Styrofoam is a versatile material. It is used in construction (insulation), in the production (repair) of household electrical appliances, interior design, advertising. One of the main characteristics of the material is density. The higher this value, the stronger the material. However, this greatly affects the price.

When using the material as a filler for wall insulation, the loosest structure is usually chosen (due to low cost). However, loose foam is difficult to process - when cutting, it crumbles a lot, making it difficult to clean up debris.

A foam cutting knife should be thin and sharp, but this does not prevent the edge from breaking. Even if you work outdoors, flying small balls clog environment.

Therefore, professional builders cut the foam with nichrome wire or a hot plate. The material is fusible, despite the fire safety.

Important! When choosing a heater, pay attention to the characteristics. It should say "self-extinguishing". Such foam is perfectly cut with the help of temperature, but in case of fire it will not become a source of combustion..

An industrial foam cutting machine can process sheets of any size, cut material both across and along the array.

However, cutting foam at home does not involve such volumes and sizes. For repair work in your home (or garage), a compact thermal knife is quite enough. It can easily cope with both linear cutting and curly adjustment of plates, when laying in areas with complex shapes.


Any tool has a cost, and there is always an opportunity to save money on a purchase.

Do-it-yourself foam cutting tools

For linear cutting, the guillotine is excellent. Only the impact will not be mechanical, otherwise a lot of garbage will be formed. We use a proven technology - cutting foam plastic with a tension heated string.

Required Materials

• Nichrome (tungsten) thread
• Power supply, preferably adjustable
• Any structural materials: beam, metal profile, pipe, for the manufacture of a tension frame
• Furniture guides for drawers.

On a table, workbench, or other flat surface, we install vertical racks for attaching the guillotine. With the help of furniture guides, we fix the cutter frame so that it moves without distortions. Both sides must move synchronously.


The most critical part of the cutter is the wire mechanism. The first question is where to get the material. Nichrome can be purchased at stores selling radio components. But since we are striving for a shareware design, we will look for an alternative.

1. Old soldering iron. Models made in the USSR, designed for 36-40 volts, can be found in any home workshop. The heater winding is an excellent donor for a nichrome guillotine. True, the length of the wire is not more than a meter.
2. Iron with classic spiral heater. The wire is thicker, suitable for linear cutting. Curly cutting is acceptable, with low requirements for accuracy.
3. Spiral heaters from a hair dryer, or a fan heater. The principle is the same, they are not suitable for precise cutting.

note

Tip: When straightening the spiral, do not pull the wire along the spring. Loops may appear and the thread will break. It is better to unwind the turns as from a spool of thread. You can put a spiral on a nail or pencil, and pull the wire across the turns.

The principle of operation of the frame is shown in the diagram.

The wire cutter must be electrically isolated from the frame. Therefore, it can be made of metal. It is important to keep the tension on the wire constant. When heated, nichrome expands, adding up to 3% in length. This causes the string to sag.

Styrofoam boards are a thick and highly porous material, they consist of more than 95% air, and it is difficult to cut them if you are not used to them. How to cut foam depends on the type of cut, the availability of a tool and the amount of cutting work.

Ordinary polystyrene - terminology and material characteristics

In a broad sense, foam plastics are an extensive class of cellular (foamed) plastics based on polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, urea, phenol, and even formaldehyde. All these materials are united by a minimum density and an internal structure in the form of often located and small gas cavities. However, in practice, one has to deal with the only type of foam - low-pressure polystyrene foam, abbreviated PSV.

Only it has an affordable cost, all other cellular plastics in production are much more expensive and are rarely used in the construction and repair business. The international name for low pressure expanded polystyrene (PSV) is the trade name styrofoam, patented by the developer BASF back in the 50s of the XX century. Documentation for imported foam often uses the abbreviation EPS. For practical purposes, it is important to know that all these terms - styrofoam, PSV andEPS - denote an ordinary and well-known from childhood polystyrene foam.

