High Performance, Proven Dependability
The original high-performance foam board
GATORFOAM has been the display industry’s leading high-performance foam board for more than 30 years. The unique combination of its foam core and wood-fiber veneer facers create an extremely rigid and durable yet light weight solution, perfect for mounting and other interior display applications.
Material Composition
GATORFOAM is comprised of extruded polystyrene foam bonded between two layers of wood-fiber veneers. Made in the USA.
Advantages with GATORFOAM®
- The original, completely unique high-performance graphic arts foam board
- Wood-fiber veneers provide extreme rigidity – excellent for mounting applications
- Bright white facer provides very good digital and screen printing results
- Routs and cuts cleanly for easy fabrication
- Excellent dent and scratch resistance
- Lightweight with good dimensional stability
- Available in a wide range of thicknesses and sheets sizes
- Consistent bright white surface and sheet thickness
- Facers are purchased from suppliers that participate in either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or have a Forest Management Certification
Recommended Applications
Below are some of the more common applications for which GATORFOAM® provides a solution. While these are frequent uses for our material, we love to see the unique applications designers & artists come up with!
- POP / POS Displays Medium-term application life
- Exhibits & Kiosks Medium-term application life
- Interior Signage & Displays Medium-term application life
- Framing Long-term application life
- Hanging Signage Medium-term application life
- Window Displays Medium-term application life
- Promotional Campaigns Medium-term application life
- 3-Dimensional Displays Medium-term application life
- Retail Fixtures Medium-term application life
- Dimensional Letters Medium-term application life
Recommended Fabrication Methods
Thanks to over 40 years of manufacturing experience, we are able to provide general fabrication guidelines and best practices that have been successful with our materials.”
- Mounting
- Digital Printing
- Screen Printing
- Painting Do not expose core to solvent-based paints
- Saw Cutting
- Routing
Gauges, Colors & Sheet Sizes
| Gauges and Colors | Stock Sheet Sizes |
|---|---|
| 3/16” - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96”; 50”x100”; 60”x120” |
| 3/16” - Bright White Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/16” - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/16” - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/16” - Natural Uncoated Facers - White Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/8” - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96”; 50”x100”; 60”x120” |
| 3/8” - Bright White Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/8” - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/8” - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/8” - Natural Uncoated Facers - White Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1/2” - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96”; 50”x100”; 60”x120” |
| 1/2” - Bright White Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1/2” - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1/2” - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1/2” - Natural Uncoated Facers - White Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/4" - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96”; 50”x100”; 60”x120” |
| 3/4" - Bright White Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/4" - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/4" - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3/4" - Natural Uncoated Facers - White Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1” - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96”; 50”x100”; 60”x120” |
| 1” - Bright White Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1” - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1” - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1” - Natural Uncoated Facers - White Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1-1/2” - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96”; 50”x100”; 60”x120” |
| 1-1/2” - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1-1/2” - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1-1/2” - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 1-1/2” - Natural Uncoated Facers - White Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 2” - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96”; 50”x100”; 60”x120” |
| 2” - Bright White Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 2” - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 2” - Bright White & Black Facers – Black Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 2” - Natural Uncoated Facers - White Foam | 48” x 96”; 60”x120” |
| 3” - Bright White Facers – White Foam | 48” x 96” |
| 3” - Black Uncoated Facers - Black Foam | 48” x 96” |
Downloads
3A Product Brochure
06/06/2022
3A Composites Product Guide
PDF 09/11/2024
Product Sheet - GATOR® Collection
PDF 10/20/2019
Application "Quick Guide"
PDF 09/10/2024
Fabrication "Quick Guide"
PDF 09/10/2024
Fabrication Guide - GATOR®
PDF 10/20/2019
GATORFOAM® SDS
PDF 05/01/2018Videos
Graphic Display USA: Corporate Image Branding From the Inside Out
At 3A Composites USA, we recognize that corporate identity is essential to communicating and developing a brand image. As the industry leader for both interior rigid substrates and exterior cladding, our vast versatile product lines are the materials of choice for corporate identity.Products: GATORFOAM®,SINTRA® VERS,DIBOND® Specialty Finishes,GATORFOAM® SELF-ADHESIVE,DIBOND® Colors,DIBOND® BUTLERFINISH® Brushed Metals,SINTRA® Colors ,GATORFOAM® PRO,DISPA®,SINTRA® ECLIPSE,LUMEX® G,FOME-COR® CANVAS,GATORFOAM® EXTERIOR,DIBOND®,FOME-COR with ENCORE TECHNOLOGY,FOME-COR® JETMOUNT,FOME-COR® SINGLESTEP,FOME-COR® QUICKSTIK,FOME-COR® FOUNDATION,FOME-COR® ,FOME-COR® VALUBOARD™,GATORBLANKS®,GATORPLAST®,SINTRA®
Mike Goldner of Artisan Colour on Corporate ID
Account Manager and Graphic Consultant Mike Goldner, of Artisan Colour –a digital commercial print shop out of Scottsdale, Arizone, describes his experience using the 3A Graphic Display product line for Corporate ID applications.Products: SINTRA®,GATORFOAM®,DIBOND®
Conservation ArtistCalley O’Neill Uses Gatorfoam
Conservation artist Calley O’Neill, out of Waimea, Hawaii, describes her experience using Gatorfoam on both her public artwork and mural designs.Products: GATORFOAM®
Case Histories
ACI Design Finds Limitless Possibilities When Creating Office Decor for 3A Composites USA with Company’s Rigid Substrates
DAVIDSON, N.C. (May 24) – When the longest-operating U.S. graphic display board manufacturer with the widest offering of rigid substrates engages a design and production firm to showcase the company’s well-known product lines, creative applications are limitless.
