Overview
PE foam goes between the PCB and the plate — or between the plate and the case — and changes how a keyboard feels and sounds as you type. Before cutting anything, check your own board: does the layout and plate type leave room for another layer, will the extra material bind the stabilisers or shorten key travel, and is the sheet you have suitable to sit directly against a PCB? The video this guide follows never states the foam's thickness or its electrical properties, so treat both as open questions on your build rather than settled numbers. Work the steps in order, then judge the result yourself in the final step.
Tools & Materials
Item | Use | Specs / Fit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
PE foam sheet | Acoustic dampening layer between PCB and plate | Large enough to cover the PCB area | Thickness/ESD unverified |
Keyboard PCB | Circuit board the foam is laid on | Model not specified in the video | Observed at 00:01 |
Keyboard plate | Structural layer removed and reinstalled | Model not specified in the video | Observed at 00:01, 00:13 |
Mechanical switches | Components inserted through foam into PCB | Pink; switch type not specified | Observed at 00:19 |
Screwdriver | Removes plate screws | Must fit your plate screws | Observed at 00:01 |
Pen (yellow) | Traces PCB and stabilizer outlines | Must mark the foam legibly | Observed at 00:04, 00:08 |
Scissors | Cuts foam; pierces standoff, stab, switch holes | Must cut foam cleanly and pierce small holes | Observed at 00:06, 00:07, 00:15 |
No adhesives, foam brands, switch pullers, anti-static bags, lubed stabilisers, or replacement foam were shown; none should be assumed.
Step-by-Step
- Identify your PE foam sheet and hold it against the keyboard to confirm it is large enough to cover the PCB area.
- Remove the keyboard plate with a screwdriver to expose the PCB.
- Trace the PCB outline onto the foam with a pen.
Video: @keebchum on TikTok - Cut the foam along the traced line with scissors.
- Poke standoff holes through the foam using the tip of your scissors.
- Mark rectangular cutouts for the stabilisers on the foam and cut them out with scissors.
- Lay the cut foam flat over the PCB and reposition the plate on top.
- Pierce switch-pin holes through the foam inside each plate cutout.
Video: @keebchum on TikTok - Press the mechanical switches into the PCB through the plate and foam, taking care not to bend any pins.
Video: @keebchum on TikTok - Type on the board and compare the sound and feel against how it was before the mod.
Common Pitfalls
- Bent switch pins. The video's own on-screen caution at 00:20 — "Be careful not to bend any pins!" — applies as you press switches through the foam.
- Foam that is too thick can stop switches seating fully. The thickness used was never stated, so check the fit on your own board before closing it up.
- The foam sits directly against the PCB. Whether the sheet shown was anti-static was never stated; confirm what you use is suitable for that contact.
- Cutting and piercing foam can shed particles near the switch sockets. The video does not show whether any were left behind.
- "Marbly" is the creator's own description of their result at 00:00, not a measured outcome — your board may sound different.
Sources
Video source
- https://www.tiktok.com/@keebchum/video/7105040459931618565 — every timestamp in this guide refers to this single video, including the on-screen caution and the creator's own description.
External sources
- Is the PE foam mod safe to do? : r/MechanicalKeyboards — "If you want to play it safe, you may want to only use PE foam that is advertised as being anti-static." — a community discussion, not a manufacturer specification.
- The thickness and electrical properties of the foam shown in the video remain unverified.
Editorial note
- The switch type and the plate and PCB models are not identified in the source video. Nothing in this guide has been independently tested.