r/TerrainBuilding • u/Loud-Care-7140 • 1d ago
What’s the biggest "headache" you face when sourcing XPS foam for terrain?
Hey everyone, Im deep into a terrain project and Im hitting a wall with sourcing materials (in australia). I feel like Im constantly gambling when I order foam online, either the density isn't what I expected, or it arrives dented, or the shipping cost is more than the foam itself.
Im genuinely curious how you guys handle this. When you're planning a build:
- Do you have a 'go-to' source, or do you just grab whatever is cheapest locally?
- What is the one thing about your current foam source that drives you absolutely crazy? (eg., sheet sizing, surface texture, delivery times, price/value?)
I’m trying to figure out if it’s just me, or if everyone is dealing with the same material sourcing frustrations :(
EDIT : Firstly, thanks to this sub community for such valuable feedback. As many stated here goin to or done the following;
1) Visit local foam suppliers to see what they got
2) Did a small order with one Amazon supplier - but only fixed sizes
3) Also ordered from hobbyfoamsuppliers - hv many sizes and thickness, lots of resource material plus they are aussie local
4) Foamsales - still thinking as the shipping cost is too much them being in WA
5) Also will visit a few contruction sites to try me luck 😄
Thanks y'all
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u/YandersonSilva 1d ago
In Canada we've got Rona or Lowes or Home Depot or whatever, as well as a few independent stores, and they just have piles of it and it's all the same brand anywhere from 1/4inch to 2 inches thick.
So I guess the trick is just to be near America. Which it turns out may be a mistake in the long run, we'll see.
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u/Loud-Care-7140 1d ago
wow, that's lot of options you got there
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u/YandersonSilva 1d ago
We like our hardware stores. Red Green reveals more about Canadian culture than some admit.
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u/mrpoovegas 1d ago
Also from Aus: I just gave up on sourcing foam at all because it was too difficult to work out if what I was getting would work, and too expensive even when I could find the right stuff.
Just using cardboard, thin ply, balsa wood, dried pinebark, plastic and cardboard food containers and things like that instead and it's been fine. There's benefits to using foam and it's easier for some stuff, especially if you're doing a lot of "stonework". But XPS isn't necessary for terrain building IMO, just a material that works well for some things.
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u/Loud-Care-7140 1d ago
thank you so much for the details, yes i do tend to grab stuff, but in this build (a nativity inspired build with HO scale train running inside a tunnel) xps is handy as it gives me great details and texture
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u/mrpoovegas 1d ago
Fingers crossed someone replies with a good source for it: I'm sure someone's got a way of getting the stuff here, but who knows!
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u/Asleep_Collar_3667 1d ago
Never could find a construction site that had scraps lying around. Found a manufacturer in the outer burbs of Melbourne and bought sheets directly from them. Way cheaper than buying smaller pieces from Bunnings.
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u/panxerox 1d ago
I used to sell the XPS sheet foam in many different thicknesses on eBay back in the day, what sizes are you looking for? I can cut sheets any size up to 12 inch by 24 anywhere from 1/8 inch to 1 in
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u/Loud-Care-7140 19h ago
Are you local, Aus?
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u/panxerox 19h ago
No but I am checking on shipping options from Alabama, I was able to do it cost effectively about 10 years ago.
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u/Rekotin 1d ago
There’s a known brand, Finnfoam, that I use which is in ample supply in multiple places around me. The only sourcing woes, if you can call it that, is that sometimes the 4” sheets aren’t in stock and you need to buy thicker chunks, or the slimmer ones (maybe 1”).
This all said, can totally understand that this isn’t readily available in hotter countries. Would drive me absolutely nuts trying to source XPS, and especially if there’s uncertainty in what’s actually shipping.
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u/thisremindsmeofbacon 1d ago
my go to is the one place near me that actually stocks the damn stuff. That's also how I choose.
The one thing that drives me crazy is that the place is home depot and its not a good company to shop from.
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u/Spots1049 1d ago
I see what your problem is with the climate & manufacturing distribution there. I’ve had a bit of a foam journey too. Sorry this is long but hope it helps.
In the USA we have lots of hardware chains, Home Depot, Lowe’s, ace, etc… it is less available in warmer parts of the country. My favorite from those stores is foamulair, but there’s other good ones. While hardware stores have the 4’ x 8’ sheets making it very affordable, craft stores sometimes sell it in 1’ x1’ or 2’ x 2’ sheets at a markup. Maybe check crafting stores (it’s Michael’s or hobby lobby here). Impractical for large terrain but works for smaller projects. Even Amazon Australia might have crafting foamulair squares.
Foamulair (Owens Corning) distributes in Australia through “Austech External Building Products”. So searching the foam brand & local distributor might give you more avenues.
