What is the best type for a layout base? I have seen messages describing that a layou should be built using the follwoing materials from bottom to top: plywood, then foam insulation, then cork roadbed, and then track. What is the purpose of the foam insulaton board and what is the best type? Is there any type to avoid? Also, any links to your pictures of construction progress using foam insulation board is appraciated. Thanks.
Check my web site, in my signature at the bottom. I use pink extruded foam insulation, no plywood with mine. I like it because it costs less than decent plywood these days, it’s lightweight, and easy to work with.
There’s also a blue extruded foam insulation, this is the same basic stuff. Dow’s is blue, Owens-Corning’s is pink. You do NOT want to use EXPANDED foam, liek the white foam used in packing, for your layout base. It’s messy and not nearly as srong. Works ok for scenic forms though.
–Randy
I used foam at one point to build a grade because the base I was working with had to be flat. The cork could be laid on a layer of anything, or on the plywood. Cork is both a scenic feature, representing roadbed, and a sound deadener, and holds the spikes that won’t go into the plywood. The foam is used under the tracks in Woodland Scenics’s method. I tend to use Homasote under the tracks, rather than foam, and use the foam to build up scenic details.
I experimented with the 2’ foam board over the past couple of weeks. I like it alot. It was easy and fun. Check ou tmy shots below
Big Al:
Thanks—It looks like you used it to build the scenery. Did you also use it for the base? For example, did you start with plywood, put the 2" pink stuff on top of theat over the whole layout, then the cork? Also, what did you use to cut this with? I bought a few sheets of that white horseshit foam board that is brittle and creates crumbs and I have not even used it yet–looks like I will be taking that back to the store and replacing with the pink. Hey, you are the dude with the hoops on you layout? Nice.
G
Randy:
Thanka for the reply,. Looks great and gives a new guy some ideas on how things come together. I appreciate your help!
G
David:
Do you use Homasote over the entire layout onb top of the plywood base, or is it used as a base instead of plywood. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.
G
Buczynaski
Hey I did not use foam insulation on the whole layout bottom. I just used plywood and then Roadbed. I did not use any homasote. I did not feel I was really going to need it and I didnt. To cut the 2" and 1" foam Insulation I just used a retractable box cutter from Walmart for $.94. I have many of them because they tend to need frequent replacement due to the little tab to hold the razor out breaks. It is so very easy to cut and manage. Also I used WS tack glue for the insulation but for a fast setting I also used hot glue and they held great instantly so I was able to do work craving withing minutes of glueing.
Yes I am the dude with the Basketball court. That was a fun Kitbash you can call it. IWhen I was thining of building a B-ball court I figured there was a kit out there like a real B-ball court I played at. There was nothing but one that had dirt for the court. Very crapy. It was in the Walthers Catalog. So I decided to make the backboard and hoops and then do the court by just measuring the size and using smooth-it. I made about four sets of hoops and gave them away for free because I wanted other people to be able to make their own and enjoy it. I used the kid slamming the ball from WS people. He was actually kicking a soccer ball that I painted Orange and it was perfect in the position he was in to be slamming the ball. Perfect find.