I go around to the construction sites to get mine. They usually give it to you to save room in the dumpsters, I have enough to do 2 layouts. Last haul was 3 truck loads for free and I use both blue and pink. Just make sure if it has the thinplastic layer pull it off glue wont stick to it, it has the little squares on it..
dbduck The older the tiles the better the effect newer tiles are not made up layers like the older (20+ yrs) tile were
The older the tiles the better the effect
newer tiles are not made up layers like the older (20+ yrs) tile were
I did not know this.
Maybe this is why when you go into an older building you often see a missing ceiling Tile or two.
rrinkerHave you price 3/4" plywood these days? It's also a LOT more expensive than it was 15 years ago
True. But in many areas of California and other relatively mild-winter states, a layout built from plywood will be cheaper than the equivalent one built from extruded foam -- just because the foam is harder to find and generally more expensive here than in other places.
Extruded foam is fine, plywood is fine, gatorboard is fine, etc.. But availability and price factor in.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
never mind
I gussed right. Checked with the yardman at the local lumber yard. All the foam comes in 4'x4'x8' blocks, wrapped in plastic, 48 pieces of 1", 24 of 2", 18 of 3" and so on. The 2' wide sheets still come in the same size blocks.
He said they'd ship it, I have no idea the cost.
Have fun,
Richard
railandsail I think I remember seeing that old ceiling tile makes good shale rocks,
I think I remember seeing that old ceiling tile makes good shale rocks,
Yes I've seen that too I might try that out on the water edges on the lake by my sawmill.
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
The thing I like about pink foam is you can do so much with it.
This was a little experiment. I stabbed a random line accross the corner of 2 inch foam with a steak Knife about 8 10 times then just broke it and half, then I picked the tops with my fingernails on the perforations that were already there and this is what I got.
The process took about 30 40 seconds. It's not the effect I want for rocks on my layout but I think it simulates the stone formations in the western states.
Even though I I have no use for it I think I'm going to color wash and dry brush it. I'm curious to see what it will look like.
cowman Weight is not the shipping cost, it's the size. Also, it needs protection from handling Richard
Weight is not the shipping cost, it's the size. Also, it needs protection from handling
Richard you got that straight.
Those delivery guys are in a big hurry and kind of beat things around.
Remember that old movie Pet Detective with Jim Carrey kicking the package down the hall ? I never really thought about that. Ha ha
And now that you mention it. I do remember ordering a quite a large part for my classic car. The shipping was quite expensive.
I guess the old saying Size Matters is true.....Ha ha
I think I'll fold my construction business and open an extruded foam distributorship for model railroaders in the south. Lol
graymatter No No I am not mad. I was tired and could not spell to save my life so I cut n' pasted
No No I am not mad. I was tired and could not spell to save my life so I cut n' pasted
Great...... I try not to offend anybody. I'm a little cocky like my dad. Cocky is hard to decipher reading text. You can't see the person's facial expressions.
I actually went back and reviewed my posts here.
I gotta say there was a couple of gray areas, no pun intended. Chuckle chuckle.
I think you'll really like working with pink foam if you can just get your hands on some.
Have you price 3/4" plywood these days? It's also a LOT more expensive than it was 15 years ago - and the quality is WAY down.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I used the blue foam (from Lowe's) for the first phase of my layout about 15 years ago. WOW has it gotten expensive. I can't remember exactly what I paid for it but I'm thinking it was around $25-30 and even that seemed expensive to me. No way I would have paid $50 then or now but if it's what you want, I guess you have to pay the going price. I switched back to good old fashioned 3/4" plywood for the rest of the layout. Yes it's cumbersome but I don't figure on ever moving the layout so I don't mind handling it one time.
Graymatter,
Never have counted, hard to tell when they are stacked up on the truck. I think they are 4'x4'x8' which would be 12 sheets of 2". May be down that way tomorrow, will try to remember to check.
Buy a bundle and sell the excess to other modelers.
Good luck,
cowman Weight is not the shipping cost, it's the size. Also, it needs protection from handling in transit, set something heavy on it, when it is not on a flat surface and it could easily snap. Even a large enough quantity to have some strength would be subject to bump damage, as it is soft. I love working with the stuff, nice thing is that less than three miles awayis a yard that brings in several tt loads a year. One bundle would do most modelers for a life time. Good luck, Richard
Weight is not the shipping cost, it's the size. Also, it needs protection from handling in transit, set something heavy on it, when it is not on a flat surface and it could easily snap. Even a large enough quantity to have some strength would be subject to bump damage, as it is soft.
I love working with the stuff, nice thing is that less than three miles awayis a yard that brings in several tt loads a year. One bundle would do most modelers for a life time.
Richard I am curious how many sheets are in a bundle?
Perhaps I should be asking for a bundle.....??
Craigs List!
Thats a great idea.
Thanks Brain
That right Track Fiddler!
