Hi guys!
I’m working on my PRR layout ( 6 feet by 24 feet) and simply getting tired of looking at the PINK FOAM tabletops. I already have some track laid, but thought since I already have some earth tone paints I would go ahead and paint the foam. I don’t think I’ll have any problems with roadbed adhering to the painted foam.
Figured it be easier to paint it now before I lay much more track.
I’m using mostly W/S foam rooadbed attached with clear latex caulk.
Any opinions?
TheK4Kid
Ed,
Go ahead and paint it while you have a chance. Otherwise, it will take you quite a while to paint around things.
Does it say on the clear caulk container that it’s paintable? If it’s latex caulk, it should be paintable. I used the white latex caulk and the container stated that you could paint over it. That would be my major concern.
Tom
I have done a couple layouts where I used the paint as the track adhesive. Paint and lay the track in the wet paint. Didn’t have any problems with it not holding. I had to be careful of turnout points lest they get stuck. Worst case is that it only has to hold the track sufficiently until ballasting time when it really gets stuck down.
Good question, I am tired of looking at my blue foam too, but I have SOOOOO much more to do I didn’t know whether to paint it or not. Maybe I will, at least a little bit to break it up. [;)]
Unless you are doing A LOT of carving paint it as soon as it is down. As you say, it will look better. You can carve it later, build on it later, lay track and change track. Just always use latex or acrylic paint and glue(what you don’t want is silicone or oil based or super glue or any solvent based anything. That is unless you are using solvent to form a controled lake bed.)
How about some pics. I love to look at what others are learning to do.
I never gave this a thought, but prior to laying down roadbed, I could just very lightly sand where I’m going to lay down roadbed, or adhere anything else to the foam. DUHHHH!!!LOL!
I was thinking also, it will be easier than painting around everything…
My biggest thought was will my roadbed adhere as good?I don’t see why not.
TheK4Kid
I don’t think you’d want to sand foam, even painted foam. You’ll take little tiny bits out of the foam and create a rought surface. Don’t ask me how I know! As for sticking to the paint, I’ve painted all my foam and I stick my roadbed and track down with latex caulk and it holds just fine. The caulk sticks to the paint and the paint sticks to the foam.
I painted all the foam on my layout immediatly to avoid the “pink desert” look! I used cheap latex and had no trouble laying cork roadbed over it using clear adhesive caulk. The time between laying the foam and proper scenery construction is liable to be lengthy, so to avoid the “pink boredom” I used the paint! Worked well!
I just laid down road bed onto painted foam with latex caulk and it holds just fine.
Tom
Thanks for the input guys!
I am getting tired of looking at all that pink!
TheK4Kid