I use the Wilton cake boards, foamcore, and cut pieces of wood for larger/heavier cakes.
I personally prefer the board to give me an 2" to 3" all around, so I have plenty of room for a boarder and so I can pick the board up without damaging the border.
darkchocolate
I either use the drums or the wood boards for heavier cakes. I either cover them with fondant or with cloth (just the outer portion) depending what the cake is for. I place my cake on a cardboard and then I put hot glue on the wood so that the board securely attaches to the wood. Nothing toxic touches my cake. It works out great for me.
I use Wilton cake boards and drums. I also use thick foamboard for heavier cakes or get MDF from my local hardware store. My husband added supports to the bottom of the MDF to make it easier to set down and lift from tables. It provides a little space between the board and the table.
I am confused. Doesn't the bottom cake board need to be VERY strong? Some of the items mentioned are not that strong. I have only made two stacked cakes ever, so I don't really know much. For those two cakes, my husband cut wood boards for me. Please explain further.
cardboard cut slightly samller than cake for icing and decorating,covered with plain contact paper,doubled when stacked or on columns and seperator plates.
plywood covered in several layers of contact paper, 2 or more inches depending on look I want.
I am looking to invest in mirrors and different tiles for a snazzier look.
I have been testing different lifters mimicking the theme of the cake.
I have two wedding cakes coming up.
The first is a seashell theme that I am placing on a 18 square glass tray with natural sugar for sand with white choc candy seashells. This will be lifted up on concrete blocks secreted under the tablecloths. Cake on Wilton board on top of the sandy glass base.
The second is a black and white wedding cake with black ribbons around each layer. The bride and I found a round wrought iron light surround which will stand up. She painted it black and the filigree will show.
I find that I end up making or creating the base/board to fit the theme of the cake.
Cakeborard.
I can never cut foam core boards and have them look nice - alwys come out jagged
For lg cakes use 'drums'. I never used Wilton's. Always buy from someone who imports them from England - *much* stronger than Wilton's.
Sometimes I have used tempered masonite boards. Usually these are thin but very, very sturdy.
Of course all but the drums have to be covered - usually with matalic wrapping paper, aluminim foil or contact paper.
I have always used wooden cakeboards. My husband cuts and sands 3/8"-1/2" plywood to fit my plastic cake boxes. The boards are covered carefully with white Contact, the edges sealed with wide clear packing tape, and a business card is sealed to the underside of the board. Nothing I use is disposable except heavy duty foil to cover the boards. After the used foil is removed, I wipe the cakeboards clean with a spray cleaner and a damp sponge.
The cake boxes are Rubbermaid storage boxes, flipped to make the lid become the base. 12x18 and larger odd-shaped character cakes fit in the larger box. 9x13 and small character cakes fit in the smaller box. I prefer at least an inch or more extra all the way around the cake, so the large boards are about 20x22, the small boards are about 12x14. I have used the same boards and boxes for almost 20 years now, replacing some when damaged, and adding new ones as needed to keep up with cake orders.
I also provide a smooth-edged cake server to use, so my boards don't get destroyed by my clients' sharpest knife in the kitchen used to cut my tender cake. My clients ALWAYS return my stuff within a week.
This year I began doing wedding cakes. I use foamcore under each tier.
These boards and boxes were probably a bit of an expense at first, but they have paid for themselves many times over the years of me not having to buy a new cakeboard and cardboard box for each of the 2000 or so cakes I have made.
I buy my foamcore board at Dollar Tree for $1 a sheet...1/4"x20x30.
Sometimes one layer is enough, but often I glue 2 layers together for heavier cakes. But I only use foamcore for tiered/stacked wedding cakes.
I have used the flaps of moving boxes and cut circles out of them about 10" in diameter (I used a serving platter as a pattern) -- I doubled them and then covered in foil. When doubled, they felt very sturdy.
My favorite is ceramic floor tiles! You can get them for under $1.00, they come in squares up to 18 inches, you never have to worry about them not being sturdy enough, and because they are sooo cheap -who cares if you get them back. Plus they come in some cool patterns and colors!
OH yeah I also don't have to cover them, clean up is easy, and no worries about them getting scratched by a knife! Can you tell I love them? 
The drywall that I use is about 1/2 inch thick--I only use that for single layer sheet cakes--especially if I've made 2 smaller cakes and wedged them together for the 1/2 chocolate, 1/2 white crowd. It works really well--sturdier than cardboard, and since I transport cakes over really bumpy rural roads, I need maybe a little more support than 2-3 layers of cardboard gives. If I've got reallly heavy cakes--I always use plywood.
I use cardboard circles doubled if the cakes are stacked, I cut the smaller boards to the exact size of the cakes after they are baked and cooled because they tend to shrink and then the board is too large. I use clear lucite plates from TAP Plastics for the final board and have glued small lucite circle knobs underneath so it lifts the board off the table a bit and gives you room to get your fingers under there when you want to lift or move it. If it is for someone I don't know and am not sure they will return the lucite board I use doubled cardboard cake circles covered in Wiltons foil wrap paper.
I can never cut foam core boards and have them look nice - alwys come out jagged
I use a heated exacto knife and this eliminates the jagged edges. It cuts through the foam like butter.
What I use is called a "hot knife", it looks just like a heated exacto knife, I guess they are the same thing?
Anyway I bought mine at Michael's for 14.99 and used the 40% coupon, so it was well worth the money. I love it!
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