Scenery base for self layout.......Celotex?

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
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hello i 'm wrking on a shelf layout in the attic using hollow core doors supported with 2x4 arms screwed to 2x4 studs, the doors are 2 feet deep and i have 2 set up in an a “L” shape. At this point I’m trying to go as inexpensive as possible, bt still quality

the doors aren’t the flat surface ones so i used 5/8 osb from lowes screwed to the surface and then attached 1/4 foam board ( from the dollar store) I had painted the surface osb and while the paint was wet layed the foam on.

side note the bnch work so far has been inexpensive doors 3.00 a piece, osb 5.80 and 8.00 for foamboard

now the layout is going o be set in the susquehanna valley in north Central Pa, so the track is going to be flat with built up scenery like rolling hills , mountains and knolls

my previous layout i had more fiancial resources so i used 2’ foam to build up the scenery

I’m thinking aboutt a couple options including using CELOTEX to carve and build up hillsides and once it is shaped coveing it with some sort of plaster cloth then the normal ground covering techniques

I’m ooking at celotex because of the price, it seems i would get more material for the price.

has any one used his material before?

it won’tbe sed for laying track on etc

thanks for any tips

mark

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True Celotex as I used to know it in the 1940’s and 50’s is no longer available because it contained creosote – Celotex Corporation makes a product today called “Sound Board” which is 1/2 inch thick, 4x8 foot sheets of compressed sugar cane and other vegetable fibers. Sound Board is sold locally for around $8-9 per sheet and makes an excellent layout base.

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I’ve also seen what I used to call Celotex as ceiling tiles. There have been several articles in the trade press about using ceiling tiles for scenery. It can be cut easily and it can also be scored and snapped leaving rough edges that look a lot like rock cuts you see along some highways. You’d still have to seal it a little because it’s just pressed paper and once snapped, the edges tend to flake off like ‘dandruff’.

Anytime you’re hunting for building materials at a discount, go to Lowes or Home Depot and see if they have damaged material. They will often discount it deeply especially if you are a regular customer (or know someone at the store).

Darrell, quiet…for now