The Next New: Retail’s Reaction to A Hectic 2020 Holiday Season
This holiday spending season is bound to be unlike any our industry has ever witnessed. Retailers have been forced to react and create new in-store models while shoppers have completely altered their approach to buying. The effects of COVID-19 on Retail, QSR and Fast Casual have resulted in a permanent evolution of the in-store experience.
Arizona Sign Experts Choose Gatorfoam For Brand Advocating Lobby Signage
Spotlight Signs and Imaging Solutions created a series of interior Gatorfoam signs showcasing the light weight and durability of the material. The signs all feature the ability of the material to be mounted with a strong adhesive without the need or use of screws.
Arizona Print Shop Makes Custom Halloween Decor Easy With Gatorfoam Board
The team at ArtisanHD in Scottsdale, Arizona are continuously looking for ways to captivate their audience. From photography printing tutorials to at-home wall mounting, the team seeks to provide inspiration for any occasion. For Halloween, the team showcased the ease of creating and printing custom decorations on heavy-duty Gatorfoam board for spooktacular holiday decor.
Arizona Sign Specialists Create Adaptable Framing Solution Using Gatorfoam Board
Bluemedia of Tempe, Arizona are experts in fabricating signage materials for the worlds biggest brands. The team fabricates and installs large-scale wall graphics and signage for events, retailers and even small businesses. In the past few years the team has seen increased commissions on interior décor for offices and non-public spaces, motivating the company to create new and impressive signage solutions.
Print Experts Chose Gatorfoam Board For JFK Display In Luce Museum at UWP
The Luce Museum at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville opened in 2008 with an abundance of historical displays set to showcase the unique history of the University. Available to students, faculty and the Platteville community, the displays and archives explore the University’s rich historical references dating back to the 1860s.
Collaborative Efforts Yield Innovative Signage Solution For International Client
The client, CLX Logistics in Blue Bell, PA, sought an innovative signage solution for both the interior and exterior of their office building. The company, which specializes in transportation management on both a national and international scale, commissioned local marketing group Sage Frog Marketing for the design. With an inventive design in hand, the team at Sage Frog approached Sunrise Signs for their ability to not only manufacture the signage but provide on-site installation as well.
Seattle Print Specialists Design Architecture Firm’s Lobby Graphics With Lightweight Gatorfoam Board
AlphaGraphics (AG) is Seattle’s go-to print services provider. The team recently completed a series of interior wall graphics for architecture firm KPG. AG representatives explain, “KPG is an interdisciplinary design firm. They have an expert team of architects, engineers, urban designers, and construction professionals. So it’s fair to say that they understand the importance of visual aesthetics in the workplace.”
Arizona Sign Experts Discuss The Critical Importance Of Lobby Signage For Businesses
In an article by Gilbert, Arizona sign experts, Spotlight Signs, the company highlights the importance of lobby signage. Their piece focuses on the critical importance of signage as a company’s initial impression. They quote, “…the lobby is the first chamber a person will experience, it is the first chance to form an impression. A high quality lobby sign can dramatically enhance the perceived quality and professionalism of any business.”
