can you use Cardboard instead of cork or foam to put your track on? I have tons on 1/4 thick cardboard.
I wouldn’t recommend it at all.
I agree with elmer, I can see it causing nothing but problems.
It depends. If you mean corrugated it probably would not work for a couple of reasons. The first is moisture. You would have to seal it and that would be next to impossible with the internal surface area… The other problem would be how do fasten down the track without crushing it?
don’t you glue the track down with latex caulk or something of that sort. So can’t you glue the cardboard to the base and glue the track to the cardboard ? Once you put the rocks down and glue it wont it hold it all to together ? Whats the reason for the cork or foam anyway , to raise it off the ground ? I am sorry if these are beginner questions but I am starting out.
As you are just starting out, take the advise of the posters and don’t use cardboard.
The problem is that when you go glue down the ballast, the moisture will likely distort the cardboard. If you use weights to hold the glued track in place it will also distort the cardboard.
Others may glue the cork to the base, and the track to the cork; being a traditionalist, I still tack the cork to the board, and the tracks to the cork, using small nails. The ballast is bonded with a water-soluble glue. If I tear up the layout, all I have to do to salvage the track is pull the nails and soak the track to remove the ballast.
The cork or foam gives raises the track above the subroadbed (i.e., the base), creating a profile similar to the way track is raised above the ground in the prototype. To simulate yard and siding track, some modelers will mount these tracks either directly on the base, or on a cork pad. The padding also provides a measure of vibration control and soundproofing.
You may use cardboard or whatever you choose. First, buy a small piece of cork, bring it home; next, spray water on the cork and an equal amount of H2o on the cardboard. Watch what happens. ( Now, repeat after me, {note to self} I will NOT use cardboard for my layout in any way, unless I’m covering it with plaster (sic) for scenery. 'Nuff said ??
I won’t us cardboard it was just a thought and now I know why. Thank you everyone for your input.
Have no fear, all is not lost. Though it will not make good roadbed, there is a good use for it. You can cut it into strips to make the web in mountain formations. A good scenery book or tutorial will tell you how to do this. (You can also do a search for it,) Over the web you can use either plaster soaked paper towels, newspaper or strips of cloth. You can also substitute white glue for plaster, it’s called glueshell and threads on it can be found in Search Our Community and I have seen articles on it, so they should be referenced in the Magazine Index found under RESOURCES at the top of the page.
I prefer foam insulation where I plan to plant trees, but for background hills or forms where you are not going to put many trees it should work fine. You can plant trees in the shell,but takes a bit more care.
Good luck,
Richard
For what it is worth, I don’t use cork. I find it far too high. I prefer a piece of cheap paneling. I cut it in 1" strips for HO. Stacked on edge a series of 3/4" slots alow it to be bent for curves. I get about 384’ from one sheet. I have a section I am about to start and plan to try the foam that goes under laminate flooring. It should be easy to cover an entire area and cut out the non track areas before ballasting after the track is laid down.
Looking back at this by the morning light, I have to wonder: for years modelers have used homasote for road bed, and homasote is simply a pressed paper mat. While it would take a lot of weight to damage the homasote, I still wonder about the moisture issue. How do the homasote guys deal with this?
I’ve used homasote since I started getting serious in the hobby about 30 years ago and I’ve tried both wet water and recently isopropyl alcohol for pre-wetting and I’ve never had a problem. I suppose if you soaked homasote in water for a long period you may have problems but that isn’t what is done in ballasting.
Joe
To further answer the homasote question, my current layout was started in 1983-84. I use 1/2 homosote over 1/2 plywood and have never had any moisture problems with it. I also use the Homabed roadbed sold commercially over homosote base, again no problems.
Bob
This is how you can use your cardboard for scenery work.