I am mad. Now lets talk about DC vs DCC and we can really have it out!
LOL
No No I am not mad. I was tired and could not spell to save my life so I cut n' pasted and I guess you thought the large text was 'yelling'
Thats why I come to this forum! To get away from the yelling!
OP asked if anyone has used the blue foam. Yes! When I lived in Texas any foam was semi-hard to find and Homasote was IMPOSSIBLE to find. "Homa What?" and "Homa Who?" were the normal responses from big box stores and building supply places. Pretty much the same when asking for foam sheet products.
I finally called a plastics company in the yellow pages. He sold the Dow blue foam in lots of thicknesses in 4x8 sheets. I got some in 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8" thicknesses. It's been quite some time so the price eludes me but it wasn't as expensive as you would think. He also had a lot of scrap pieces and damaged sections he threw in as a bonus.
So don't rely soley on Lowes, HD or whatever big box store you have locally.
The blue foam worked well for everything I used it for on my layout. It cut, carved and glued well. I glued it together with yellow glues like Titebond and Bordens.......whatever I had available and some pieces are still stuck together after at least 10 years.
Good luck.
oldline1
graymatter polyshield is Expanded Polystyrene Foam Board Insulation. styrofoam. The extruded foam board can handle more psi therefore holds more weight. There is a youtube show "whats neat this week" Ken Patterson makes the pink stuff look easy.....
Oops I pissed you off somewhere. That was not my intent. You definitely have it spelled out though the pink stuff is better. I would have to agree with Ken Patterson it is very easy to work with.
If you Google Menards Owens Corning pink extruded foam insulation. This is where I have found it definitely the cheapest.
It can't be that much to ship the stuff is so lightweight.
I am in Florida (northern part) and the 2" foam is rather hard to get here.
But in my research it appears as though with proper glue someone can simply glue 2 sheets of 1" together and get the same result.
In my case where the studs are 24" apart in my shed I believe I would want the 2" stuff. In a house where the studs ar 16" apart. I think 1.5" would be fine.
I also saw the recommendation that a 1/8 thick masonite/plywood be glued to the bottom of the foam. I thought this to be a very good idea,...little extra stiffness, mounting surface for items underneath, and supposely helps with the nasty transmission of sound that comes with foam subroadbed.
I'm going to utilize foam on my upper deck level of my new layout.BTW I looked over craigslist and found several folks selling off surplus foam insulations they had.
Cuyama
I agree homosote is not a subsitute for extruded foam, its a different construction technique all together and more complicated then extruded foam stacked and sculpted.
I have gone full circle and will draw up plans using wood...and maybe some styrofoam.....
I was wondering why It was so expensive. Thanks for the correction cuyama. I certainly have been known to be wrong before.
Edit. What is polyshield and how is it different from extruded ?
Track fiddlerExtruded is extruded. It doesn't matter what color the foam is.
The Polyshield that the Original Poster is talking about is not extruded.
graymattermaybe homasote..........
Homasote has no structural strength, so it’s not a substitute for extruded foam. And it may be just as hard to find in So Cal.
Plywood also works great for subroadbed (cut in cookie-cutter style) and is available everywhere. It worked great for model railroad layouts for the 50 years or so before extruded foam became widely available - and still does.
I found an Insulation company with extruded blue.....I said how much a sheet?
He asked is this for trains? I said yes.
He said "I can let you have it for $60 a sheet.
If he knew he was the only place in So Cal with some in stock he probably would ask for more.
Lowes offered to ship some from Illinios for $100 in shipping at $40 a sheet for lowes extruded blue.
Ironically thats about $51 a sheet! But (and its a big but) I have little faith it will arrive in the condition I would like.
maybe homasote..........
graymatter DSchmitt Thanks for the info. I found that homedepot will order the pink stuff, 4' x 8' x2" But....and its abig but minium order is 64 sheets. 64 x $40 = $2560 Thats a lot of sheet!
DSchmitt
Thanks for the info. I found that homedepot will order the pink stuff, 4' x 8' x2"
But....and its abig but
minium order is 64 sheets. 64 x $40 = $2560
Thats a lot of sheet!
graymatter !........ Are you kidding me ! Do yourself a favor and do a little research.
By the way welcome to the forum.
Extruded is extruded. It doesn't matter what color the foam is.
Just like electrical wiring. The current going through the wire doesn't care what color the casing or shroud is. It all functions and works the same.
Current info, grades in pink. Page 4 on this current forum.
1 inch foam does just fine. I was the guinea pig and did the experiments before I did the build.
I don't understand why southern states do not have availability in this product. One must insulate air conditioning just as well as heat.
Who knows, go figure. This isn't the first time I've heard of this before.
Can I send it to you ? Just kidding. I don't think 4-foot by 8-foot UPS would be any cheaper then you can find it for. Chuckle chuckle
I wish you the best of luck in your search.