The structure in the form of small gas pores and the significant dimensions of the plates determine the main operational advantages of the foam:

• Excellent thermal insulation from any side of the house. It is possible to perform, it is possible to carry out this procedure from the outside, it is possible to combine external and internal thermal insulation, and the cost of such a “double” protection will still be lower than the estimate for a newfangled roll insulator;
• Excellent acoustic protection of the premises. In fact, sound comfort is already achieved during thermal insulation work - if frost cannot penetrate the foam layer, then loud sounds are even more unable to do so;
• Environmental Safety. The foam is absolutely non-toxic, including on exposed cut lines and with prolonged use. Some varieties are allowed to come into contact with food, which is regulated by European quality standards (!). Moreover, polystyrene is safe during repairs; there is not the slightest need to try “by the tooth” the walls pasted over with it;
• High resistance to mold, dampness, microorganisms, fungi, algae and other unwanted companions of human life. In order to enhance the durability of such consumer qualities, do-it-yourself foam cutting must be done accurately and competently;
• Ease of installation due to miniature weight. This quality greatly simplifies the transportation and laying of foam, however, when working outdoors, you should pay attention to possible "wind difficulties" - even a slight breath of breeze will easily carry away the foam blank.

Of course, before any use of foam, you must consider possible complications. Firstly, this material is destroyed by exposure to most technical fluids - from acetone and gasoline to white spirit and enamel solvents. This destruction is intense even with the vaporous action of technical fluids on the foam.

Secondly, it is necessary to pay special attention to the expected operating temperature of the surface pasted over with foam. Already at +50 ˚C - +60 ˚C, some types of foam boards begin to crumble, their internal bubbles combine into extensive gaps and cavities. Painting surfaces insulated with foam plastic must be thought out in advance, otherwise the thermal comfort of the entire room will suffer from toxic nitro paint.

To repair kitchens, saunas and brightly lit facades, foam plastic should be used with great care - high temperatures destroy it.

Areas of application for foam...

… are not limited to the construction and repair direction. Foam boards and sheets are widely used in the following areas of human activity:

• In medicine - cases for equipment, packaging for glass and sharp objects;
• In the organization of active leisure - inserts in life jackets, the contents of buoys, floats;
• In the repair of refrigeration and climate equipment;
• In shipbuilding, as an unsinkable compartment filler on small vessels (boats, boats);
• For design purposes, in construction and modeling.

So, not only for or thermal protection of walls, the question of how to cut polystyrene is relevant. You can make a boat model from it, build a protection for the refrigeration circuit in an air conditioner, or make a decorative figurine of a unique design. The light weight and affordability of the material should not be misleading about the simplicity of its machining - foam cutting has a number of its secrets and tricks.

How to cut foam at home - simple and effective ways

Cutting small pieces of foam (for modeling-construction) is done with a well-sharpened knife with a rubber tip on the tip. It is advisable to secure the workpiece in a vise or other auxiliary device. The fact is that it is easy for a steel blade to slip off a small part, and there is a chance of cutting yourself. All movements when cutting small foam blanks should be directed “away from you” and to the side.

For particularly precise cutting of foam elements, you can use a soldering iron with a special nozzle-knife. With light movements of the heated blade, the material is given the necessary shape of an arbitrary type. You should be careful about the danger of getting hot drops of plastic on your hands or other parts of the body. If it is necessary to cut sheet foam, with precise fitting of parts for continuous installation, the following techniques are used:

• For sheets up to 40 mm thick - an ordinary shoe knife with a wide blade and a blunt point. Before work, the blade is sharpened, and in general the sharpener must be kept at hand - every 1.5-2 meters the knife will have to be corrected again. The work will be accompanied by a characteristic "squeal" of the foam being cut, so it does not hurt to stock up earplugs or headphones. Knife cutting is good for fitting the sheet to a specific mounting dimension, for example when installing the final strips of thermal insulation;
• Hacksaw, but with fine teeth, suitable for sheets of thickness< 80 мм. Чем меньше величина зубцов, тем точнее и ровнее будет срез. При резке с помощью ножовки прикладывается гораздо меньшее усилие, чем при использовании самого острого ножа, да и вероятность травматизма куда меньше. Способ актуален при необходимости длинных, прямолинейных разрезов однотипного характера;
• Hot wire cutting is the best and most productive way to cut foam. Unfortunately, it assumes a stationary location of the cutting tool, but it has no equal in terms of speed and accuracy of cutting.

