Homasote on entire layout or not?

Matt,

My layout is in an 10' X 20' attic. I have about 50 sq. ft of floor space. This makes the layout about 150 sq. ft.

My entire layout is covered in Homasote. I didn't think it was too expensive given the relatively small size of my layout. A modern O gauge boxcar costs more than a sheet of Homasote and I have a lot more boxcars than I do Homasote sheets on the layout.

I would have used L-girder instead of table top construction if I had more space and headroom. L-girder or open grid construction allows you to build scenery both above and below the layout surface. You can use plywood, wire screen, cardboard, pink or blue foam, and many other materials to support scenery with L-girder construction. There are many good books on how to do this.

I recommend that you use L-girder or open grid construction if you have the space and you are not looking for a table top layout. This will cut down on the amount of wood, Homasote, and other construction materials needed and will save you time and money.

You should also remember that Homasote must be fully supported and should be sealed with cheap paint wherever it is used.

Best wishes on your new layout.

Joe

Matt, if you don't want to cover the entire table, then you could just put it under the trackage and whatever structures that will be trackside. If you think about it, most railroads are elevated above the base by at least 6-12" of ballast-- I know that in some spots on the FEC ROW in my neighborhood there's about 3-4 feet of fill & ballast due to dips in the terrain.

Homasote isn't that easy to cut, but it can be done. I used it in the past, but when I can get a substitute that's just about as dense and has equivalent sound absorbing qualities, at about 1/3 of the price, I did so. The product i use now is called HushBoard, made by Georgia- Pacific. It cuts a lot easier than Homasote, yet still is dense enough that i can use screws to hold the track down. I buy mine at home depot.

hope this helps--

No need to cover the whole surface. I used it to elevate the roadbed and give a more prototypical look to the mainlines. Can't elaborate on sound as I haven't layed ballast yet and I understand that ballast always magnifys sound. I glued and stapled homosote to 3/4" plywood and although some will say that the sound will travel on fasteners, I've resolved that running trains brings some element of noise no matter what's underneath the track.

quote:

If you've only used Homasote under the track, how do you handle detailing or placing other structures that would be sitting 1/2" lower than the track?

No where in the real world will you find everything flat. There are an array of materials available to build areas up if needed. Joe Barker has it right, use L girder and it will open up a variety of scenic and elevation possibilities.

Hello Joe Barker,

Not sure how to send a PM, so am asking you here. What kind of layout did you put in your attic? I also have a 12' x 20' attic, entry in the middle so my layout would be around all four walls with me in the center. Curious what you set up.

To the original poster. I built a standard table top and covered it with homasote. Painted it a darker brown and can now do my layout and build up. I can see where the girder set up would you get a wider variety of elevations for scenery. I am still a long way away form a complete set up so the table top lets me run my trains now. you might ask your supplier for damaged sheets of homasote at a reduced price. Turn it over and go forth!!

Enjoy!!

quote:

Originally posted by opticsguy:
Hello Joe Barker,

Not sure how to send a PM, so am asking you here. What kind of layout did you put in your attic? I also have a 12' x 20' attic, entry in the middle so my layout would be around all four walls with me in the center. Curious what you set up.

opticsguy, I also have an around the wall attic layout. The attic has a pull down staircase in the middle. My layout is still under construction. It is based on the New Haven. Here are some photos:







Joe

Joe, looks great, we are both about the same place but you got lots more track.

Enjoy!!!

Kreig

Down here most of us don't use Homasote but instead use a product called Micor. It looks very much like Homasote but is absolutely 1/2" thick throughout the entire sheet. We've seen Homasote get thinner near the edges. We don't like to cover an entire layout but rather cut full sheets into strips to lay under the track only adding relief cuts where we would curve it. You can lay an awful lot of track off of a sheet this way. Homasote is also not as stable with humidity as Micor is. Micor is just as dirty to cut.

The only thing around here readily available is Homasote and that is at Man Depot. I checked the other store and they do not have anything remotely close. I'll have to check some lumber yards and supply houses to see if any of the other products mentioned are available.

Thanks everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by gregj410:

Nice DW's

Surprised nobody's mentioned Homabed/California Road Bed yet. It's more expensive, but avoid all the cutting and mess. Check it out here.

Good luck and show us photos as you go.

Tim

I've used homosote throughout my layout and I cut it with a utility knife. almost no mess.

quote:

Originally posted by Proto48Patrick:
I've used homosote throughout my layout and I cut it with a utility knife. almost no mess.

