Pmullen503 wrote:Sanding is a must. The hot wired surface of the foam does not give very good adhesion.
Also, the stamped lettering is often recessed enough that it may show through the covering. What I did was to use a hot iron and a wet towel to steam the lettering back to nearly level. Then I sand with 80 grit on a long flat board to make sure everything is level.
You don't have to sand all of the surface away but all the surface has to have scratches. Epoxy (or glue/paint)does not penetrate very far into the foam. You'll never get the kind of adhesion you get on wood. But there's so much surface area you don't need that much.
You will have to add recessed wood for any fasteners (think doors, windows, hinges or any interior things like shelving).
Appreciate the advice
I was planning on using wood inserts like you suggest, Originally I was planning on using plywood inserts that would be 2" thick, and epoxy them into the foam, but then I read this may be a bad idea because the rate of expansion on plywood is different from the foam, so it can cause delamination.
Is there a preferred method for installing the wood inserts? Like say use 3/4 inch plywood on the inside of the foam if I am mounting something on the outside of the foam? or would it be better to have the insert on the same side as the item that is being attached?
My thought process is that it might be better for the wood insert to be on the opposite side that way it would be more difficult for it to pull away from the foam like might happen if it was on the same side as the fastener.
Maybe I'm overthinking all of this, but just wondering if there is a consensus on the best way to install a wooden insert