Heavy-Duty Gator Graphic Display Boards To Be Showcased For High-Performing Signage At ISA International Sign Expo 2018
The unique Gator® line of heavy-duty graphic display boards – including Gatorfoam® and Gatorplast®– will be showcased by 3A Composites USA at the ISA International Sign Expo 2018 March 22-24 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
Print Experts Transform Home Garage Using LexJet Media And Gatorfoam Board
In a recent blog article by LexJet, the team discusses a project they completed with Louisville, Kentucky print company, Spectra Imaging. The owners of Spectra, Brian and Leslie Rogers, have the self-made American success story. The duo started their print company in 2006 and used their home garage to run the business.
Coffee Shop Exhibits Gatorfoam Wall Display As Tribute For Customer Battling Cancer
The Nautical Bean Coffee Company in San Luis Obispo, California has the typically inspiring American story. The local coffee shop, coined “The Bean,” started out of a run down surf shop back in 1994. Today, the shop is a full bistro and live-entertainment venue.
Uniquely Qualified Gatorfoam To Be Showcased For High-Performing Graphic Displays At 2017 SGIA Expo
Gatorfoam®, the original heavy-duty graphic display board, will be showcased by 3A Composites USA at the Specialty Imaging & Printing Technology 2017 SGIA Expo to be held Oct. 10-12 in New Orleans.
Kentucky Sign Specialists Create Inspirational Kroger Multi-Media Brand Display On Gatorfoam Board
In the Business Center at the University of Louisville a different company sponsors each room. The Kroger room features a series of multi-dimensional, multi-layered, wall panels that create a three-dimensional representation of the Kroger brand. Kentucky sign specialists, Spectra Imaging, created the panels using a variety of modern printing techniques to achieve the inspiring display.
Financial Company’s Interior Features Multi-Layer Modern Sign With Gatorfoam Board
Cincinnati Custom Signs out of Ohio have a specialty in both logo design and sign installation. The company has an ever-expanding portfolio of exterior signage, vehicle wrapping and tradeshow applications. For client Q2 Business Capital they completed a multi-layered interior sign with the company’s signature bold color palette.
Washington Sign Specialists Have Used Heavy-Duty Gatorfoam Board For Three Decades
Gatorfoam has been the industry’s leading heavy-duty foam board for over 30 years, and one company has been using it since its creation. Howmac Dimensional Graphics is a family-owned and operated sign company in Sedro Woolley, Washington. The company has been serving the signage and display industry since 1987.
Landscape Photographer Chooses Lightweight Gatorfoam Board For Coffee Shop Exhibit
In an exhibit featured in early 2016, photographer Robert Rodriguez Jr. included his recent landscape works at the Bank Square Coffee House in Beacon, NY. The exhibition presented a series of 11 large format prints onto 1” thick Gatorfoam board.
3A Composites USA To Showcase Full Lines Of Rigid Substrates For Corporate Identity Programs At GlobalShop 2017
3A Composites USA will be focused on creating identity from the inside out with its full lines of interior rigid substrates and exterior aluminum composite materials at GlobalShop 2017 to be held March 28-30 in Las Vegas.
3A Composites Materials Aid In Brand Consistency For Corporate Identity Programs
Corporate identity is an essential part of branding, reflecting a brand's image, consistency and loyalty. Branding in the corporate identity marketplace can be seen in signage, wayfinding and interior displays. The materials in which are specified for these applications vary due to several factors including durability, application duration, aesthetics and price point.
Conservation Artist Creates Glaze Paintings On Gatorfoam Graphic Display Board
Big Island conservation artist Calley O’Neill, of Waimea, Hawaii, began creating her glaze paintings on Gatorfoam® graphic display board by 3A Composites USA soon after she moved to the Hawaiian Islands from the mainland’s East Coast in 1980.
Stained-Glass Mural Designed For Flawless Installation With Gatorfoam Graphic Display Board
A new stained-glass forest-inspired mural installed last month at Maui’s Pukalani Elementary School in Pukalani, Hawaii, not only gave Big Island conservation artist Calley O’Neill, of Waimea, Hawaii, the opportunity to inspire children to nurture their connections to the land but to experiment with a new design/installation process she developed with her long-term glass-partner Lamar Yoakum utilizing Gatorfoam® graphic display board by 3A Composites USA.
Heavy-Duty Gator Rigid Substrates Showcased At SGIA 2016 EXPO
The Gator® line of heavy-duty graphic display boards – including Gatorplast® and Gatorfoam® – will be showcased at the 3A Composites USA Booth No. 1941 at the Specialty Imaging & Printing Technology SGIA Expo 2016 Sept. 14-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev.
