Homasote is an excellent base for both holding track spikes and dampening sound. It is typically available at large hardware stores or lumber yards. It usually comes in 1/2" thick 4' x 8' sheets. The main drawback to working with Homasote is the dust created when cutting it.
About two years ago I answered an ad placed in several of the RR magazines by California Roadbed Co, Inc, (www.calroadbed.com). They sell both curvable homasote strips and 2' x 4' sheets. They sell for most gauge/scales and I do not recall if they offer is a variety of thicknesses. (I purchased the 1/4" curved strips and sheets - they are great to work with and hold spikes or glue extremely well.)
I am extremely happy with their product and found them extremely friendly to work with. I believe they keep an inventory of the more popular curvable strips but some times seem to get backed up if they get a large order for a specific item.
If you would like me to send you a picture or two of my layout with the strips in place you can email me at fjjmaly@comcast.net
Threequarks
alco_fanjharrisonAs far as cutting Homosote goes, a saber saw works well to cut pieces out of the board and a bandsaw is great for adding a bevel. I use a knife blade (not a toothed blade) in the jigsaw for homasote and it works well and seems to make slightly less mess.
jharrisonAs far as cutting Homosote goes, a saber saw works well to cut pieces out of the board and a bandsaw is great for adding a bevel.
I use a knife blade (not a toothed blade) in the jigsaw for homasote and it works well and seems to make slightly less mess.
Blind BruceI googled "homasote" and can find no reference to it outside the USA. Ii wonder if a similar product, under a different name, is available in Canada?
I googled "homasote" and can find no reference to it outside the USA. Ii wonder if a similar product, under a different name, is available in Canada?
Blind Bruce.
I got a sheet of it here in Toronto at the Rona Building Centre on Martingrove Rd. at Belfield St. ( N/W corner. ) It was listed as Homasote. It was about 3 to 4 years ago and it cost me just under $35.00. Home Depot didn't know what I was talking about. I think that if you have them check their computer listings, they should find it.
Blue Flamer.
I found homasote at Windsor Plywood in Calgary. They have a supplier that has sheets of 4'x8'x.5". It's expensive - about $50/sheet CAN$.
PlymGuyHow do smurfs pronounce Homasote?
Choked Smurf? Pink, of course.
It is on my home layout and Free-mo modules. While I live in Chilliwack, BC I bought it in Vancouver although one of the building suppliers here did stock it at one time. Call Homasote in the US and ask them for their Canadian distributors list.
The Inlander
I guess I would be afraid then of buying it at Lowes or HD, they might just sell me a cheap imitation or some generic brand. Menards have it?
The folks here at my local home deopt told me on the phone a few days ago that they sell it for about 25 bucks a 4 x 8 sheet but I have not gone in there yet to actually look at it yet to see if it comes from the Homasote company.
There are different types of insulation board made by different manufacturers (most of the other products are not suitable for model railroad use). Most other insulation boards are made from some other compressed fiber or product and are not as dense as Homasote, so they do not hold spikes anything like real Homasote.
The are different grades of Homasote.
There is only one Homasote company (although milled Homasote is sold by Homabed) and Homasote is made by only one company.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
I have tried various roadbeds for spiking handlaid track - cork, Homasote, Celotex, Upson board, redwood, pine. Homasote was significantly better - and cork was the worst by a long shot. Redwood looked very nice in a display case. Homasote has a very reasonable pressure required for spike insertion that doesn't bend many spikes. Yet it holds them firmly.
There is a group of HOn3 track layers that prefers door skin - a 1/8" veener of softwood. I may have to try that.
I cookie cutter Homasote along with the plywood subroadbed after I have the basic track plan laid out on the sheet of Homasote. I use a fine cut jig saw blade, and vacuum the mess afterwards. Actually, the last time I laid a drop cloth under the layout and used the sawdust and Homasote dust as a mulch or fill in the more remote parts of the yard. My method might be too expensive for a large layout, but it works just fine with less than 100 sq ft (3 sheets) of Homasote.
just my experiences
Fred W
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
dehusmanHomasote is pressed paper so when you cut it with a saw it creates a lot of fine, fluffy grey dust. A LOT of fine, fluffy grey dust. If you are going to cut it into strips with a table saw, I would suggest moving it outside. Like any fine particle, since it isn't air, breathing it isn't reccommended. Its not poisonous, its just fine, fluffy grey dust, LOTS of fine, fluffy grey dust. When I have to make a few single cuts now, I use a sharp utility knife and cut the homasote. It takes a little longer, but creates ZERO dust. Personally I wouldn't mill it, unless you want garbage cans of fine, fluffy grey dust. Now you could use the dust to make "gound goop" for scenery if you collected it and stored it until you were doing scenery.