We need a long knitting needle, nichrome wire, a 12-24 volt step-down transformer, an adjustable rheostat and electrical wires of sufficient cross section. Electrical components are assembled in a serial circuit, the knitting needle is fixed on the layout, a nichrome thread is pulled between its ends. When a small current is applied, nichrome heats up and easily cuts the foam of arbitrary thickness.

An additional advantage of nichrome cutting is that with it the "bubbles" of the foam structure are re-soldered. Thus, the thermal insulation qualities of cut blanks are not inferior to factory sheets; when processed with a hacksaw or a knife, such a property is unattainable.

Many people wonder how to cut foam at home. After all, it is one of the most popular and sought-after materials in construction, characterized by many positive qualities and advantages. Styrofoam is designed for sound and heat insulation of residential premises. It is very easy to use, available at every hardware store, and the cost is very low. The only difficulty can be caused by the process of cutting foam boards without crumbling.

Ordinary polystyrene - the advantages of the material

Styrofoam or expanded polystyrene is a white material, consisting of almost 95 percent air. It belongs to the category of environmentally friendly materials, therefore it is not hazardous to health. Styrofoam is used to produce a huge number of a wide variety of products, including food packaging.

Different sizes of plates, as well as a structure in the form of small gas pores, determine the main positive properties of expanded polystyrene:

• High level of thermal insulation both from the inside and from the outside of the house. If you have learned how to cut foam at home, you can install double thermal insulation. Moreover, the cost of materials in any case will be much lower than that of other modern insulators that perform similar functions.
• Excellent acoustic isolation of rooms. This will be very useful in modern apartments, in which sound insulation is almost completely absent. Styrofoam is perfect for protecting yourself from noisy neighbors. And, of course, the neighbors will also not hear if you treat yourself to your favorite music at high volume.
• Ease of installation and installation due to low weight. Sheets of huge sizes weigh so little that even a child can handle them. The only thing you should pay attention to is the wind when performing outdoor finishing work. Even a slight breeze can break your blanks, so working with foam is not recommended in windy weather.
• Environmental Safety. The material does not pose any danger to humans, since it does not emit toxic gases and waste. The production of expanded polystyrene is carried out in accordance with all European norms and standards, so certain types of it can come into contact with food products.
• High resistance to the negative effects of fungi, bacteria, microorganisms, dampness, mold. Outdoor operation for a long time will not cause any changes in consumer products, it will still be reliable and durable.

Before cutting the foam, you should be reminded of some rules for handling it. Thus, the vast majority of technical fluids cause irreparable damage to the material. IN Therefore, it is necessary to limit it from direct contact with solvents, gasolines, acetones and other similar liquids. Even pairs of the latter cause irreversible destruction, which will definitely manifest itself over time.

Another important factor is temperature. In the case of the use of polystyrene foam on surfaces with temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius, certain problems may arise. For example, the material begins to crumble and break even from simple touches. Therefore, its installation, for example, next to stoves, should be avoided.

Applications - where foam is used

Due to the large number of advantages, this material has found the widest application, and not only in the construction industry. So, foam sheets can be used in such areas as:

1. 1. Medicine - here polystyrene foam is indispensable as a packaging for sharp and glass objects, as well as a case for equipment.
2. 2. Organization of outdoor activities - if you cut the foam into sheets of the required size, it can be inserted into floats, life jackets and even buoys.
3. 3. Design - specialists use the material to model and design various objects.
4. 4. Shipbuilding - here foam plastic sheets have found application as an unsinkable filler for cargo compartments on boats, boats and other small vessels.

Thus, cutting polystyrene at home is relevant not only for performing construction work on soundproofing an apartment. So, having mastered this art to a sufficient extent, you can make an unusual decorative figurine, build a model of a boat, and even independently reproduce the protection of the refrigeration circuit located in the air conditioner.

Processing foam without crumbling - simple and effective methods

The peculiarity of cutting polystyrene is that the material is very light and brittle; if handled incorrectly, it begins to crumble and break. Some rules should be observed when working with foam boards. For cutting, you can use many different devices, including a soldering iron, a sharply sharpened knife, a grinder, and even nichrome wire.

