I am going to be responsible for putting skirting on a large layout. I was wondering what type fabric most of you use & the aprox. cost per yard. thanks
Welcome to the forum. Nice clear and concise title to your thread. Some ideas were discussed recently in this thread.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/264094.aspx
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thanks for the reply, but most of the replies cover facia covering. I am interested in skirting that would go to the floor. Aprox 30-35 yards & about 40 inches high.
It's been a while since I did mine, but if you want fabric, try JoAnn Fabrics.
Here is a 20 yard bolt for $75. I like Hunter Green. Also, check the Internet for discount coupons at JoAnn's.
http://www.joann.com/poly-cotton-blend-boadcloth-solids-20yd-bolts/prd15034.html#q=hunter%20green&prefn1=prod_type&prefv1=Product&start=1
Rich
Alton Junction
Landscape fabric. Cheap. Easy to find. Prevents weeds from growing in the benchwork.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
I have seen weed blocking fabric, available at your local garden center or many hardware stores, this is what I plan to use.
You can hang it horizontally, but the height is limited by the widths available or less. If you hang it vertically, unlimited height and access seams every 3' or width of the fabric.
Good luck,
Richard
Isn't weed blocking fabric shiny like a cheap 1950's suit?
There are online fabric shops. If 40" puts it in the way of people's feet you may want to buy 36", which also eliminates the need to cut it down. However I think I rememeber that fabric stores can cut down a bolt to the size you want. At any rate, you still don't want people to be able to step on it and pull it off the layout.
Something to consider: if in a basement reconsider using fabric. The skirt restricts air flow and if the basement is humid the fabric can get moldy, in particular the back side.
~The voice of experience (yes there was a dehumidifier)
I'm fairly open mided but I don't think I'd choose landscaping/weed blocking fabric for around my layout. The stuff I've seen and used around the farm just lacks the "class" I want on my layout.
Regular fabric isn't all that expensive and is readily available in tons of colors and materials. Fabric is often on sale and Hobby Lobby generally has a 40% off coupon you could use for the fabric. Ask your wife, mother, sister, daughter for some help with it. It comes in 36" and 48" widths which is fine or make multiple curtains if you need something taller. It is always best to buy all you need at one time as batches can vary in shade and can be pretty noticable.
I would recommend NOT having it touch the floor. People will be contacting it with their shoes and it will eventually get soiled and possibly worn from shoes. I have never had the mold issues mentioned but I can see it being possible and an awful thing to deal with. I lived in Scum City (Houston) for 35 very long years with a garage layout. My layout curtains were about 6 or 8" from the floor and I never had any mold even in that craphole place. Perhaps I was just lucky?
I had my wife make my curtains and she installed snaps to mount them. I originally tried velcro but it kept pulling away from the hardboard fascia panels. I would recommend making whatever you use removable for maintenance on the layout or for cleaning the curtains.
They really do make a lot of difference in the "feel" of the layout room. I hate seeing all those piles of rolling stock boxes, supplies and junk under the layout.
My 2¢,
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works
I used heavy duty velcro to put up my original skirting which was fairly heavy cloth nine years ago(I too like hunter green) and it has held up well. Expanded my layout a bit and used regular velcro to put up the same weight cloth,and it pulled away in a month rt two. Lesson learned. Snaps sound like a positive way to attach the skirting
I outsourced my skirting and bought it from a company that makes custom skirting for banquet tables, etc. Wasn't the cheapest option but I was very pleased with the outcome. I would post pictures, but I have not yet made the move to a new picture-hosting site.
Some good ideas and methods on using fabric for skirting. My layout is just under 60 sq.ft., so I got off easy by using side panels from a yard gazebo. I attached them using decorative brass screws and shoulder washers, and kept it about 2" off the floor.
Mike.
My You Tube
A couple of notes on landscape fabrice, which is what I use...
It doesn't have to be shiny. In many cases, there is a shiny side, but the other side is matte to flat in reflectance. It also comes in a variety of weights. Don't get the cheap stuff, as the good stuff is still cheap even if a few bucks more for the roll.
Landscape fabric allows for a free flow of air. It's permeable to water, to start with, but often also has tiny pores in it that further promote ventilation.
While it is cheap, how landscape fabric is used, as with most fabrics, is what tends to determine what the "cheese factor" in appearance ends up being.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
So how do you the cheap land scaping fabric vs. the better, also cheap land scaping fabric?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761 So how do you the cheap land scaping fabric vs. the better, also cheap land scaping fabric?
Price is pretty much it. Also terms like "professional" etc are also guides. But the best thing to do is to get it between your fingers. Cheap will feel thin, unsubstantial. The better stuff is thicker, feels more like flannel. Of course, check for whether the texture is right for you, whether shiny or flat. Most of the stuff looks different when you turn it over and look at the other side, so consider that.
Menards is common in the upper Midwest, but its selection may not represent what you'd find on the coasts and elsewhere. They have it in grades like Economy, Standard, Premium, Ultra, and Professional. Price varies from $5.98 to 19.98 for a 3' x 50' roll, cheaper for longer lengths. They also list a couple of choices in 4' widths if you need that. So even the fancy is, urr, relatvely cheap.
Can you provide the name of the company you used? I'd be interested in trying that too.
Thanks,
Michael