I have used 3/16" Masonite on my backdrop, and perhaps the same method might be ok for you. I used screws from Fastcap that have a 1/16" head and are 5/8" long (self drilling) and then used a brad nailer with 1/2" nails in between the screws. I then roughed up the masonite with a palm sander using 50 grit paper. I then used self-sticking mesh tape and 2 layers of feathered fine drywall mud. Sanding was done with a 150 grit drywall screen. Primer, paint, all is good.
Cheers!
DanB
I would be more worried about the staples working their way out with temperature swings loosening them up. Staples are good to hold things in place while the glue dries. I don't know anything about building codes where you are, but temperature swings and humidity can wreak havoc on structures.
My neighbour just had to rip off the top floor of a small coach house in his backyard just because the guy that built it ran out of vapor barrier and left a ten-foot section exposed. Mold and dry rot took over in short order.
The best way to ensure a job is done right by a contractor is to stand and watch them work with a four foot level in your hands.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
mbinsewi I'm not sure what inspired you to do your walls and ceiling with masonite, but good luck with that. Mike.
I'm not sure what inspired you to do your walls and ceiling with masonite, but good luck with that.
Mike.
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
In the Sep '15 MR there is an article on how Allen McClelland used indoor/outdoor carpeting for his final facia. It was over masonite and mentioned that it hid gaps in the masonite.
An added benefit was that you can use velcro on the back of your throttles and other light pieces and they can be placed anywhere.
Good luck,
Richard
Do they require vapor barrier in Florida?
As far as seams go I just treated it like drywall and used fiberglass tape and Dap. Can't see them at all, go ahead get as close as you like.
My You Tube
railandsail Seams in Masonite Wall PanelsI have a little different problem, but related. I am covering the insulated walls and ceiling in my 12x16 train shed with 4x8 sheets of 1/8" masonite stapled to the 2x4 studs of the shed. I have very carefully keep the seams very tight, and used staples ever 6-8 inches down each side of a seam. So my seams are very well joined. The staples for the most part are 'recessed', although there are some bumps spots and flattened staples in spots where the staple didn't go recessed. So now I am thinking about 'taping' the seams prior to painting the masonite. Drywall type taping doesn't sound to appealing, and its not like I am attempting to have a finished wall you find inside a home (i do hope to eventyally cover this masonite with paint and then a printed backdrop of some kind. I was thinking of maybe a 2" wide adhesive tape of some kind, ....perhaps a really good duck tape or gorilla tape?? That would serve a double duty of hiding some of my 'imperfections', while subtlely 'hi-liting' my stud locations.(no photos at this moment)
Seams in Masonite Wall PanelsI have a little different problem, but related. I am covering the insulated walls and ceiling in my 12x16 train shed with 4x8 sheets of 1/8" masonite stapled to the 2x4 studs of the shed.
I have very carefully keep the seams very tight, and used staples ever 6-8 inches down each side of a seam. So my seams are very well joined. The staples for the most part are 'recessed', although there are some bumps spots and flattened staples in spots where the staple didn't go recessed.
So now I am thinking about 'taping' the seams prior to painting the masonite. Drywall type taping doesn't sound to appealing, and its not like I am attempting to have a finished wall you find inside a home (i do hope to eventyally cover this masonite with paint and then a printed backdrop of some kind.
I was thinking of maybe a 2" wide adhesive tape of some kind, ....perhaps a really good duck tape or gorilla tape?? That would serve a double duty of hiding some of my 'imperfections', while subtlely 'hi-liting' my stud locations.(no photos at this moment)
I decided to go ahead and let my nice clean istallation of the masonite panels stand for now,...then watch want happens as the heat/humidity of the coming spring/summer weather does to the material/seams, etc.
I found some really heavy-duty, extra-adhesive white Gorilla Tape. I used that to tape my seams between sheets of material, and those seams where I stapled the masonite to the stud walls. I took a good flat head hammer and solidily made all the 'proud' staples and other raised portions as flat as possible, then ran a sharp trowel over the areas. I decided to skip filling the other small divotts, and just tape over those.
Then I painted the surfaces with some oil-based (not water) Kilz paint I had previously collected. I even put a second coat on some surfaces. I consider this my 'undercoating' to the eventually sky blue painting of the 'background sky'.
Presently letting the paint thoroughly dry.
BTW, I have decided to go forward with the paint/sealing idea for now, and watch what happens over the next several months of warm up in FL. I will utilize some oil based KILZ i have on hand.
If everything gets screwed up I have an offer by a contractor friend to cover or replace the masonite with sheet rock.