Mechanical processing of expanded polystyrene, despite all its advantages, can cause some difficulties, especially for inexperienced beginners. If you do not know how to cut the foam so that it does not crumble, then first of all take care of purchasing a sharp knife with a rubber nozzle. When working, it should be remembered that the blade can very easily slip off the surface of the material, so you need to work very carefully and carefully, performing all movements exclusively “to the side” and “away from you”.

There are several main tools for the mechanical processing of expanded polystyrene:

• In some cases, the most common shoe knife will do. But only in cases where it is required to cut foam up to 40 mm thick. Having sharpened the knife sharply, you should not hide the sharpener far away, because every one and a half to two meters you will need to sharpen the blade again. It is recommended to wear headphones or insert earplugs into your ears, since the cutting process is accompanied by a not very pleasant "squeal" of the foam.
• The next tool that will do a great job with Styrofoam is a wood saw. With a hacksaw, we cut boards up to 80 mm thick. It is recommended to buy a tool with thin small teeth, in which case the cut will be smoother and more accurate. The main advantage of a hacksaw over a knife is the minimal risk of injuring yourself. Yes, and the forces to apply during the work will require significantly less.
• A jigsaw is also great for cutting foam at home. The process moves as quickly and simply as possible, all actions are performed very clearly and accurately, the likelihood of injuring yourself is reduced to almost a minimum. In addition, the jigsaw belongs to the category of common and popular tools; the real owner simply must have this tool at his disposal.
• Also often use a tool such as a grinder. If you need to cut the foam as quickly and without crumbling as possible, try to purchase the thinnest diamond blades. The cost of these discs is somewhat higher compared to others, but the result is 100 percent worth the investment.

Non-traditional cutting method - nichrome thread

All the methods presented above allow us to process polystyrene foam exclusively in a straight, even line. In situations where you want to make an unusual figure, a semicircle or a zigzag, you can use non-traditional methods. For example, nichrome thread. With its help, you will learn how to cut foam so that it does not crumble, with minimal time and physical costs.

First you need to do some preparatory work to assemble the necessary equipment. So, you should take care of the presence of a small spring, a 24-volt transformer and nichrome wire. The working surface of the table is set at an angle of 20 to 60 degrees. We stretch the wire across the table. We fix the ends of the wire on each side of the table with a spring.

After that, we attach the wires coming from the transformer to the wire. When current is applied to the transformer, the nichrome filament heats up, as can be seen from its appearance. We just have to put a sheet of any thickness in accordance with the pre-applied markings. Under its own weight and due to the inclined surface, the styrofoam will slide down and cut through at the same time.

No garbage, everything happens very quickly and without unnecessary gestures. The only difficulty is the assembly of the necessary equipment, since not everyone has transformers.

Thus, there is nothing super complicated about how and how to cut the foam at home. Even with a regular knife, you can perform all the necessary operations. If you purchase better equipment, then the processing process will take a minimum of time, without additional effort, noise and debris.

Expanded polystyrene refers to affordable and easy-to-install types of insulating building materials, the only technology requirement is the selection of the correct sheet thickness and adhesive composition. When processing and cutting it into pieces, it should be taken into account that the foam crumbles a lot, the use of the wrong tool or sawing too fast leads to crumbled edges and excess waste. There are several ways to cut plates, the choice of the desired option depends on the amount of work, the thickness of the sheet, the complexity of the required workpiece. At home, tools such as: a clerical knife, a saw with fine teeth, a hacksaw are most often used to create complex shapes, or in case of frequent need, it is better to buy or make a foam plastic thermal cutter yourself (hot wire serves as a working surface).

Slab cutting methods

The use of electrical appliances is allowed, but only if the disk of the grinder or the nozzle of the jigsaw is sufficiently thin. The use of tools with fast rotating cutting surfaces results in coloring and chipping of the foam sheet and jagged edges, this method is not suitable when precision workpieces are required, but is addressed when working with thick slabs. The simplest option is to cut with a regular paper knife with new non-blunt blades. Despite the fact that the whole process is done by hand, this method is valued for its simplicity, economy, minimization of waste and acceptable cut quality (the sharper the blade, the better it will turn out). The only limitation is the thickness of the expanded polystyrene - a clerical knife is not suitable for cutting plates over 40-50 mm.

