I'm going to head to Home Depot tomorrow morning to get some material for fascia. What should I buy? How should I attach it to foam?
BTW my layout is 31" by 49" on 1.5" thick extruded foam.
I'd think about 1/8" untempered masonite painted with Latex green and glued with latex caulk to the edges of the foam.
Just my 2 cents
Joe Daddy
whats the average price for that masonite
Mike
I plan to use 1/8" hardboard for my fascia and backdrop boards. Masonite is a brand name for a kind of hardboard. I've not seen it sold under this name in any of my local Lowes or Home Depots however. The hardboard I've seen comes in two forms, one side smooth and one side rough or both sides smooth. I used 1/8" hardboard for lighting valances. The hardboard I used for this came painted gloss white on one side which acted as a good light reflector. Got it at my local Lowes. I also would suggest you get some vinyl plastic panel joiners to make the joints between the panels in your fascia look neater. These come in white or beige and can be painted. They come in 8' lengths and are usually found in the wall panel section of the building supply store. They come in a butt-joint configuration for end to end panel joints and in inside and outside corners if you need to do right angle joints in your fascia. They simply slip on the edges of the paneling and give the joint a more finished appearance. I got mine at Lowes.
Bob
Well guys, it sounds like the hardboard is the stuff to get... One threader had stated that it bends good.. Any problems with it cracking or breaking?? What if it exposed to temperature variances? ie... Garage layout? How does it hold up through the winter? From Wisconsin so we see some pretty cold below zero temps. Also, I was wondering how it cuts? Is it dusty? or chippy. (good word huh?) Whats the common tool for cutting? Thanks for the help guys.
MPRR wrote:Well guys, it sounds like the hardboard is the stuff to get... One threader had stated that it bends good.. Any problems with it cracking or breaking?? What if it exposed to temperature variances? ie... Garage layout? How does it hold up through the winter? From Wisconsin so we see some pretty cold below zero temps. Also, I was wondering how it cuts? Is it dusty? or chippy. (good word huh?) Whats the common tool for cutting? Thanks for the help guys.Mike
It WILL expand and contract with heat and moisture. I made mine with 2'x4' panels. Wish I would have gone with 2'x8'. I'm going to have to get some 1"x4"'s and make some kind of a frame for support. I get some warping and bowing along the top of mine when it gets real hot.I have them screwed to the bench work with sheet rock screws, so they have very little support right now. Heat affects it more than cold.I cut them with a fine tooth circular saw blade and jig saw. No more of a dust mess than cutting regular wood. It bends pretty EZ without cracking.
I have cut 1/8" hardboard with a circular saw and a sabre saw with blades designed for cutting plywood or paneling, i.e., they have more teeth in the blade. In both cases, be sure to put the "good" side of the hardboard down, i.e., the side that you'll be able to see after it's installed. Cutting the hardboard does create considerable brown dust so do the cutting someplace where it's easily cleaned up, e.g., outside or in your garage. In regard to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, I'd say if you use the joiners in mentioned in my above post, leaving a small gap between the edges of adjacent pieces of hard board in the fascia, you shouldn't have a major problem. The butt-joint joiner is wide enough to cover any gap that might occur between the edges due to expansion or contraction of the pieces.
1/8" hardboard can be bent down to approximately a 12" radius curve, so I've read in this forum. Be advised that you should be very careful when bending it around an outside corner not to make the bend over a sharp corner. The hardboard will break at the corner. I know from personal experience.
Great info.. I'm convinced thats the stuff I'm gonna use. As long as I keep in mind the expansion/contraction and leave a small gap I think I'll be fine. As long as all gaps are close to the same it shouldn't look bad. Could always hide the gaps with heralds, signs, scene labels, proto pics, etc... I'm not exactly looking for museum grade stuff here. Although that would be sweet.
loathar,
The butt joiners, etc., that I mentioned in my above post, I believe are called panel joiners. They are designed to fit over the edge of 1/8" thick wall paneling. They are usually in the wall panel section at Lowes. In addition to the butt joiners, and inside and outside corners, they also have pieces that slip onto the free edge of a panel to give a finished edge. These panel joiners should work well for valances and fascias, but not on backdrop boards where you need a flush joint.
