index / materials / foam
Foam (polystyrene, polypropylene)
also: Styrofoam, EPS, EVA
Foam is a family, not one material, and the pages that approve it rarely say which foam. The ones that name polystyrene treat it as a fire risk.
Board
YES x2 two or more makers say yesNO x2 two or more say noMAKERS SPLIT makers contradict each other1 SOURCE one maker page only, not confirmedNO STATEMENT nothing publishedIF = yes only under a stated condition
| Laser type | Engrave or mark | Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Diode (blue, about 450 to 455 nm) | NO STATEMENT | 1 SOURCE: YES |
| CO2 (10,600 nm) | NO STATEMENT | MAKERS SPLIT |
| Fiber (1064 nm) | NO STATEMENT | 1 SOURCE: NO |
Run foam through the matcher to add a cut thickness.
What each maker says
Diode, cut 1 SOURCE: YES
Foam: YES (diode).
Monport, CO2, fiber and diode material compatibility guide (blog), read Nov 5, 2026
CO2, cut MAKERS SPLIT
PolyStyrene Foam. Catches fire. ... This is the #1 material that causes laser fires!!!
Full Spectrum Laser (FSL), What materials are safe and not safe to engrave/vector cut, read Nov 5, 2026Polystyrene Foam. Melts and easily catches fire.
xTool, Support article 363, safety guide, read Nov 5, 2026Cutting: Acrylic Wood Plywood MDF Bamboo Paper Rubber Fabric Foam Cork
xTool, Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog), read Nov 5, 2026Foam: YES (CO2). CO2 and diode lasers are effective on foam.
Monport, CO2, fiber and diode material compatibility guide (blog), read Nov 5, 2026
Fiber, cut 1 SOURCE: NO
Foam: NO (fiber).
Monport, CO2, fiber and diode material compatibility guide (blog), read Nov 5, 2026
No statement found for: Diode engrave or mark, CO2 engrave or mark, Fiber engrave or mark.
Notes from the pages
- The pages that say yes do not name a foam type. FSL and xTool support name polystyrene and polypropylene foam. Read the foam's data sheet before it goes in.
Fumes
Every page read treats lasering as a fume source. Match your machine's exhaust figure to an extractor on the fume and room lookup.