Thicker and harder foam is cut:

1. A hacksaw for metal or wood with very fine teeth (no more than 80 mm).

2. With an ordinary knife: sharply sharpened and slightly heated.

3. Soldering iron with a thin long nozzle (the method is well suited for obtaining a single neat cut).

4. Homemade or factory wire cutter connected to a transformer.

The answer to the question, the better to cut polystyrene foam, depends on the amount of work and effort. Manual cutting of slabs is the cheapest, but it is inconvenient to constantly change the blades (every 1.5-2 m) with a time limit. Optimal results are observed when using wire devices: for a home-made device, it is stretched on a wooden mount between two screws. A transformer is connected to the nichrome filament, its parameters are selected in such a way that the polymer material does not burn. It is safest to make the device stationary: the wire is stretched across an angled board, and the foam sheet is cut as it goes down. The main advantage of this method is to obtain a high-quality and sealed cut, the internal structure remains intact, while taking a minimum of effort.

A professional tool with a similar principle of operation includes a thermal cutter, it is used when it is necessary to cut polystyrene foam at home. He, like homemade, has a glowing wire stretched between two arcs connected to a mini-transformer. The difference lies in the precisely matched power of the device and in the convenience of the handle, the body rotates in any direction and is fixed. As a result, the thermal cutter allows you to quickly cut foam plates on your own, regardless of their thickness or density, into workpieces of any complexity.

It is noticed that heating the blades helps to get a more even and smooth cut, also the thinner the cutting plane, the better. Not the last role is played by the pressure exerted on the pressed plates: so that the foam does not crumble, it is cut smoothly, at a uniform speed. If the use of an electric jigsaw or grinder is inevitable (a large amount of work in the absence of a thermal cutter), then it is worth practicing and choosing the optimal mode for rotating the disk or applying effort. But still, the best results are observed with devices with a wire that passes 12 V and with a current regulator (to avoid overheating, leading to melting of the edges of the polystyrene foam). The decisive role in choosing how to cut the foam is played by the thickness of the plates, if it is higher than 80 mm, then a knife or saw is not suitable (it is almost impossible to get a high-quality cut).

Marking should not be neglected, especially when cutting complex shapes; for this purpose, a regular pencil and ruler are used. Basic security measures are taken:

1. When using hot wire or soldering iron, avoid molten spatter.

2. When cutting foam boards with a knife, the movement is directed away from you and to the side.

3. Large volumes of foam should be cut in a well-ventilated area, the material is not dangerous to humans, but when heated from friction or contact with the tool, an unpleasant odor is felt.

4. To protect against sharp squeaks, earplugs or headphones are worn.

During construction and finishing work, the question often arises of how to cut the foam and do it so that the material does not crumble.

For these purposes, special tools and techniques are used, which are selected depending on the size of the foam plate.

In certain situations, it is very important to achieve a precise cut. These tasks must be approached in a balanced and consistent manner.

Styrofoam properties

This material, unique in its properties, consists of 95% air. Due to this structure, the specific gravity of the foam is very low.

If necessary, cutting the material can be done with your own hands with any sharp and hard object.

Polyfoam has the following properties:

• light weight;
• low thermal conductivity;
• affordable cost.

Its use can significantly reduce the cost of building an object. It is important to emphasize that the material does not rot and is not affected by microorganisms.

Possesses high sound-proof characteristics. Most often used as a heat insulator.

Possessing a wide range positive properties, the foam has some disadvantages. The first thing that experts note is that the material is not resistant to open fire.

In such a situation, toxic compounds are released into the atmosphere, which are very harmful to the human body.

Another property that is among the negatives is that the foam attracts mice.

These rodents make holes in the foam mass at high speed. To prevent such contacts, the foam should be securely isolated from external influences.

Tools and fixtures

Currently, foam is widely used in various industries and construction. Its unique properties make it possible to create airtight devices for long-term storage of products.

Home craftsmen make such chests with their own hands. In the construction of residential buildings, foam plates are used as heat and sound insulation.

The material is very well suited for packaging complex and fragile instruments that are being prepared for transportation.

During use, standard foam boards have to be cut to specific dimensions and patterns. To do this, you can use a homemade machine or get by with improvised tools.

wallpaper knife

Everyday practice shows that cutting foam at home does not cause any particular difficulties for the master.

