Should I use 2 inch foam board of homasote before I put my track down. If I use foam board down how will I screw down the track.
Foam allows easy scenery making, just carve the foam to shape with a steak knife. Foam does not hold fasteners of any type. Everything has to be secured with adhesive, latex caulk or PLZ300 foamboard adhesive. Solvent based adhesives such as Liquid Nails are reported to eat foam. To get a nice looking ballast bed under your track you may want to use cork roadbed on top of the foam and under the track.
Homasote takes nails exceptionally well and is a good sound deadener. Makes a superior roadbed if you want to nail down the track. Changes and repair are easier when the track isn’t glued in place. Areas like yards and engine terminals can just go down on a sheet of Honosote. Homasote is not very strong and unsupported it will sag over time. It needs some plywood under neath to make a truly permanent layout. The plywood need not be more than 1/4 inch. A 4*8 homasote layout allows re doing the track plan at will, something that appeals to children.
A 4*8 homasote layout allows re doing the track plan at will, something that appeals to children.
LOL…I’m an old timer who used homasote back in the 60’s-70’s, built a new layout when I retired and moved and used homasote for the roadbed and my entire yard, all glued to plywood and it is very quiet.
I have a friend who used 2" foam glued to 1/4" plywood and talk about noisy. I run 6 trains and it is noiseless compared to foam. I find that foam is great for mountains, but not at all for noise reduction.