3/8'' or 1/2'' eva foam floor mat tiles? That is the question

[CmdHarleyKing]

Hi

Big question : I'll be working on N7 armor from Naraya's template and I'd like to know : Which thickness of floor tiles is better? 3/8'' or 1/2''. I'm sure it's a question of durability but is there anyone that have tried both and could tell me the difference?

For the amount of money i'll put in it, I don't want to be stuck with materials that won't fit my needs.

Thank you guys!

 

[VinMan]

I'm using 1/2" to create a Buzz Lightyear suit and it's more than thick enough. You can get large rolls of 1/2 inch thickness at Sears and Big Lots. I find the large rolls leave for less waste than the pack of tiles as well. I think you will benefit from that thickness as well. It will allow you to capture sharper detail than a thicker pad. Here is a sample of the upper arm in 1/2"

 

[DRG]

A lot of it depends on the details of the build. Scaling and body type can also factor in... the thicker foam you use, the less room you will have inside the piece. So if you have a larger than average body type you will have to scale the piece larger to fit with thick foam, and this could effect the overall 'look' of the costume and cause problems in other areas (for example, if you upscale a leg piece it will also increase the length and it may become too long).

Also, the thicker the foam, the more difficult it can be to cut and manipulate. Keep this in mind if you piece has any small detail spots. On the flipside, if you have any large unsupported areas on your piece you may want to go thicker in those spots to avoid it becoming too 'floppy'.

Personally I use a combination of thicknesses, often in the same build. I used 1/2 inch foam for my giant Gears of War boots last year (they were huge and needed to be able to support themselves to hold the shape), but I'm currently using 5mm foam for many pieces in my Iron Man build now... like the shin I just built is a tighter piece and holds its shape without the need for the thicker foam.