Thread: Tombstone Foam Question

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Some types may very well be beaded. But I just took mine off my tub and it was something in between the beaded white stuff and the blue and pink polystyrene sheets. Very useable for tombstones.

I'm so glad you asked this question! I was just standing in front of the foam at Lowe's this evening trying to decide which thickness to go with. This will be my first tombstone-making experience so I'm afraid to spend a bunch of money just to screw it up. Ours has the blue foam and I can't decide between gluing two 1" pieces or just going with the 1.5 inch ones.

I found that over time even glued together sheets of the pink warp once you carved on one side. What I do now is make a wood frame from 2x3s, add a sheet of thin plywood or mdf board to that and trim to shape, then glue a thin sheet of pink to all sides. They come out very sturdy, they're not to heavy for storage, but enough that they also don't sway in the wind. You can carve on all sides, I use a wood burner on low, shape and weather them and you also do need to worry about the stakes breaking through and damaging the foam becuase you can drill two holes into the bottom piece of wood for the stakes to pass through.

Years ago, I bought 4" thick high-density foam at a construction supplies company (not a DIY store). Aparently, it is used under concrete slabs. They actually had even thicker than 4", but that was what I needed for my 2 projects at the time (tiki statues and tomb stones).

Originally Posted by Doc Doom

Where can you get the blue or pink stuff in Kaleefornia? All my local Central Valley Lowes and HDs carry only white.

That's because its so freakin hot in the Central Valley. If you are ever passing through the Silicon Valley, The Home Depot at The Great Mall in Milpitas has three thicknesses including 2".

Originally Posted by LV Scott T

Years ago, I bought 4" thick high-density foam at a construction supplies company (not a DIY store). Aparently, it is used under concrete slabs. They actually had even thicker than 4", but that was what I needed for my 2 projects at the time (tiki statues and tomb stones).

That is a find!! I buy mine in 3" thickness now because I love the look. My husband got some that size from a surfboard shop that he was doing plumbing at and it is very strong. I just drill up the bottom about 12 inches part with a paddle bit and slide PVC inside. Slip it over rebar pounded in the ground and they never even move. Even with the nasty Santa Ana winds.

Originally Posted by pandora

That is a find!! I buy mine in 3" thickness now because I love the look. My husband got some that size from a surfboard shop that he was doing plumbing at and it is very strong. I just drill up the bottom about 12 inches part with a paddle bit and slide PVC inside. Slip it over rebar pounded in the ground and they never even move. Even with the nasty Santa Ana winds.

That's exactly what I do. Haven't lost one yet (not to wind, anyway).