How to use floral foam for silk flowers is different compared to working with real flowers. The type of foam used in silk or synthetic or artificial flowers is also different.
How To Use Floral Foam For Silk Flowers
When using floral foam for silk flowers, the foam must be dry and serves the purpose of anchoring and giving shape to the floral display.
Floral foam in silk flower serves one less purpose compared to when used in live flowers where it is also used as a source of water.
There are different types of floral foams available in the market. There is fresh floral foam which is usually green, it’s ideal for fresh flowers. This is because it has air spaces that take up water when it’s soaked and provide water to the fresh flowers.
There is dried floral foam, perfect for dried flowers and there is silk or artificial floral foam. It also good to note that the specific floral foam that is designed for use with artificial flowers has different colors depending on the company that made it.
The artificial floral foam is said to provide the best support for hard stems such as the wire stems of artificial flowers. It is denser and more compact helping the flowers hold their position. However, some people just use normal green floral foam and still get good results.
Considerations When Using Floral Foam For Silk Flowers.
- The type of arrangement you want to make.
If you are making a big arrangement, it is best to use big pieces of foam that will provide the needed support. It will make sure that the flowers do not fall off or move from the position you installed them.
A big piece of floral foam also ensures that the wires from the flowers have space when pushed inside
If you are using small pieces of flowers, then you don’t have to worry so much about the foam. For example, if you are using small pieces of silk hydrangeas, you can stick several pieces in a small amount of foam.
3. The container/vase/pot you are using for your arrangement.
You want to ensure that you have a piece of foam that is proportionate to the container you are using. If you have a small vase, you want to make a small arrangement using just two or three pieces of silk flowers.
You can also just use a small piece, such as a third of the common floral foam block. If you want a big arrangement with long-stemmed silk flowers, you are better of using a big piece of the block.
How to use floral foam for silk flowers
After considering all the above aspects, the process ofusing the floral foam becomes simpler.
Select the shape of floral foam depending on the type of arrangement you want to make. The market today is filled with different shapes of foams including block foam, spheres, cones, and different shapes of wreaths.
If you want to make an arrangement inside a vase, container or design bowls you can use block-shaped foam.
Measure the foam against the container to make sure it is not too big. For example, if you are using a vase, place the piece of foam inside the vase and see if it reaches the top.
Measure and cut off any excess foam so that your foam reaches just below the rim of the vase.
Put glue (any type of glue will do including hot glue) on the underside of the floral foam and fix it firmly on the design bowl or inside the vase.
Make sure the foam is secure and is not moving. For some glues, the foam is secured immediately while other types of glue you have to wait for a few seconds or minutes.
If you are not satisfied with the shape of the foam, you can trim it at this point into the desired shape. When working with block-shaped foam, I personally prefer to trim the edges a little at about 450 to have a better surface area to work with.
It also helps get the shape of the arrangement much easier. Furthermore, if the foam is not as large as you desire, you can add pieces at this point too. Make sure to secure the pieces together firmly.
Cover the foam with artificial moss or grass. This step is optional and mainly depends on the type of arrangement you are making. If you are making a display where there is a risk of the foam being visible, it’s advisable to cover it up before putting in the flowers.
An example is when making an orchid arrangement for home decoration such as this one. If you are making an elaborate arrangement and using a substantial amount of artificial moss, use U-pins or DIY-pins made by folding wires to secure the moss in place.
Dos and Don’ts on how to usefloral foam for silk flowers
Dos
- Source enough foam for your arrangements
- Wrap tape around the foam to prevent it fromfalling apart from all the wires going through it. Tape provides extra security,especially for big arrangements.
- Cover the foam with green moss, especially ifyou are using foam that is any other color other than green.
Don’ts
- Avoid moving the flowers around after sticking them in the foam. If unhappy with a particular stem, remove it out of the foam and stick it again in a new location.
- Trim the silk flowers and artificial greenery with a sharp wire cutter before pushing them into the foam.
- Avoid getting the artificial floral foam near your eyes, it causes serious irritation.
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