Self-rising board molding

A method of manufacturing a three dimensional object, comprising

• placing in a mold one or more layers of nonwoven formed from a mixture of fibers comprising staple fibers, and one or more of binder fibers and bicomponent fibers,
• wherein the nonwoven is configured in a vertically lapped configuration,
• wherein at least some staple fibers of the nonwoven are joined together by binder material from the one or more of binder fibers or bicomponent fibers,
• wherein the binder material has a melting temperature below a melting or decomposition temperature of the staple fibers,
• wherein the nonwoven is present in a compressed state having first height, first length, and first width dimensions, wherein at least one of the first height, first length, and first width dimensions is or are smaller than a second height, a second length, and a second width dimension that the nonwoven would have in an uncompressed state;
• steam heating the one or more layers such that the one or more layers expand in one or more dimensions to fill or at least partially fill the mold;
• cooling the one or more layers after they are in an expanded state inside the mold from steam heating.