foam in australia

[keitaro]

So I went to the hardware store on sunday and built my table now. (1500mm x 1000mm) 

 

However I could not get foam from the hardware store as they only held large 2.5" thick insulation foam in massive bulk packs.

 

I only want around 1 - 2 cm thick.

 

Anyone in Australia have any other ideas I looked at clarkes rubber but it does not look good for use in modeling.

 

I did find an arts store doing sheets for $29.99 but i'd need 3 to cover the board.

 

My jaw almost dropped off when I saw the price....

[keitaro]

never mind found a place online 1 hours drive but $12 for a 1200 x 600 sheet 20mm should be good

[Bernard]

Now I'm curious, what do they use for insulating homes in Australia?

Foam board is a very popular way of insulating homes in the US and most lumber yards or building suppliers carry it. This is an example of what it looks like:

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Insulation/Owens-Corning/h_d1/N-5yc1vZasbsZ3q5/R-100320343/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

[keitaro]

it was like that but much much thicker. i looked at their site but could not find a link to it

[westfalen]

never mind found a place online 1 hours drive but $12 for a 1200 x 600 sheet 20mm should be good

J & J Hobbies here in Brisbane got some from somewhere a few years ago and was selling it for about $24/sheet so I grabbed a few while I could. It's very hard to find here in Australia, hardware stores haven't got a clue what you're talking about, especially up here in Queensland where we have about two weeks of winter that's more like other places summer anyway.

[Bernard]

 

It's very hard to find here in Australia, hardware stores haven't got a clue what you're talking about, especially up here in Queensland where we have about two weeks of winter that's more like other places summer anyway.

 

That explains why it's hard to find (I had a feeling it was because of the seasons)

When I was buying foam board I originally was going to go with 1" thickness until another modeler convinced me to go 2". He explained that you can really make a nice river, lake, quarry, etc, by carving the pattern into the foam, and a bridge looks great with that depth.

[cteno4]

Keitaro,

 

you might try companies that install walk in commercial refrigerators and freezers as they use this stuff for insulation. its the place a few folks have to go in warmer climates here in the us to find the stuff. some places may not have a mechanism to sell you any (ie they dont have any resale book keeping set up), but might let you have scrap from jobs, but that wont help if you need a whole sheet...

 

if it is used in houses there then you may have to go to a contractors supply place. might also ask a few contractors. Even in our big home supply shops (like lowes and home depot) dont carry it as a standard product in all stores or at all times. Folks here in the US also cruise building sites and ask contractors if they can grab scrap foam from the dumpster and usually they are fine with this, great solution. contractor might sell you a few sheets under the table as well...

 

cheers

 

jeff