On second thought then I think I will use the Festool for the whole operation LOL. Because for dust collection it is great. Although I sure will be emptying out my dust collector often I could do the whole job inside, much better for dust collection than any table saw, unless one has an Excalibur over arm blade cover which provide great dust collection on table saws.
I am wondering why you stopped using it – does blue foam and adhesive have better properties?
a: Blue foam is lighter and easier to cut and can be carved for scenic effects. But it is difficult to bend, is noisy and creates a very thick roadbed. I personally don't like it at all.
So does everyone agree that for hand spiking (which is what I intend to do on my layout), Homasote is the best material? Or is there anything better, if money is no object?
a: Homasote is one of the best materials to hand spicke into. Some people have used soft plywood or clear pine boards, but I have not had luck with either of those and I would not use anything but Homasote or Homabed.
Should I assume here that Homasote should only be used for roadbed and rail yards? And not for layering it and for example carving it up to make hills, and mountains, rivers, landscaping and such?
a: I would not use it for scenery, there are much easier and lighter methods.
I am wondering...to mill this stuff for roadbed, would milling it on my table saw be advised? Or is this unsafe to cut on a table saw – hazardous dust etc?
a: Homasote is pressed paper so when you cut it with a saw it creates a lot of fine, fluffy grey dust. A LOT of fine, fluffy grey dust. If you are going to cut it into strips with a table saw, I would suggest moving it outside. Like any fine particle, since it isn't air, breathing it isn't reccommended. Its not poisonous, its just fine, fluffy grey dust, LOTS of fine, fluffy grey dust. When I have to make a few single cuts now, I use a sharp utility knife and cut the homasote. It takes a little longer, but creates ZERO dust. Personally I wouldn't mill it, unless you want garbage cans of fine, fluffy grey dust. Now you could use the dust to make "gound goop" for scenery if you collected it and stored it until you were doing scenery.
I am wondering from all the above why is it so hard to find this stuff anymore – is it toxic - hazardous? Or has it just been slowly replaced by more modern (and expensive) building materials at the big box stores?
a: Its a niche material that has been replaced by cheaper and more "modern" materials such as foam. In a way its shame, since its a recycled material.
pastorbob I would not try milling it myself because it does raise a lot of dust and not only will it be hard to clean up, it might be even worse in your nose and lungs. Not an MD so I have no authorative reasons to think this, just common sense. However, just cutting the sheets of homosote many years ago for the yard area was bad enough I did it on saw horses in the back yard
I agree with you the mess will be high, I will probably do this in the springtime when I can open the garage door of my shop and wear a mask - hopefully the dust collector on the table saw will help.
I found this you might be interested in: http://www.housatonicrr.com/DIY_Roadbed.htm
The only thing I would do different - that is - if I decide to make a one part roadbed instead ot a two part, is change the way I cut the bevel. Because the way he is doing it in his description is a safety concern for me. I will use my table saw to cut the roadbed strips to width and thickness, to save time. Then I will use my Festool rail saw to cut the bevel, it's much safer. Plus the Festool can be used outside and with their dust collection is second to none for hand held circular saws. I have cut rails and stiles for my kitchen cabinet face frames as narrow as one inch wide with no problem at all and still can maintain accuracy in width and edge squareness, so as long as the opposite edge of the guide rail is supported by material of the same thickness. That festool saw sure comes in handy time after time.
Either that, or I would try using my Grr-Ripper from Micro Jig on the TS to make this bevel cut, i have also cut out narrow strips on the TS using this jig but in this case it would be pretty easy and safe and quick to use the Festool. Plus their blades are great - made in Germany - so I don't think the problems mentioned in the above site - one side of the beveled edge cut will be too rough - would arise if high quality blades are used. If doing these bevels on a TS I reccomend a Forrest Duraline blade, I have used them they work great on no chip out of veneer for even the worst plywoods so I think it would provide very clean cuts on both sides of the Homasote.
