I have seen several posts related to using styrofoam as a base instead of plywood or homasote. How do you attach tubular track to the styorfoam? Do you use #4 screws? How long do they need to be in order to sufficiently anchor the track to the styrofoam?
Thanks
Screws only kind of work in styrofoam. A coarse threaded drywall screw might work, but a non solvent based adhesive is a better bet. Silacone or latex base won’t attack the foam. If you put some kind of wood under the foam then screws work well.
I actually carved some of my roadbed out of styrofoam, which was glued to 3/4" plywood. I found these really neat screws at Home Depot. They’re called “trim head” screws, and look like drywall screws, but with a bevel head that is so small, it takes a #1 square drive bit to install them. They are perfect for Gargraves track.
Unfortunately, they blend in so well, you can’t see them in the second photo. They go through the foam and into the wood below.
I fastened my tubular track on my Xmas layout to styrofoam by cutting .25" x .5" separate wood ties to the length of the metal ones. I painted them black. I placed them under the metal tie. Then used white glue to hold the wood tie to the foam. Once the glue had dried, I used small pan head sheet metal screws through the hole in the metal tie to fasten the track to the wood tie. I used one screw per 10" track section or so. It worked for me.
I used dry wall screws to attach my MTH RealTrax to the styrofoam. Every section of track has at least one screw. It holds real good. Track does not move up or down or sideways even after five years of running heavy engines.
You might try using electic wire ties pushed through the foam with a suitably sized fender washer on the underside in addition to gluing the track. It takes two tiewraps per attachment point, one through the rail tie screw hole down through the foam, put on the washer, and then attach the second tiewrap to secure. Good luck.
Polyurethane Hot Melt Adhesive (HiPur Former by Franklin) on the foam then press on cork roadbed then more adhesive on the cork then press on the track.
I used 1 1/2" wood screws, maybe #4, to temporarily lay track after soldering electrical connections. Use a screw to hold the switches too.
Then used DAP all purposed adhesive at each metal tie. Did not use adhesive on the switch. DAP dries frim but elastic and clear. It will span a 2 -3 mm gap too.
When you remove or lift track later the DAP easily pulls off the metal.
switches do fine without any attachment other than the three tracks.
I intend to use 2" foam on my table. Is there a need for track clips to keep the track joints together when laying track on top of styrofoam?
Jim