If you're talking about the same stuff (half inch, gray, kinda hard pressed paper?), as I've used, a utility knife might be okay for small cuts or trimming.
I can't picture ripping full lengths with a knife. Or cutting curves on the track radius.

I think of words like table, jig, hand, keyhole, as in saws and once in a while, router. Drilling holes with some drill bits can make a mess.

Also, Homasote full sheet over plywood for the small or holiday layout makes for much quieter running. Nice for anchoring things with small screws too...

I knifed all 6 of 4X10 sheets. No mess, could do it in the house while kids/wife where sleeping. Change the blade often and cut away.

I cut all of mine with a utility knife and I had 4X8 sheets. No mess, just a tired arm after cutting up 4 sheets that way but it worked very well.

I am using Vinylbed under Atlas track screwed to 3/4" plywood. Despite the cosiderable thickness (approx 1/2") of the roadbed I still get a lot of noise. My track is screwed through the Vinylbed to the wood. Could this really be causing significant sound issues? I don't use too many screws. It seems to me if I removed them the sound would still be there. I would rather not lift the entire track plan and insert another 1/2" of homasote as a sound barrier.

Does anyone have any experience with thicker roadbeds and if they still need homasote underneath? Would adding the homasote just under the track help?

The screws are transferring sound from the track straight past the vinylbed and directly to the wood. You bet it is causing sound issues.

I use both Homosote and Micor 300 (MR Sept '94). Micor is priced about the same as Homosote. Holds spikes almost as good. Cuts easy. Incredibly unaffected by humidity/moisture, My only beef with Micor is that is is very fragile. It can snap very easily.

Unlike Fred I get sheets even more irregular than Homosote.

For both Homosote and Micor I like to use a 16" straight trowel and skim coat the surface with Ardex feather finish. Skim oat cost for 300 square feet would come in under $10.00. tt

quote:

Originally posted by Proto48Patrick:
I knifed all 6 of 4X10 sheets. No mess, could do it in the house while kids/wife where sleeping. Change the blade often and cut away.

DO you cut a bevel for the side slope?
Clem

Yes I do when it is needed.

quote:

Originally posted by Clem:

quote:

Originally posted by Proto48Patrick:
I knifed all 6 of 4X10 sheets. No mess, could do it in the house while kids/wife where sleeping. Change the blade often and cut away.

DO you cut a bevel for the side slope?
Clem

Tapered easily and consistsntly on a router table

Ok guys..... So if the screws transfer the sound through the homasote then how do you keep Gargraves Flex track in place around the curves????

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by jdonald:
Ok guys..... So if the screws transfer the sound through the homasote then how do you keep Gargraves Flex track in place around the curves????

Jeff

Glue the track down and screw it in until the glue sets, then back out the screws.

quote:

Originally posted by gregj410:

quote:

Originally posted by jdonald:
Ok guys..... So if the screws transfer the sound through the homasote then how do you keep Gargraves Flex track in place around the curves????

Jeff

Glue the track down and screw it in until the glue sets, then back out the screws.

With atlas flex track I'm using short enough screw that don't go through the homasote and I'm finding the homasote can hold a screw very well.

quote:

Originally posted by jdonald:
Ok guys..... So if the screws transfer the sound through the homasote then how do you keep Gargraves Flex track in place around the curves????

Jeff

Glue it and screw it down as gregj410 stated, then remove those screws, the glue will hold it just fine as will the ballast once it is glued also.

[/QUOTE]

What tool(s) are used to cut such nice curves in plywood/homasote?

quote:

Originally posted by Trevize:

What tool(s) are used to cut such nice curves in plywood/homasote?[/QUOTE]

Thank you Trevize. I cut the plywood with a jig saw. Then I run a scribe line in 1/4" in on the plywood for the homosote to follow. After I shape the homosote as pictured above, I then simply cut it in half on a table saw and that makes it easier to bend and fasten down to the plywood.

I have great success using a straight runs of track denser wood. The 1 by 4 dimensional lumber etc are dense and sound does not carry with track screwed to it. Not easy use for curves though.

My switching layout has 1/2" homasote covering the entire surface. Then I used another level of homasote from CA Roadbed to elevate the mainline, cork to elevate the siding so that it's just below the mainline level, and all the industry tracks go down hill directly to the top of the 1st layer of homasote. This gives me 3 different track elevations, and the ability to dig out the bottom layer of homasote to put the auger in my grain unloading pit. .