Foam boards are a great material that can help you transform an interior space into a nice looking art gallery.
If you’re looking to get your foam board mounts done yourself, you’ll need to make sure you get the right type of glue as not all glues play nicely with foam boards.
So what is the best glue for mounting pictures on foam boards? Construction adhesives, spray adhesives, wood glues, and hot glues are usually best for foam boards. Water-based glues, however, can cause the boards to warp. Other glues may interact poorly with the foam and dissolve it.
We’ve put together a list of our picks for the top 5 foam board glues you can purchase today. Before we get to the reviews, though, let us learn more about foam boards and what they’re used for.
What is a Foam Board?
A foam board, or a foam core board, is a lightweight, strong, material that is commonly used for mounting prints and photographs.
It is also used as backing in picture frames. Foam boards can be easily cut with a picture framing mat cutter or a sharp craft knife. Thus, they can be easily transformed into shapes that are ideal for architectural and interior design models.
Foam boards consist of an inner layer of polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam that is covered on both sides with an outer layer of matte paper. The matte paper could be brown craft paper, cotton archival paper, or a white clay coated paper.
Foam boards are very lightweight due to their foam core.
The Top 5 Best Glues For Foam Boards
When it comes to glues, foam boards can be very picky. Some glues can interact with the foam and cause it to dissolve. Some water-based glues also don’t work very well with foam board mountings as they can cause the outer layers to warp.
If you’re looking for glues that are suitable for foam board mounting, you should check out construction adhesives, spray adhesives, wood glues, or hot glues. And if you’re looking for glues to add glitter to your foam creations, we’ve got another article for you on the best spray glues for glitter.
Here are some of the best products we’ve found that you can purchase today:
| Rank | Product | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Gorilla Original Waterproof Polyurethane Glue | Expands into materials to form strong bond |
| 2. | Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue Max | Non-toxic and heat-resistant |
| 3. | 3M Fastbond Contact Adhesive 30NF | High-strength temperature resistant bond |
| 4. | Loctite VOC Latex Construction Adhesive | Made for bonding to foam board |
| 5. | Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive | Durable, professional level adhesive |
Let’s take a closer look at them, shall we?
1. Gorilla Original Waterproof Polyurethane Glue
The Gorilla Original Waterproof Polyurethane Glue is a super strong, versatile glue product that you can use when mounting posters or pictures on foam boards.
The glue can be used to bond together a wide variety of materials including wood, stone, ceramic, foam, metal, and glass.
The Original Gorilla Glue product features a water activated polyurethane formula that produces an incredibly strong bond. It is completely waterproof when dry and doesn’t break down on exposure to outdoor elements. The glue can easily be applied on the surfaces of foam boards. It does not cause the foam to dissolve or result in warped layers.
The Gorilla Original Waterproof Polyurethane Glue can be obtained in different sizes ranging from a pack of 1 bottle to a pack of 12. The bottles contain 8 ounces of glue. This is one of the best glues that will suit your foam board mounting needs.
2. Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue Max
Another excellent product to consider is the Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue. This wood glue comes in very handy for foam board mounting. It is easy to apply on foam board surfaces and it creates a very strong bond.
The Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue comes in an 8-ounce bottle. It can easily be cleaned up with water when wet. It is mold, mildew, and heat resistant. The glue is also non-toxic and it works great for both indoor and outdoor applications.
The Elmer’s Carpenter’s Wood Glue comes in at a very affordable price while delivering a high quality experience. It has a lot of positive customer reviews and is certainly a great option if you need an affordable, reliable glue for foam boards.
3. 3M Fastbond Contact Adhesive 30NF
The 3M Fastbond Contact Adhesive 30NF product, also known as Green Glue, is a powerful water-based adhesive that produces super strong, high temperature resistant bonds on materials such as formed plastics, wood, plywood, canvas, and plastic laminate.
The 3M Fastbond Contact Adhesive 30NF offers a high immediate bonding strength and a long bonding range of up to 4 hours. The adhesive can be sprayed, brushed, or rolled on the surface of a foam board.
It has low VOC (volatile organic compounds) and is non-flammable when wet. Thus, it’s ideal for applications where non-flammability is critical. It’s also ideal for foam board mounting as the adhesive does not eat away at the foam.
The 3M Fastbond Contact Adhesive 30NF comes in a 1 quart (32-ounce) can. The product is well recommended and worth considering if you’re looking for the best adhesive for gluing foam boards.
4. Loctite PL 300 Foam Board VOC Latex Construction Adhesive
The Loctite PL 300 Foam Board VOC Latex Construction Adhesive is definitely one of the first products you should consider when shopping for a suitable construction adhesive for foam board mounting. The glue can be gotten in the 10-ounce size or the 28-ounce package.
This construction adhesive can be used to glue foam boards to photos and prints without any issues. It does not attack or burn the foam board.
The PL 300 VOC is specifically designed for bonding foam boards to themselves or to other materials such as wood, concrete, brick, fiberglass panels, and drywall. The product features a low VOC formula which adheres to State and Federal regulations.
The Loctite PL 300 Foam Board VOC Latex Construction Adhesive comes in at a very decent price and does its job decently as well. It has a good number of positive reviews from satisfied users and is from a reputable brand that produces high grade adhesives.
5. Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive
Another excellent construction adhesive you might want to get for your foam board mounting needs is the Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive.
This product, like the Loctite PL 300 is a multi-purpose, high-strength adhesive that is designed for bonding a wide variety of materials including foam boards.
The Liquid Nails adhesive can be used for other construction related applications such as plywood, particle board, cement board, tile board, ceiling tiles, and treated lumber, among others.
The glue is strong, and long lasting. It is GREENGUARD Gold Standard certified as a low-emitting material.
The Liquid Nails LN-903 product features two tubes containing adhesive and offers good bang for your buck. It has a high number of positive ratings and is recommended by most users who have tried it out.
Foam Board Mounting
Mounting foam board is the process of affixing a printed picture to a foam board for display. Foam boards are commonly used for this purpose because they’re affordable and durable.
Some foam boards feature self-adhesive coatings. Others require the use of glue or adhesive spray.
Foam board mounting is easy to carry out, especially if you’ve got steady hands. If you have a large print, though, you might want to seek the services of a professional. Employing the wrong materials and techniques may result in wrinkles, warping, and bubbles on the print.
If you’re looking to save some money on your interior decor, foam boards are the way to go. Since they’re lightweight, you can move them around easily and hang large pictures on the walls or even suspend them from the ceiling without any issues.
When choosing a foam board for mounting pictures, you’ll want to get an acid-free alpha cellulose clad board. These boards won’t leach acids onto your pictures and damage them as a result. They also tend to have a longer lifespan than foam boards with slightly acidic surfaces.
Photographs and posters mounted on foam boards will need to be kept away from moisture as foam boards are prone to water damage. It’s best to keep foam board mounted items indoors to avoid water damage. They should also be kept away from damp spaces such as the kitchen or the bathroom.
Foam Board Printing
Another way to display images or posters using foam boards is by printing the image directly onto the foam board. This process, known as foam board printing, involves the use of high quality printing machines. It has a couple of advantages over mounting images on foam boards.
For one thing, printing images directly on foam boards produces really vibrant images. You can cut up the artwork into smaller sections before displaying them.
You also get longer picture life and you can laminate the printed image. Doing this extends the life of the picture even more and protects it from harmful elements such as moisture. Laminating printed foam boards also helps to prevent the image from warping.
Up Next: How To Fix A Bad Crackle Paint Job