When the operation needs to be performed once or a couple of times, then you should not strain - just take a clerical knife with interchangeable blades and cut the sheet into the given pieces. Blades must be sharp. In this case, there is almost no waste.

In this way, cutting a sheet up to 5 mm thick is easily and quickly performed. If this value is greater, then you have to use a machine or other device.

Otherwise, it is very difficult to achieve evenness of the cut. This creates a lot of waste and dust.

When there was no wallpaper knife at hand, it is not forbidden to cut the slab with a hacksaw. The work can be done in a short time with your own hands.

If the saw has a large tooth, then there will be a lot of sawdust, and the cut surface will be rough. To avoid this result, it is advisable to find a saw with a fine tooth.

You can use a metal cutting blade. In this case, the foam almost does not crumble, but fine dust is formed.

The cutting tool when working with foam is selected depending on the tasks and on the production conditions. As a rule, foam boards are cut on the balcony or in the bathroom.

Cutting with an electric jigsaw

If the house has an electric jigsaw, then it can be used in case of urgent need for cutting. Depending on the model, the length of the jigsaw reaches 10 cm.

From this condition follows a simple conclusion that the thickness of the foam sheet should not exceed this value.

When starting cutting with a jigsaw, one must be prepared for the fact that the smoothness of the cut will be worse than when working with a knife. The volume of garbage will also increase.

The main advantage of cutting with a jigsaw is that the master does not have to exert physical effort. However, to perform a better cut, you can use other tools.

Design

As a rule, cutting foam at home is done in small volumes. You can cut several sheets of material with your own hands using steel wire.

To do this, you do not have to design a home-made apparatus, it will be enough to invite an assistant. Handles must be securely attached to a piece of steel wire with a diameter of 0.5 mm on both sides.

After that, with this tool, you just need to cut the foam sheet according to the markings applied in advance. In the process of sawing, the wire heats up and melts the edges of the plate. As a result, the edge is smooth and hard, and there is no debris.

Hot string cutting

When repairing an old apartment or finishing a new one, you have to cut the foam in large volumes. In such situations, working with a wallpaper knife or an electric jigsaw is irrational.

Currently, the foam cutting machine is on sale. The master has the opportunity to choose the best option in accordance with their considerations.

Scheme of a foam cutter: 1 - nichrome wire (a spiral from an electric stove), 2 - a screw with a nut and a washer, 3 - a handle (textolite S 4 mm), 4 - an electric cord, 5 - a plug, 6 - a rubber or vinyl chloride tube.

It is important to emphasize that the main working body of the machine is nichrome wire, which is heated under the influence of electric current.

Numerous expert reviews confirm that at the moment a homemade hot wire machine is best suited for cutting foam.

To assemble the machine, you will need the following items:

• step-down transformer with an output voltage of 12 - 24 V;
• nichrome or fechral wire;
• rheostat.

To connect the machine to the network, in addition to this list, you will need a copper wire. Experts know that the wire should not be heated to a high temperature.

In this case, the foam will melt intensively, and the cut will be uneven. It is enough that the wire turns slightly red.

cutting technology

Before cutting the foam, you need to prepare the workplace. First of all, it is checked whether the machine is working.

The next step is to ensure sufficient illumination of the work area and ventilation that does not cause drafts.

Then comes the turn to mark up the sheet. Marking is mandatory, otherwise the cut is likely to be oblique - practice has repeatedly proven this.

For marking, a simple, sharply sharpened pencil and ruler are used. The lines on the surface of the sheet must be of contrast so that they can be seen through the glasses of goggles.

Marking when cutting polystyrene can be omitted in one case - when sheets are prepared for thermal insulation of walls and roofs.

Since the amount of sheet foam for these purposes is always large, cutting is done either with a grinder or with a circular saw.

Both methods involve the use of a hard pattern. A machine with nichrome wire is simply inappropriate here.

The reason is simple - there are no high requirements for the quality of the edges during the construction process. The main thing is that the formatted foam sheet is inserted into the crate cell.

Companies that specialize in the production of foam are always ready to advise interested parties on how to cut this material.

In the last decade, foam plastic has been widely used in object modeling and interior design.

You can cut out shaped figures from polystyrene with a special knife with a heated blade. The device of such a knife is similar to the design of a soldering iron.

This cutting tool is most often used by interior designers and fashion artists.