Printing on Paper-Faced Foam Board (Fome-Cor)

Custom Printing on Paper-Faced Foam board (Fome-Cor)

Paper-faced foam board is a popular material used for indoor applications like posters, ads, hanging signs, header display graphics, exhibits, window signage, framing, 3-D displays, and even artwork.  Frequently referred to as Fome-Cor®, this material is an extremely lightweight, printable, and unique for its die-cut embossing characteristics.

Fome-Cor is an ideal substrate for short term and interior uses.  Retailers and brands choose to print their promotional materials on Fome-Cor because of its unique cutting capabilities allow 3D embossing effects when steel-rule die cut.

What is Paper-Faced Foam board (Fome-Cor)?

Paper-faced foam board consist of a polystyrene soft foam core, sandwiched between two paper facers on either side. The primary material used is extruded polyurethane or polystyrene foam, and the paper is most commonly a bright white double clay-coated for printability.

The foam inside is available in pillowing or non-pillowing variations depending on how the material will be used.  Pillowing foam will compress, creating an embossed closed edged look.  Non-pillowing Fome-Cor uses a memory-foam that resists taking new shape and tries to go back to its original shape.  Non-pillowing resists damage or impressions from die-cutting, dents, or vandalism.

Fome-Cor commonly comes in thicknesses of 3/16” but can also be obtained in 1/8 inch, 3/8 inch, and 1/2 inch options depending on need or size of the overall signage.  Boards become more rigid as thickness is increased.

Printing on Paper-Faced Foam board (Fome-Cor)

There are two main options for printing on rigid materials, which are UV Digital Inkjet printing and UV Screen Printing. UV inks are preferred industry wide simply because they are durable, cure instantly, and have good ink adhesion to a wide variety of surfaces including clay-coated Fome-Cor.

UV-based inks don’t emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), making them safe for people and the environment.  Using UV ink technology, NGS Printing can screen-print up to 6 colors featuring process colors or spot colors to match brand specific Pantones.  NGS Printing also offers 6-color digital inkjet printing which include CMYK + light magenta + light cyan for more accurate flesh tones and smooth transitions and spot colors that offer a smoother image up close.

Using screen or digital capabilities, NGS is also able to apply matte or clear gloss finishes and use specialty inks like glitter, opaque, metallic, and fluorescent colors.

Pillowing versus Non-Pillowing Foam Board

The extruded polystyrene foam sandwiched between the clay-coated paper facers is capable of compressing and either staying in that compressed state (Pillowing) or recovering to its original state (Non-Pillowing).

When pillowing Foam-Cor is steel-rule die-cut, the perimeter edges compress and create a closed seal edge along the perimeter of the cut shape.  The pillowing foam holds that new shape creating a 3-D embossed effect that is unique to pillowing paper-faced foam boards.

Non-pillowing foam board uses a memory-foam that resists taking new shape and tries to go back to its original state.  Because it wants to always resist compression, non-pillowing foam resists damage or impressions from die-cutting, dents, or vandalism.

Why Should You Use Paper-Faced Foam Board?

Retailers across the country prefer paper-faced foam board for printing because it is a lightweight rigid material that is safe for retail, and inexpensive to purchase that also has unique finishing characteristics.   While they aren’t especially durable, they are great options for short term signage.  They are also easy to cut into any shape and can be propped up and used as free-standing promotional materials.

Attributes of foam board:

Sturdy – Fome-Cor has good dimensional stability making this a great rigid self-standing alternative to Sintra, Coroplast, Ultraboard, or polystyrene where a short-term application life is expected.  Thicker materials are generally more sturdy and Fome-Cor is available from 1/8” to ½” thicknesses.

Affordable – Paper-faced foam board is a great balance of price and performance, providing you with rigid promotional material or signage that won’t break your budget.  The finished edges can look refined over fluted materials like Coroplast or cardboard.  Further, when bought in volume Fome-Cor is easy to die-cut reducing manufacturing costs further than some plastic alternatives that are only able to be router cut one at a time.

Light – even with thicker options, Fome-Cor is incredibly light and easy to move around, hang from ceilings, or mount on walls, or on shelves as a header.  The light and yet soft nature of the material makes this a great option for hanging above aisles in public spaces.

Easy to shape – Fome-Cor and other paper-based foam boards are soft and easy to cut to shape.  When purchased in volume, die-cutting is the best option to reduce finishing costs.  Fome-Cor is also able to be knife cut, punched, embossed, or digital die cut.  Ease of fabrication lowers the overall cost of the signage to the end user.

Embossing – Pinched edges only able to be done by steel rule die cutting the shape adds an effect unachievable by any other material.  Retailers looking for a high end look such as above a point-of-purchase display or as a hanging marquee in a store can add perceived value by getting a 3D effect to a traditional 2D signage world.

NGS Printing has been printing on paper-faced foam boards like Fome-Cor for over 60 years.  With the industry knowledge and experience developed over the years, along with using the latest un-rivaled printing technologies make NGS Printing a trusted partner to hundreds of retailers, brands, and POP display manufacturing companies around the country.

Why wait – stay ahead of the competition and consider NGS Printing for your next Fome-Cor project.