Foam board is kind of like 2 pieces of poster board with a sheet of styrofoam in between. It's usually found where the poster board is in a store. It comes in several colors and thicknesses.

I have done the foil thing before and just not covered my boards.
I do think the cake looks nicer on a pretty board.
I have used tissue paper that is used for gift wrapping with press n seal over it. I like this because it comes in all different colors and patterns. My cake store sells that cellophane gift wrap stuff. I use that also with press n seal over it.

Thanks, cheatize! I do know what that is. I was just unaware of it's name.
I've used foamcore before for school projects, but never tried to cut it. For those who use it often, what do you cut it with? A box cutter, maybe?

Here's a great link for covering cake boards. They turn out beautifully. Wiping up any extra buttercream on the cellophane is so easy. I usually cover my cardboard or cakeboard in Saran Wrap first, top and bottom, so there is no chance of grease getting on it. I use them over and over, just remove everything and start fresh!


http://sweetslapetite.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-make-decorated-cake-boards.html

Before anybody else see's this pic, I would like to state that I did use a appropriate cake board but the icing slid off the cake and swallowed up the origional cake board plus the bottom piece of my tupperware cake carrier! Luckily I saw catastophre approaching and rushed to grab a larger cake board to prevent a larger mess. Sorry I didn't get the chance to appropriately cover that board!LoL!!!! Just thought this forum needed a little sense of humor!

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1730347

I have posted this in the past, this is one of my biggest pet peeves, I actually attended a baby shower and the cute cake was sitting right on top of the cutting board, it wasn't covered with anything.. how gross is that!

I am a firm believer in Reynold's wrap freezer paper, cheap enough to use on cardboard to make it food safe. Butcher paper is another altenative, we know it's food safe!

Please, just cover the boards even if you don't have time to decorate or coordinate them....

one way i save a little money and get an extra thick sturdy board is to buy cardboard pizza circles from food service stores. I recently bought a case of 10" boards (250) for less than $10. I also picked up 12", 14" and 16". these boards aren't grease proof, but I hot glue a couple together (alternating grain) and put a grease proof one on top for the cake to sit on. A grease proof 16" runs about $0.99 each and the pizza circles about $0.10. saves a little. I also found that they carried 1/2 sheets for a third of what I was paying at the cake supply store.