5mm Foamex Boards and Signs: Sizes, Uses, Fixing and Artwork

Foamex is a rigid PVC foam board: a solid, light sheet with a smooth, flat face that prints colours and photos sharply. Our foamex boards are 5mm thick, printed in full colour on one side in A3, A2, A1 or A0, from a single board, starting at £26 for 1. They are made for indoor signs and displays, such as reception signs, exhibition boards, menus and easel boards, and cope with short spells outdoors.

What 5mm foamex is

Foamex is the common name for foamed PVC sheet. Unlike correx, which has hollow flutes inside, foamex is solid all the way through, so the edges are clean and the surface stays flat. At 5mm it is stiff enough to stand on an easel or lean on a shelf, yet light enough to hang from a hook or carry to an exhibition. It can be cut, drilled and screwed.

What foamex signs are used for

• Reception, office and wall signs: a company name, a room sign or a welcome board.
• Exhibition and trade show boards: panels on a stand wall or on an easel beside a roller banner.
• Shop, point-of-sale and window displays: price boards, offers and product displays.
• Menus and price lists: read close up, where the smooth surface shows small text and photos well.
• Easel and presentation boards: welcome signs, seating plans and project boards.
• Event, wedding and welcome signs: indoors at a venue.

Our page on event and exhibition printing shows how foamex fits alongside banners, posters and correx at an event.

Which size to choose

Every size works portrait or landscape: turn the page. If you need a size we do not list, contact us for a quote. Before you order, mark the size out on the wall with masking tape and look at it from where people will stand.

Foamex or a poster, correx or aluminium

• Foamex or a poster: a poster is paper (170gsm silk as standard) and needs a frame, clips or a wall to hold it. A foamex board stands up by itself on an easel and does not curl, so it suits signs that are moved or reused.
• Foamex or correx: correx is fluted plastic for temporary signs outdoors; it is lighter and costs less. Foamex has a smoother, flatter face for indoor signs seen close up.
• Foamex or aluminium composite: for a sign that stays outside for good, choose aluminium composite. Foamex left outside for months, especially in strong sun, can bow or warp, and the colours fade sooner.

Our guide to correx vs foamex vs aluminium signs compares all three in one table, and our signage page lists every sign we print.

Setting up foamex artwork

1. Build the page at the artwork size with 5mm bleed on every edge: 604 x 851mm for A1. Our free foamex board templates are set up for each size.
2. Run background colours and pictures out to the edge of the page.
3. Keep text, logos and phone numbers at least 10mm inside the trim, the safe area, and further in where you will drill or screw through the board.
4. Use images of at least 100dpi at full size. Foamex is often read close up, so 150 to 300dpi looks noticeably sharper on photos. Our glossary explains dpi.
5. Supply logos and text as vector artwork, and export a PDF in CMYK with fonts embedded or outlined.

At 150dpi, a photo filling an A1 board with bleed needs about 3567 x 5026 pixels; at 300dpi, about 7134 x 10051. A picture saved from a website will be far too small. Our artwork guidelines list every rule, and a free automatic check looks at size, bleed, colour mode, resolution and fonts when you upload (what we check).

Fixing a foamex board

Boards come with square corners and without holes, so you choose where the fixings go.

Drill holes in the margin outside the 10mm safe area so they miss your text, and do not overtighten screws.

Prices, VAT and delivery

A single A3 foamex board costs £26, one A1 board £34 and one A0 board £66, printed on one side. These are our current prices, including VAT at 20%: foamex boards are signs, so they are standard-rated (VAT on printing). Delivery is free to UK mainland addresses, and the foamex boards page shows the dispatch time for your options and the price for 2, 5 or 10 boards.

Questions

What is foamex? Foamex is the common name for rigid PVC foam board: a solid sheet of foamed PVC, light but stiff, with a smooth, flat surface. Ours is 5mm thick. It is easy to cut, drill and fix, which makes it a favourite for indoor signs, exhibition boards and displays.

What sizes do your foamex boards come in? A3 (297 x 420mm), A2 (420 x 594mm), A1 (594 x 841mm) and A0 (841 x 1189mm), portrait or landscape. With 5mm bleed on every edge, the artwork sizes are 307 x 430mm, 430 x 604mm, 604 x 851mm and 851 x 1199mm. For another size, contact us for a quote.

Is 5mm foamex strong enough to stand on an easel? Yes. A 5mm board is stiff enough to stand on an easel or lean on a shelf without bending, which is why it is used for welcome signs, seating plans and presentation boards. A0 is the largest size we print.

Can foamex boards go outside? For a short time. Foamex is water-resistant and copes with rain for an event or a few weeks. Left outside for months, especially in strong sun, it can bow or warp and the colours fade sooner. For a permanent outdoor sign choose aluminium composite; for a cheap temporary one, correx.

How do I hang a foamex sign without drilling? Use double-sided sticky pads or hook-and-loop tape on a clean, dry, smooth wall. Both leave no holes in the board, and hook-and-loop lets you take the sign down and swap it. For a more permanent fix, drill and screw it to the wall with stand-offs or washers.

Can I print foamex on both sides? Our foamex boards are printed on one side. For a sign seen from both sides, such as a hanging sign, contact us before you order and we will see what we can do.

What resolution do I need for a foamex board? At least 100dpi at the full board size. Foamex is often read close up, so 150 to 300dpi looks sharper for photos. At 150dpi an A1 board with bleed needs about 3567 x 5026 pixels. Logos and text are best as vector shapes, which stay sharp at any size.