In a recent article in the May 2008 issue of MR, page 52, there was a statement about sealing both sides of hardboard with polyurethane varnish before they are used as part of a backdrop board to prevent expansion and contraction due to moisture in the air. Have any of you done this? If so, has it worked to prevent the dreaded expansion and contraction?
Mike,
I think you missed my point about the use of the panel joiners that I've mentioned in my above posts. The butt joiners allow you to put at least an 1/8" gap between the edges of adjacent panels and the butt joiner will cover the gap. All you see on the front surface of the panels is a slightly raised area that represents the visible part of the butt joiner. Just prime it and paint it the same color as the rest of the fascia and it basically disappears. Use only water based paint so you don't damage the vinyl plastic of the joiner.
FYI: I cut these joiner pieces to length with a fine tooth miter box saw in a manual miter box.
aaahhhh.. now I get it.. Makes total sence and a great idea. I agree with everyone
RFinch wrote: 1/8" hardboard can be bent down to approximately a 12" radius curve, so I've read in this forum. Bob
1/8" hardboard can be bent down to approximately a 12" radius curve, so I've read in this forum.
Yes, hardboard can be bent pretty sharply BUT you do need to take extra steps if you are needing a very sharp bend. Gradual bends are no problem but if you get to a point where you start to feel resistance from the hardboard then stop. Hardboard can go from bend to break in an instant.
When you need a sharp bend wet down the hardboard. Use a very damp sponge and wipe both sides of the hardboard. Initially the hardboard will have some surface tension and won't absorb the water but after a few passes with the sponge you can tell that it is starting to suck up the water. Take your time, let the water absorb and then give it more water.
Try your sharper bend and if it fits your finished. If you still feel resistance then add more water (and time).
I have done some pretty tight bends this way and once the hardboard has dried into position I have found no swelling or change in structural strength. A light sanding may be needed on the visible surface but after a coat of paint you cannot tell any differences.
Good luck,-John
1/8" Masonite or hardboard comes in "tempered" and untempered (soft).The tempered is usually a significantly darker brown than the untempered. I believe both can sometimes be found smooth both sides or fabric pattern on the back. I would never use the untempered as it is much more likely to break, flake, and absorb moisture. It also creates a lot more dust, etc. when you cut it. It absorbs paint very well (too well; it takes more coats to cover) as it does every other liquid that gets near it. It IS cheaper, but not enough to matter much. I highly recommend tempered, smooth both sides and then paint (or varnish) one or both sides. In Colorado one side might do it....here on the East Coast summer humidity makes both-sides-paint nice (but I didn't bother). As stated several times above, no matter what you use, make allowance for expansion and contraction.
Cheers, OldStone, O & W Rwy
I,too use 1/8" masonite. I tape the joints with fiberglass mesh drywall tape( not the usual paper tape) and mud as usual.As contractor, I've used it in a lot of applications as a backer board, around a curved bartop ,for example.The poster above who suggested wetting it is correct, just watch the water amount. I've also cut kerf cuts into it and got it to bend around a 51/5"corner. It was work.
Terry
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
saronaterry wrote:I,too use 1/8" masonite. I tape the joints with fiberglass mesh drywall tape( not the usual paper tape) and mud as usual.As contractor, I've used it in a lot of applications as a backer board, around a curved bartop ,for example.The poster above who suggested wetting it is correct, just watch the water amount. I've also cut kerf cuts into it and got it to bend around a 51/5"corner. It was work.Terry
Terry,
Visited your excellent work at photobucket. Very nice layout, thanks so much for sharing it!
I use gool ol' masonite as well.
The holes you see in the fascia are for access to the staging yard below the scenery:
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I knew ahead of time I wanted a 2' facia at its deepest , so I had them rip the 4x8 in half (into a pair of 2x8) right at the store on their big ol ripping rack. Quick, no mess for me, and a nice straight cut, and easier to get into the car.
Once I have it attached I will cut the profile from the top edge.
Chris
Brunton wrote:I use gool ol' masonite as well.
Wow.. what a monster Helix I see in the background there.. you could house a small family inside it..