Model Making Materials

White HIPS sheet for model making.

High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), often referred to as styrene, is a widely used material in many fields of model making especially on architectural, interior design & theatre design models.

• Sheet size: 1.0 x 457 x 508mm
• Larger sheet sizes are available (see below).
• Suitable for vacuum forming.
• These sheets are usually supplied with a matt finish on both sides. Occasionally they will be supplied with one glossy side, unfortunately we have no control over which are delivered.
• To cut, score with a scalpel & snap for a nice clean break.
• Adhere with Plastic Weld.
• If you need to paint the styrene we recommend using a spray paint after applying a priming coat.
• See our Basic guide to styrene modelling (1.4Mb PDF).
• These sheets can be cut to your artwork in our Laser Department.

The advantages of HIPS over other building materials its speed of use. You can score the surface, snap along the score, then glue with Plastic Weld. This makes HIPS a great for sketch modelling.