How to Cut Floral Foam

Cut a piece of floral foam with a sharp knife so it will fit inside the container in which you are making the floral design. Cut the foam so it will be 1 inch higher than the rim of the container. This is so you can arrange the flowers in a way that is more natural, such as allowing them to cascade over the side of the container.

The foam should fit snugly into the container. If the container is large, use another brick of floral foam by cutting off sections as needed to fill the container. Do not press or force the foam into the container, as you will damage the foam and adversely affect the ability of the foam to soak up water.

Remove the cut sections of foam from the container and set them aside.

Fill a sink or other container wide enough to hold the floral foam sections you have cut. The depth of the water should be about 6 inches for a typical block of floral foam.

Place the floral foam sections on top of the surface of the water. Do not force the foam under the water or it will develop air pockets. The foam will hydrate completely in about one minute.

Remove the hydrated sections of floral foam and place them in the container in which you are arranging the flowers.

Push the hydrated foam sections into the container using gentle pressure until the wet foam fits snugly into the container. Add more pieces of wet foam as needed to get a snug fit. Do not apply pressure to the foam in a way that forces the water out of the foam.

Cut a 1-inch-deep notch in the foam next to the side of the container to add water as needed to keep the arrangement looking fresh. A typical arrangement will use all the water in the foam in about 2 days.