In the meantime I am still in the track layout planning stage, and will errect some temp shelving to play with DCC and sound tech, and getting it into my fleet.
rrinker Maybe crazy, but I'm thinking large-head dent hammer could even out the staples and divots that stand proud of the board, making them all level with the surface or slightly depressed. --Randy
Maybe crazy, but I'm thinking large-head dent hammer could even out the staples and divots that stand proud of the board, making them all level with the surface or slightly depressed.
--Randy
Doughless That was the circumstance under which my masonite buckled. This was in a basement in the Midwest where there may be more difference in humidity swings between winter and summer depending upon if the polar or tropical air masses are prevailing. I assume FL is fairly humid year round. I also noticed you have an air conditioner, which dehumidifies the air and can atleast keep the inside a more consistant level. You may be fine.
That was the circumstance under which my masonite buckled. This was in a basement in the Midwest where there may be more difference in humidity swings between winter and summer depending upon if the polar or tropical air masses are prevailing. I assume FL is fairly humid year round.
I also noticed you have an air conditioner, which dehumidifies the air and can atleast keep the inside a more consistant level.
You may be fine.
Not near as humid in the winter (northern FL) as it is in the summer (very humid)
It was not intended that the AC unit would be running often enough to 'maintain' a house like enviroment,...but certainly while I was out there playng with trains.I did a good job of insulating the shed, and foruntunetly I have the whole shed under the carport. That reduces the solar gain SUBSTANTIALLY.
Riogrande...I have a 1/8" hardboard backdrop and it definitely flexes as the seasons change. I assume that the 1/4" will also flex.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
bearman I am using 1/4 in hardboard with the shiny side painted for my fascia. However there are some obvious seams between the separate panels. I am thinking of sheet rock joint compound which can be smoothed, sanded and painted to fill in the seams. Any one ever tried this? If so what were the results.
I am using 1/4 in hardboard with the shiny side painted for my fascia. However there are some obvious seams between the separate panels. I am thinking of sheet rock joint compound which can be smoothed, sanded and painted to fill in the seams. Any one ever tried this? If so what were the results.
That's the first thing I thought of. Only possible issue with dry wall mud is any surface that flexes it would crack and chip away.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
You people may not know it but there are different spects for masonite. The stuff I used back east could be used as underlayment, the stuff on the west coast is a no go. You will not have proublems with butted seams with masonite if you do the butt mid board like my 1x4 framed modules. Also if you can get a comercial carpet stapler, use that for attaching the masonite instead of screws, works great.
- Douglas
rrinker Per this spec sheet: http://www.justtimberandpanels.info/Brochures%20in%20pdf/Masonite%20Standard_PDS.pdf The humity expansion is 0.25% from 50 to 90% relative humidity. So an 8 foot long piece will expand by .24" if the humity goes from 50 to 90%. Not a whole lot. --Randy
Per this spec sheet:
http://www.justtimberandpanels.info/Brochures%20in%20pdf/Masonite%20Standard_PDS.pdf
The humity expansion is 0.25% from 50 to 90% relative humidity. So an 8 foot long piece will expand by .24" if the humity goes from 50 to 90%. Not a whole lot.
1/4" may not seem like much, but the humidity change is just about what we get in FL, and I have very carefully butted up my joints doing this low humidity 'winter weather' here in Florida.I had (have) planned on giving the whole surface two good coats of an oil based paint (first Kiltz, then exterior grade), to help stabilize it. But I was not going (did not) coat the backside that is against the considerable insulation job I did.
Here are a few photos,...
Pretty good seaming if I say so myself. I figured I could 'caulk' some of these with a flexible type cauking that would resist getting hard and brittle, and subsequently cracking?
But then look at these close-up photos of some of the 'divots' that the stapling created, both proud ones and craters....
It probably makes a difference how many attach points are used. I went with untreated masonite attached every 16 inches to 1 x pine and got waves in between attachment points during the summers. Maybe if I screwed it down more frequently that would've probably helped it from buckling away.
I suspect that I am going to try spackle. Mostly because I want the fascia to be removable and respackling is not as much of a pain as some of the other suggestions, which, I might add, were all good.
I have 1/4'' wood paneling in My finished garage and use Vinyl Wall panel connectors. Looks a lot better than any other thing that has been mentioned aside from Dave H, this I believe is what He meant: Comes in different colors or paint Your color.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sequentia-1-42-in-x-10-ft-Prefinished-Vinyl-Connector-Wall-Panel-Moulding/4768249?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA_ONLY-_-Millwork-_-SosInteriorWallPanels-_-4768249:Sequentia&CAWELAID=&kpid=4768249&CAGPSPN=pla&k_clickID=d58f5074-ad21-42e6-9877-2dd976ec6451&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzrTUBRCnARIsAL0mqcwTCnrJsYWsZ1pDSIeLzWSij-UPhDfGdkCKP4Bx-9oN2YbhKViyfhEaAgmoEALw_wcB
Take Care!
