What's your experience with Homasote?

[Anonymous]

I'm just getting back into the hobby after about 27 years. On my previous layout, I used homasote for roadbed, however, the layout was torn down before I had much experience with it. I hear a lot about dimensional stability problems, but, I've seen a number of layouts in the magazines that use homasote as a roadbed. Question: What is your experience with homasote? Also: How long has your layout had homasote roadbed?

[coalminer3]

Only problems I experienced with homasote was dust when cutting it. I solved that by doing cutting outside. I have had it in some section of the layout since 1972 w/o a bit of trouble. It is moistutre sensitive, but it never really posed a problem.

work safe

[Anonymous]

I know people who use it for roadbed without problems. Some though seem to think roadbed extends to the whole top surface of their layout and use it over plywood or (gasp) over the frame alone. These seem to be the people who have stability issues. I use cork on foam or plywood myself and it has been up for 10 years at places. I like foam as it is waterproof, lighter, easier to cut, cleaner to cut, and costs about the same. That being said the is more than one way to shoe a horse, so....I also have areas that are hardshell and they too are great, I have ceiling tile as "limestone cuts" and it's great, I have an are made of expanded foam and it's great. The only thing I don't have is homasote. FRED

[Anonymous]

I've used homosote as a road bed before, rather successfully. I glued (carpenters glue) the homosote to medium density hard board sub road bed. The combination maintained stability. Make sure and use fairly thick hard board, 3/8's or greater ( I kept the unsupported distances to less than 20"). BTW, hardboard is resonably inexpensive.

My brother used homosote without any sub road bed. That was a disaster! Although, he was able to recover by gluing hardboard to the bottom of the homosote. :-)

[Sperandeo]

I like Homasote as a base for handlaid track, but I hate to cut roadbed out of large sheets by any method (I'm pretty sure I've tried them all). That's why I'm using precut HomaBed roadbed. I've been very happy with it, and have had a good bit of in place for more than 5 years. HomaBed is now made by the California Roadbed Co., www.homabed.com, or see the ad in MODEL RAILROADER.

So long,

Andy

[BR60103]

As a heretic in this hobby, I use Homasote for most of the flat surface of the railroad where track is laid. I use it in big sheets (up to 2 feet wide) with no wood underneath, but supported every 12".

[Anonymous]

As a Brit, I'm not sure what 'Homasote' is, but I would imagine we have the stuff over here, only under a different brand name.

At a guess I think it could be fibre board, a light alternative to plasterboard in the building trade, and very susceptible to moisture, if left untreated.

Any suggestions

Thanks,

Jon