Hi - I’m trying to find an 8’x4’ sheet of foam rubber to use as a table top foundation for my layout. This method is suggested in the Model Railroader DVD for building your first layout. The problem is I can’t find this material at my local Home Depot. Can anyone tell me where to find this stuff? Many thanks in advance ~ ski
I think you will find it isn’t foam rubber, but extrueded foam (pink or blue insullation board). You can get it in various thicknesses up to 2" (don’t know of any thicker). It is light weight and easy to cut, but it can be a bit messy depending on what you cut it with. They make special tools to cut it if you want, hot wire, hot knife. Use Liquid Nails for Projects for adhesive, some types of glue will eat the board. Even the scraps can be used to make small piles of gravel, coal, whatever you want. Some parts of the country seem to have trouble finding it, not so here in the NE.
Good luck,
The stuff is pink extruded foam and usually is available from insulation installation companies. If you’ve got a few where you are you might want to call them and see if they carry it. They may be willing to sell you what you need. My foam was quite expensive I used the 2" Dow Corning pink stuff.
Good Luck
ski,
As the others suggested, you want the pink (Owen-Corning) or blue (Dow) extruded foam insulation. 1-1/2 or 2" thickness is sturdy and works fine as a base.
You wouldn’t want to use foam rubber for two main reasons:
- It doesn’t provide enough support for heavy locomotives - especially at rail joints.
- It will eventually degrade over time.
2" thick extruded foam in my area is about $20-$25 for a 4 x 8 sheet. I love the stuff.
Tom
About $20 for a 4X8 2-inch thick panel at the local HDs and Menards around here. THey also sell 0.5-inch, 1-inch and 1.5-inch. I understand it is tough to find in warm areas of the country though.
Correction: Owen-Corning makes insulation. Dow Corning makes silicone. It’s easy to get the two confused. I always have to stop and recollect it myself. [:)]
Tom
Thank you everyone!!! I saw the foam insulation boards at my local HD, both pink and blue, but had it in my mind that I should be looking for foam rubber for some reason. I’ll go with the insulation and look into the liquid nails and appropriate cutting tools.
Thanks again!
OT but …If by accident you DID purchase a sheet of foam rubber it can have a model railroad use.
A friend took a sheet of foam rubber and cut it into rectangles the same size as his unit coal train cars. He roughed up the top surface a little and spray painted it black. It makes a surprisingly realistic coal load. And it is easy to remove (using a pick) or install (using your fingers) the loads back in his staging yard – he keeps the foam rubber “loads” in a shoe box.
Dave Nelson