Okay, opinions. I’m using this stuff as a subroadbed (maybe roadbed if I get impatient) on the staging level of my layout. I’m a gluer, so spike-holding isn’t relevant to me. Anyone had any experience with it?
It’s not a sheet of cork; it’s more like a foam sheet with bits of cork embedded in it. What I’m after is soundproofing; I hate the noise of engines on plywood.
Thoughts?
Stu
Stu,
I am not familiar with the product, but if is not firm, I would not use it for roadbed. You are concerned about noise. Using clear acrylic caulk to attach cork roadbed to your plywood and also to attach the track to the roadbed will give you what you are looking for. Its the track nails/spikes that transmit sound from the trains to the plywood or foam base.
Jim
It is what I used when laying track everywhere on my current layout building project, but as roadbed, not ‘sub-roadbed.’ I cut it in suitable lengths and widths for roadbed, cut it every 2" with a narrow V most of the way through with scissors to kerf it for curves, and then I use clear DAP acrylic latex caulk with silicone. Even without ballast, it works just fine.
You don’t need much of the caulk, but do weight the material well enough along all partially knicked pieces that they lay flat. Otherwise, they tend to bow up at their centres and you’ll get horribly bumpy roadbed.
Crandell
Crandell,
How firm is this stuff? Is it as ‘soft’ as Woodland Scenics roadbed, or is it ‘firm’ like cork?
Jim
Jim, I am unfamiliar with the W/S roadbed, but I will admit that this stuff is not quite as rigid, or firm, as cork. However, it is pretty darned firm, and my trains show no sign of squirming when they move over the stuff unballasted, which I did test prior to ballating so that the tracks could be improved prior to that task if necessary. It is quite suitable in my opinion. Ballasting, as you would know, firms it up to that rigidity that only glued ballast can impart to the works.
When you squeaze it between thumb and forefinger, it is very difficult to compress, if at all, against the thickness.
Crandell
I first experimented with standard foam underlay (mostly due to it’s being cheaper than dirt) and found it totally unsuitable for my layout – it curls, it rips, it takes a tanker full of glue, and it does squat for noise reduction – before stumbling across this stuff (the cork caught my eye).
I haven’t done a side-by-side price comparison with cork sheets, but $32 for 100 sq ft is pretty easy to swallow. I haven’t run a train across it yet, but it seems stable and firm. However, I DID discover the hard way that weighting the foam while it dries is necessary (as was pointed out above). A rolling pin and some swearing fixed the section I botched. Well, mostly…
Hi Crandell,
I’m building a layout and have fastened 2" foam to the benchwork. Your post about using Eco foam/cork interests me as either subroadbed or roadbed to be placed on top of the foam. Do you have any additional comments after having used this material for the past four years?
Thanks very much.
Mike