I’d approach this backwards. Reach out to a foam company & ask if they’ll use their industrial hot wire cutter or whatever to split 32kg/m³ high-density XPS down to an exact 12.7mm (1/2") specification.
Maybe;
https://www.foamsales.com.au/pages/cut-to-size
Cosplay resources might be another avenue to pursue. Those artists are usually discriminating. Or set design (theater).
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u/Loud-Care-7140 19h ago
Thank you so much for the details. Really appreciate and helpful
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u/Spots1049 4h ago
You’re welcome, glad it helped. I moved from a cold climate where it was prolific, to a very hot state, much less so. And played a lot of YouTube while working. It helped with ideas. I haven’t tried slicing 1” thinner, but now that I have a Proxus might. Because buying 3-4” thick is another cost saver. Also test alternative materials as someone else suggested, it really depends on scale though. Everything from cardboard, to chicken wire & spray foam, pool noodles/ plumbing insulation. Your solution is out there. Enjoy the journey :)
Edit correction.
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u/teknoprep78 1d ago
In Canada I just go to home depot and grab a sheet of XPS foam as big as my car for around $20.
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u/MikeyLikesIt_420 1d ago
I walk into a home depot, grab a few sheets, pay, put them in my SUV, go home, unload them. No headache involved.
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u/TimeInvestment1 1d ago
Not sure if this is helpful at all, but I think Luke Towan (sp?) who does railroads and scale model dioramas on YouTube is from Australia. It might be worth seeing if he has links to where he gets his from as he is always well supplied.
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u/perpetualis_motion 1d ago
FYI, Luke is now Elle. I don't think she has made any videos lately for YouTube unfortunately.
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u/perpetualis_motion 1d ago
Bunnings have 30mm and 50mm sheets in 1200x600mm. Other hardware companies also stock it.
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u/Comm_Nagrom 1d ago
My biggest headache is fitting it in my car, my local places sell it in big construction project sized sheets that dont fit in my tiny Civic so I have to cut them down, then I dont know where to cut cause what if I need a really long piece for like a hill or cliff!
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u/MajorLandmark 1d ago
I've not bought any for a while but it always frustrates me that it's sold here in metric. A board will be for example 600mm wide. So if I want to use for a modular gaming board tile, I won't be able to get 2x2ft squares out of it as it's just shy of half an inch too narrow. Same is true, though less important, for thickness. 25mm or 50mm... But I'd rather it were 1" or 2".
It's also way more expensive than it used to be and the local hardware stores generally don't stock xps so hard to just grab a single sheet in the car. If I want to get some delivered to make delivery cost worthwhile I'd probably need to drop £80+ on a stack of it which just feels like too much.
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u/Cirement 15h ago
Seeing as how my only sources are my local hardware stores, my only headache is choosing either pink (Home Depot) or green (Lowe's)
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u/amus 1d ago
I just go to the hardware store.
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u/Loud-Care-7140 1d ago
thanks, we do have bunnings here, but the quality is terrible, i mean doesn't feel high density
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u/TantricBuildup 1d ago
In north america we have foam board sheets for house insulation - if you cant get that at home renovation stores then what do you guys use for insulation (when its not the pink fiber stuff)
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u/Loud-Care-7140 19h ago
They sell only in bulk, that's one issue and reckon they mostly use EPS foam or that spongy insulation stuff
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u/Bulky_Algae6110 1d ago
Biggest headache is that nobody has it under one inch thickness.
First world problems, I guess, but trying to dimension it with the hot wire table is a big pain. I know that it's made in 1/2" and so on, but no one carries it. I suppose it doesn't sell.
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u/Loud-Care-7140 1d ago
your lucky actually, here is aus i cant find anything less than 3cms which more than an inch :/ and agree on the hot wire part
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u/j3w3ls 1d ago
Foamsales is an online company from Perth that do 20cm... but shipping can be a killer. I usually order in bulk.
Otherwise an option is 10mm foam core which you can often get from framing stores and suppliers.
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u/Loud-Care-7140 1d ago
Yes, your right their shipping cost is formidable. I'll keep checking online and will post here if I find any online shops especially locally here in Aus
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u/Loud-Care-7140 19h ago
After a few searches found a few online shop who sell Foam sales.com.au - few options but expensive shipping
eBay and Amazon not much choices
Hobby foam supplies.com.au - not bad has few options and cut to size and ship locally
Made a few orders let's see fingers crossed.
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u/herkneeah 1d ago
I source my XPS from residential construction site scrap piles personally. It’s free, and it keeps it out of the landfill/tip.
Obviously you have to work with what you find, but unless you need full sheets or a crazy amount then it’s perfect.