- First of all, you should understand
that floral foam is a very light and fragile open-celled material.
It should be handled very gently when dry to avoid crushing those tiny cells. The cells (which contain air when the foam is dry) are designed to pull water through the foam via capillary action. As water is pulled
in, air is pushed out the other side. In wetting the foam, it is
absolutely essential that air not be trapped inside any of the cells.
- The best way to wet a foam block is to let it do what comes naturally – let it pull in the water. Just set the dry foam block on the surface of a basin of water with the water at least as deep as the thickness of the block. The foam block will
slowly sink as it pulls in water from the bottom and pushes air out through the top. This takes a minute or two so be patient! Using the kitchen sink is a good idea, first cleaned with soap and water to
remove any trace of grease or oil, then half-filled with tap water.