Artist Joanna Pinsky Creates Two-Dimensional Sculptures From Gatorfoam
Artist, Joanna Pinsky, is influenced by architecture, history, and places when creating her two-dimensional sculptures from Gatorfoam graphic display board. In her latest work on display, all summer at Oakton’s Koehnline Museum of Art in Des Plaines, Illinois, Pinsky expresses inspiration from over a dozen trips to Cuba in the last 15 years.
8 Great Gatorfoam Graphic Display Board Applications
The versatility of Gatorfoam is evident in its many applications. The flat, durable, heavy-duty graphic display board serves a wide variety of users from artists, and hobbyists, to visual merchandisers and retailers. Its many benefits afford it a range of uses and it’s easy to see why.
Artist Denny Griffith Creates Joyful Creatures On Gatorfoam Board
Large, bright creatures sprawl across Gatorfoam in the new series by former Columbus College of Art and Design president Denny Griffith. A little frisky, boldly erotic, and unapologetically joyful, the invented species in the paintings take on a world that is entirely their own. There are several paintings in the series, each one taking on a slightly cartoonish, fun approach with a playful Dali-like surrealism.
Wynne To Retire From 3A Composites USA Following 45 Year Career In Graphic Display Board Sales, Produce Development, Technology
3A Composites USA announced today that W. Jay Wynne, senior advisor, will retire from the company effective May 31 following a 45-year career, including the past two-plus decades in graphic display board sales and marketing management. Wynne may be most well-known in the industry for his development of the high-performance foam board category with the introduction of the Gator® graphic display board line.
Gatorfoam Helps Visual Merchandising Specialists Wow In Top Retailer
Visual merchandising specialists, The Bernard Group out of Chanhassen, Minnesota, have a client list that features some of the top retailers in a variety of categories to include companies like: Kate Spade, Best Buy, Sephora, Delta and West Marine. Their extensive knowledge of the retail market is showcased in their fixtures and merchandisers seen in stores nationwide.
Sign-Maker Creates Big Looks For Small-Business Mall Storefronts With Gatorfoam
Shopping-mall signage often is associated with national retail stores that pour thousands of dollars into supporting a corporate-designed brand image. While much of that storefront signage is designed for installation inside enclosed mall spaces, these signs often are fabricated with the kinds of sturdy materials that are designed to weather outdoor conditions.
Weird Times Comix Is A Larger-Than-Life Comic Book Using Durable Gatorfoam
Weird Times Comix is a larger-than-life comic book by interactive designer Gabriel Shaughnessy. With a background in visual arts, Shaughnessy has a passion for integrating story telling into his designs. Proficient in web development, he has a knack for blending two-dimensional visual art with advanced technology.
3A’s Rigid-Substrates Help Create Large-Format Graphic Displays
PhotoWorksGroup, Inc., a large-format graphic solutions provider based in Charlottesville, Va., has been creating large-format graphics, exhibits, displays and signs for museums, universities, healthcare institutions, manufacturers and corporations for nearly 30 years.
The Importance Of High Performance Materials In Wayfinding
Wayfinding is an extremely important component of architectural design. Aisle markers, campus signs, terminal indicators and medical wing directions all provide a service in saving time but also create a “system” that is not only signage, but aids in the development of a brand by combining marketing, identity and design.
Metro Signs Scores With Gatorfoam Signs For NFL’s Miami Dolphins
Bruno Dede, president of Metro Signs, Inc., in Hollywood, Fla., has been creating “Signs, Graphics, Everything”, according to his company’s tagline, for the past 20-plus years. Metro Signs serves a wide range of clients located in South Florida – including the NFL’s Miami Dolphins – as well as clients nationwide.
Eagle-Inspired Public Artwork Takes Flight With Gatorfoam Graphic Display Board
Not unlike its artistic inspiration, community spirits soared at the June 7 unveiling of the new “Eagles in Flight” public artwork in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, as part of the city’s 2014 Pitt Meadows Day and Centennial celebration. The cubed-shaped mural installed in the city’s Harris Road Park is a collaborative effort of Pitt Meadows’ resident and internationally recognized artist Brad Dinwoodie and community residents.
Graphic Display USA How To: Cutting Gator™ Products
Gatorfoam® products are normally cut with equipment used in the woodworking industry. However, it may also be cut satisfactorily with hand tools or other specialty tools. Two of the Gator™ products, Gatorplast® and Gatorblanks®, may be cut with thin hand-held or machine-held blades such as mat knives, razorblades, and utility knives.
