a small stash of the pink stuff at home that I can pull from whenever I need some foam.

I'll have to go to my local Lowes and check that green stuff out (provided they have some).  I can see "Extruded Polystyrene" noted on BoddyD's picture, which would indicate for all practical purposes that it should be basically the same stuff as the pink and blue foams. 

Buy the "blue stuff" and help support my dad's pension fund!!   Seriously,  as long as it's an extruded polystyrene as opposed to expanded polystyrene ( the white, flimsy ones), you should get the same results.

Rob

Rob, Excellent reason to choose blue!    I had never seen the green stuff until I saw that was all the local Lowes had.  I examined it thinking it was similar, but didn't buy that day.  I came back to the Forum and mentioned it in another topic.  Then I went out and bought it after some folks here said they didn't see much difference.  After several years, that is all the local Lowes has.  Of course their name is on it.  

I haven't gone through every post in this thread, but the foam you want, regardless of color, is (or should be) labeled: EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE. There are many types of foam sheeting material out there, but for most modeling purposes Extruded Polystyrene is the way to go, IF it is available in your area.

George,

Yes, to what Allan said, I just checked the green Lowes foam does have Extruded Polystyrene stamped right on it.  I'm guessing you are looking at it at the Cranberry Lowes.  That is what they have in Butler.