Foam for layout

[Hawks05]

Alright, so being in college and not being able to work with my trains in a long time has got me thinking about what I can do with my layout. I'll be going home Friday and my dad usually has Friday's off so I figure maybe I'll have him pick up some of the blue foam for my 4x8 layout. I just got an urge to start going on my layout and get something going. I'll have a nice Thanksgiving break and then a long winter break to work on it so why not get started.

I'm just wondering what the best thickness for this blue foam is for a 4x8 layout and what kind of paint and color of paint is good for this type of foam. I'm going to be modeling the modern era upper midwest/Wisconsin time frame. Probably a summer type seeing as the foam is going to be green, that's the color I'd like it to be, just not sure which color.

Also I have a grain elevator that is just the basic gray plastic color like it came out of the box. Just wondering what color would be best to paint this as well. Spray paint or brush paint.

Thanks for the help.

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Based on where you live, I would suggest looking for the 2" thickness. This will allow you carve down below the track level for culverts, depressions etc. Down here, we can only get the 1/2" thickness, so, have to glue and build up.

On paint, I use plain old flat latex - a nice browny earth color is good. Check out your local supply store for something that was mixed and then returned. I picked up a gallon of flat latex very light brown for $5.

On the grain elevator, there are lot more experts here on structure painting than I.
I hope to get a air bru***his Christmas.

Good luck. [:)]

[orsonroy]

Since you're modeling Wisconsin, I'd recommend a base of 2" foam, with more 2" foam added on top of that to represent the hills. The 2" of foam below the base track level will allow you to extend some hills below the grade, carve in fills and drainage ditches (mandatory in the midwest), and the occasional stream or river.

As for paint for the foam, any plain old latex paint works well. I like browsing though Home Depot and Lowe's looking for "oops" paint, that's been colored "tannish".

[Hawks05]

What do I use to attach the foam to the wood? Glue?

What color would you suggest painting it? I know some said a tan or brown, but I've heard green as well. So which one would be better?

I'm leaning towards green but that's just me.

How would you use the foam to create hills and everything? I have no idea what I want to do yet, but I'm trying to get ideas.

I want to be able to have at least like 3-4 tracks for a yard I guess.

Thanks for the help.

[roadrat]

Attaching the foam to the wood can be done with "Liquid Nails for projects" lay a bead of LN around your frame work and place your foam down on it then lift the foam back up for a minute (I'm not sure why you have to do this but it seems to work) then put it back down and apply some weights to keep it down tight.
as for creating hills just glue progressly smaller pieces of 2" foam down onto your layout base like you were making an odd shaped wedding cake then use a surform tool, wire brush, or coarse sand paper to smooth out the sides of the 'hill'.
as for your grain elevator try using a light tan color of spray primer found at Walmart or Home depot it worked on some silos I made out of PVC pip ( be sure to test the spray paint on some sprue to be sure it won't eat the plastic )

hope all this helps.

bill

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

What do I use to attach the foam to the wood? Glue?

Wood glue is the cheapest, most readily available, and an effective way to glue stuff to foam. It works much better than Liquid Nails, which is a short term contact construction adhesive. Silicone caulk works better than wood glue, but stinks, and probably won't be a good thing to use in a dorm room. No matter what, it takes everything but rubber cement FOREVER to dry sandwiched between foam, since foam doesn't let air pass through (it IS insulation...). Make sure the bond is completely dry, which might take up to two weeks!

QUOTE:
What color would you suggest painting it? I know some said a tan or brown, but I've heard green as well. So which one would be better?

GO with any tan color. It really does look more natural than green (I've used green, and the results weren't the best)

QUOTE:
How would you use the foam to create hills and everything? I have no idea what I want to do yet, but I'm trying to get ideas.

You need five tools: fine-tooth hacksaw blade, Stanley Surefoam rasp (small), an old serrated blade bread knife, a snap-blade utility knife, and coarse sandpaper and a sanding block. Once you have all your tools and the glue's dry, start cutting away everything that doesn't look like a hill. Really. It just takes practice, so you might want to experiment on a little scrap foam before you commit to carving on the layout. But it's really not a difficult or scary thing to do.

[Hawks05]

So what you're saying is glue the 4x8 foam down to the wood. Then add the hills to the layout?

Don't worry I won't be doing any of this in the dorms. All my stuff is back home. All I might do in the dorms is put some kits together even then I don't know because of the smell of the glue.

I should be good since I'll most likely get the foam this weekend and try and paint it as well. Then have my dad glue it down sometime during the week so when I come back for Thanksgiving break I'll be able to start putting stuff down permanently. I doubt it but I need to start getting something down.

[dragonriversteel]

Just be glad you can get your mitt's on 2" foam board. I moved from upstate New York { Oswego,NY }to Beaufort ,SC. These folks never even heard of 2" foam board . I'm thinking about getting a friend of mine to bring a few sheets down ,when he comes to visit.

Patrick