The only concerns i have doing this are making curves with the Kerfs - I am concerned with breaking the homasote. Anyone have any good tips or suggestions on that - preventing breakage of the roadbed - especially if I want to use a one piece roadbed? Would soaking the homasote in water for a minute or two prior to bending be a good idea or would that ruin the homasote?
I spike most of my track and I don't mean track nails. I use "scale" spikes. Bought a large supply of them back in the 80's, and still have some left but I believe you can still buy them. As far as I am concerned my homabed is ideal with this method of tracklaying. But there may be others I haven't tried.
I would not try milling it myself because it does raise a lot of dust and not only will it be hard to clean up, it might be even worse in your nose and lungs. Not an MD so I have no authorative reasons to think this, just common sense. However, just cutting the sheets of homosote many years ago for the yard area was bad enough I did it on saw horses in the back yard.
My choice was made back in the 80's when the other choices were not attractive (I hate cork roadbed), but there might be other choices today.
Bob
I have been reading all these wonderful things about Homasote both in this thread and on the Homasote web site, and it brings some questions to mind...
wm3798I stopped using it for subroadbed when I switched to blue foam and adhesive for mounting track. There was a time, though, when I swore by it!
There was a time, though, when I swore by it!
dinwittyFor flex track stuff and glueing down track, homosote might not be that necessary but I SWEAR by it for hand spiking.
Rangerover...and I'm still using it. Only for the roadbed and yard. I glued it to the plywood. Simply push the track nails with a pair of long nose pliers...
Two Truck ShayI use Homasote for my roadbed, but it's been milled into shape by the California Roadbed Company into a product called Homabed.
Thanks for any replies.
I used 4 by 8 sheets, cut to need, in building my Santa Fe in Oklahoma layout, started in 1983 and still going strong. I used the 1/2 stuff for railyards, and I buy the Homabed roadbed for the mainlines and sidings. Good stuff, never have problems with it. I bonded the homasote to 3/8 plywood, good and sturdy. The guy that owns Homabed in California has really refined it over the guy back east who started selling it in the beginning.
I use Homasote for my roadbed, but it's been milled into shape by the California Roadbed Company into a product called Homabed. I love the stuff, and recommend it highly.
http://www.homabed.com
Bruce,
Why not check with the guys in the Winnipeg Model Railroad Club - I bet they can give you some leads!
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Homasote can be found in Ontario in the Hamilton area at Ontario Plywood Specialists here is the website link - not much of a website but they have a phone number.
http://www.eureka4you.com/op/index.htm
It is around $38 for a 4x8 sheet (as of Jan 20, 2010)
It is very hard to find around here, Home Depot, Lowes, Hamilton Builders Supply all just look at you as if you have 9 eyes when you ask for it.
Hi: I bought my present house in 1960. When I remodeled, I used Homosote, as an underlayment for the thin plywood paneling I put on the walls. The paneling was only 1/8 in thick, and the homosote made them stiffer. I also moved my stairway from enclosed, to open and when I covered the upstairs hallway all I used was the homosote on the walls. My cats liked the corner for a clawing post, it was soft for their claws. I had to put some metal shields on the corner.
At about the same time I was doing the inside of my house, my brother built a Garage, and used the homosote on the outside of the walls. The rain never seemed to bother it except that when it got wet it turned to a dark gray. The sides of the garage that could be seen from the road, he painted, but the back wall is still bare homosote. This was done back in the 19 sixties. still standing.
Sam
Allegheny2-6-6-6I am convinced it's solely manufactured for the model railroad community.
That could very well be! They even list it on their website.
440 Homasote is used in dozens of artful ways by crafts people and hobbyists. It is lightweight, easy to cut with a mat knife or saw, has no splinters, and makes an excellent tackable surface. It's waterproof and can be used inside and out. Just use your imagination! Under stained glass To hold quilts For model railroad boards To create lawn ornaments To make a Christmas tree stand For cut-out letters or other shapes
440 Homasote is used in dozens of artful ways by crafts people and hobbyists. It is lightweight, easy to cut with a mat knife or saw, has no splinters, and makes an excellent tackable surface. It's waterproof and can be used inside and out. Just use your imagination!
http://www.homasote.com/applications/hobby.aspx
Im in the Niagara Region (St Catharines Ont), and cant find it here either.... What a bugger!
alexP