Stenciled Art Journal Features Gatorfoam And Fome-Cor Board-Book Pages
Artist Mary Beth Shaw, of Wildwood, Mo., wears any number of professional hats from mixed-media painter to author and nationally recognized workshop instructor. But, she may best be known these days as “StencilGirl” in reference to her role as founder of StencilGirl Products.
Graphic Display USA How To: Painting Gatorfoam
Gatorfoam needs no special preparation before priming or painting. The surface should be clean and free of any oil or contaminates. If the surface has become lightly soiled or scratched, it may be hand sanded with silicon carbide dry paper 180 grit or finer. After sanding, be sure to clean surface well to remove any dust particles. For optimum results, the surface should be sealed with a good primer.
FIT Creates Reusable Display System With Gatorfoam Board
As one of New York City’s largest and most well-known design schools, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) – a State University of New York college of art, business, design and technology – is known for its high-profile public exhibitions.
GATORFOAM® Help CSI Printing & Graphics Sprout Intricately Routed Tree Display
Composition Systems Inc. (CSI), of Falls Church, Va., has made a name for itself as a full-service digital print provider serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, Virginia and Maryland as well as national accounts during the past 30-plus years in business.
Gatorfoam Helps Mobile Whimsy Cards’ Booth Circle the Competition
Tamera Lawrence has always loved circles. “Circles resonate with me; they’re never-ending,” said Lawrence, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based graphic designer and the self-described “ringmaster” of Mobile Whimsy™ Greeting Cards. Each card in the contemporary Mobile Whimsy line features a mini mobile comprised of three circles vertically placed and decorated with witty wordplay depicted on one side with graphics and printed on the other side with words. In Mobile Whimsy-speak, a message of affection reads “Eye Heart Ewe” and is visually depicted with corresponding graphics.
GATORFOAM® Helps Fabricator Scare Up Toy-Fair Traffic with Monster-Sized Action Figure Display
Creating a monster-sized display to promote sales of Disney/Pixar’s “Monsters University” movie-themed action figures at the 2013 American International Toy Fair in New York earlier this year didn’t scare fabricators at New-York based Underground Visuals, Inc. They knew they could count on Gatorfoam®, the original heavy-duty foam board,
GATORFOAM® Mounted Children’s Artwork Supports Fresh Artists’ Kid-centric Philanthropy
Fresh Artists, a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, was founded with the unique goal of teaching children (grades K-12) to become philanthropists by donating their artwork for corporate display and, in return, garnering contributions to purchase art supplies for severely underfunded public schools.
Space Foundation Launches Out-Of-This-World Graphics With GATOR, SINTRA and DIBOND Boards
The Space Foundation, a global nonprofit organization based in Colorado Springs, Colo., focuses on promoting space exploration and utilization through a wide variety of space awareness programs, industry events and space-related education programs – all in support of its mission: “To advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.”
Plastex Fabricators Chooses GATORFOAM® For Lightweight, Dimensional Store Decor
Plastex Fabricators of Charlotte, Inc., a custom commercial fabricator based in Charlotte, N.C., has specialized in meeting the interior décor needs of several East Coast-based supermarket chains and convenience stores for the past 20 years.
GATORFOAM® Rides Rails Of Success As Rigid-Yet-Lightweight Substrate For Model Railroading
Dave Myers cut his teeth, so to speak, on Gatorfoam® graphic display board as an educational-TV set designer in Hagerstown, Md., in the ’70s, when he used the industry’s leading heavy-duty foam board to create cut-out letters and 3-D props. Myers later opened his own commercial sign shop – DMG Studios in Hagerstown – a business in which he often turned to Gatorfoam as his rigid substrate of choice for sign-making, including such memorable point-of-purchase displays as 4-foot tall milk cartons for a local dairy.
Las Vegas Icon Vegas Vic Lights Up ‘Legends’ Campaign
Vegas Vic, the 40-foot-tall neon cowboy, has towered over the old Pioneer Club on Freemont Street in Las Vegas, Nev., since 1950.
Decor Transports Adults Back to Childhood
What does it take to set the scene for a wild childlike rumpus in a jungle filled with the not-too-scary monsters created by the imagination of Maurice Sendak, award-winning author of children’s book-classic “Where the Wild Things Are”?
Exhibitors Wow Trade Show Crowds
Trade show booth designers have relied on Gatorfoam®, the original heavy-duty graphic arts board, for years as a lightweight, durable substrate for creating reusable exhibit pieces that may be transported cost-effectively from show to show.