PVC Foam is perhaps one of the most widely used materials in the world thanks to its exceptional versatility. As a result, PVC foam was developed to meet the needs of countless application capabilities. But what is PVC foam, and how can it be used effectively in commercial and recreational projects?
What is PVC Foam?
PVC foam, also known as polyvinyl chloride foam, is a durable, closed cell, free foam PVC sheet material. This material is easy to work with, and can be easily sawed, die-cut, drilled, or bounded to meet the needs of numerous applications. PVC foam offers many advantages, such as superior impact resistance, high strength, great durability, low water absorption, high corrosion resistance, and fire resistance to name a few. These benefits provide the perfect material to withstand all types of indoor and outdoor conditions, including harsh weather. PVC foam is also a great alternative to other materials, such as wood or aluminum, and can often last 40 years without experiencing any damage. The price range of this material will vary compared to these traditional materials, but PVC Foam does not require the extra maintenance to keep the material in optimal condition.
What is Marine Grade PVC Foam?
The versatility of PVC Foam allows it to go beyond use in just land applications. Marine products have been a core offering at Piedmont Plastics since 1985. During that time, we became familiar with the needs of our marine customers, which led us to develop our own Piedmont Marine Grade® (PMG) line of products for a wide range of applications. This PMG line includes our marine grade foam PVC sheets Aqua-Plas® I Ultra, Aqua-Plas® III Ultra LG, and Aqua-Plas® IV. Additionally, we partner with Vycom to supply Seaboard® Endurabond™ to cover as much ground as possible in the marine market.
These marine grade PVC foam sheet materials offer numerous benefits. For example, these materials are environmentally friendly, offer superior impact strength, are lightweight, durable, can withstand moisture, and are resistant to rot, corrosion, splintering, warpage, and delaminating. All of these characteristics are why boat manufacturers love using marine grade foam PVC sheets for their builds.
Common Uses for PVC Foam
Signage made from PVC foam offers great value for a variety of sign applications. PVC foam sheet is durable and displays colors consistently, making it the perfect choice for directional signage, POS displays, display boards, menu boards, and real estate signs.
The Building and Construction market has also seen tremendous improvements with PVC foam applications. Architectural columns, decorative shutters, store fixtures, shower pans, furniture, outdoor kitchens, and other anti-microbial solutions are just a few examples; but the versatility of PVC foam allows builders, architects, and designers to get as creative as they want to with their designs.
Exhibit spaces have also benefited from PVC foam applications. Because PVC foam is lightweight and easy to work with, trade show booths, display cases, staging and event displays, and kiosks made from this material have become easier to install and use.
For marine market applications, marine grade PVC foam has been specifically designed to withstand harsh environments. Marine upholstery substrate, swim platforms, coring material for backing plates, and cup holders can all be made from this marine PVC foam and have seen excellent performance.
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At Piedmont Plastics, we offer a wide variety of performance plastic materials. Contact us to inquire about our various solutions or call us today to speak with an expert!