Frank
rrinker I have a stack of it (two full sheets cut into strips 4 feet long, less the 2 pieces I had installed on the old layout) standing in my unconditioned basement (it's finished, and has heat, but that just makes the low humidity in winter even worse - in summer with no dehumidifier it's rather damp) for almost 4 years now, and other than being a little bowed from standing on edge, it's not in the least bit warped. --Randy
I have a stack of it (two full sheets cut into strips 4 feet long, less the 2 pieces I had installed on the old layout) standing in my unconditioned basement (it's finished, and has heat, but that just makes the low humidity in winter even worse - in summer with no dehumidifier it's rather damp) for almost 4 years now, and other than being a little bowed from standing on edge, it's not in the least bit warped.
I think since its unattached and resting it has unrestricted freedom to move with the changes in humidity.
When its attached to the walls like a backdrop or sheething, the humidity caused mine to expand and contract differently than the substance it was attached to. Once I removed my untreated hardboard and primed it on both sides and all 4 edges, I was able to reinstall it without gaps and it never warped.
BTW, untreated masonite warps badly with humidity swings. For those who are expecting a smooth finish using masonite in an unconditioned space, the first humid summer will be an experience.
rrinker...I'm not sure how well drywall mud will stick to masonite, compared to actual drywall, the masonite is very smooth. Perhaps if you rough up the masonite first.....
When I did the coved corners on my backdrop, I use sandpaper to scuff-up the Masonite on the face of the vertical edges, and the drywall mud sticks to it like....never mind.
It's been in place since the layout room was built, about 25 years, I'd guess, and no cracks or bulges whatsoever.
rrinker....if it will end up covered by something anyway, it won't have to be perfect.
Randy's right, no need to be concerned if you're later going to cover it anyway.
Wayne
The only problem with putting tape over the joints with the staples is now you will have the opposite problem - the tape will stick out relative to the rest of the surface. It works with drywall tape because tehn you cover it with mud and feather it out so there isn't a bump just at the joint, it gradually bulges such that (with a good job) you don't realize it. If the visible parts will be covered with printed backdrops eventually, I don't know that I'd worry about it, especially if the full panel width gaps are pretty tight. The printed backdrops will cover any divots where the staples are. I'm not sure how well drywall mud will stick to masonite, compared to actual drywall, the masonite is very smooth. Perhaps if you rough up the masonite first. But not to go nuts and tape the joint then attempt to feather it all in, more along the lines of using some spackle like filling a hole in a wall left after removing a picture. Again, if it will end up covered by something anyway, it won't have to be perfect.
Use spackle, the pink stuff that turns white when dry.
railandsail ...Wondering what adhesives (tape and caulk) are most suitable/compatible with Masonite??....
...Wondering what adhesives (tape and caulk) are most suitable/compatible with Masonite??....
I'd think that just about any tape would stick to Masonite, but how long it would hold is a different concern. While caulk does stick to things, I wouldn't consider it to be a very good adhesive, particularly for construction uses. Better choices would be yellow carpenter's glue, or LePage's PL Premium - I used the latter to splice my upper level fascia together into that 50' long section. C-clamps held things together until the PL cured. Another good choice would be contact cement, but be sure to follow the instructions on the can.
railandsail ....I intend to glue a double layer of this tempered hardboard (Masonite) together to build the roadbed for my helix.
....I intend to glue a double layer of this tempered hardboard (Masonite) together to build the roadbed for my helix.
bearman @railandsail...unfortunately when I did my bnech work I was not all that careful about corners. So, when the hardboard fascia has been attached any imperfections in the benchwork joints are magnified.
@railandsail...unfortunately when I did my bnech work I was not all that careful about corners. So, when the hardboard fascia has been attached any imperfections in the benchwork joints are magnified.
I was real careful such that my vertical wall seams are almost perfectly mated.
My ceiling to wall joints are an unusual angle so molding will probably not be a viable solution. But here again I cut very good fit that can likely just be caulked in.
Wondering what adhesives (tape and caulk) are most suitable/compatible with Masonite??
BTW, I intend to glue a double layer of this tempered hardboard (Masonite) together to build the roadbed for my helix.
dehusman I use 1/8 in hardboard and buy the plastic joint covers designed for hardboard or paneling. They are like channeling that covers the joint. Don't know if they are available for 1/4 in too.
I use 1/8 in hardboard and buy the plastic joint covers designed for hardboard or paneling. They are like channeling that covers the joint. Don't know if they are available for 1/4 in too.
I assume you are talking about a plastic 'H-type' joint cover?They are too proud (not flush enough), and usually to short in width to mask the 1"-2" wide joint I wish to hide.