Whats the best yet afordable Plywood to use for a base of a layout that will not cost a lot of money?

IMHO, tempered hardboard would be unsuitable because it has too much flex. Also, it would not hold screws well.

I would go with plywood.

What are the dimensions of the layout you are building?

Do you plan to frame the underside of the layout?

Is weight a consideration (does it have to be portable)?

Typically solid top train layouts require framing.

*The dimensions of the layout will be 42inches by 42inches I would prefer it to be portable.

Plywood! It isn't that heavy.

Look for Baltic Birch multi layer plywood. It will be much stronger than standard plywood due to more but thinner layers in equal thicknesses. Like CW points out if you go too thin it will have too much flex. If you find Baltic Birch test it for rigidity. Tempered hardboard is difficult to work with. Save it for structures like bridges.

 

Pete

Definitely plywood. A piece of 1/2" ply the size you specified should weigh about 20lbs, depending upon species.

Plywood!

I'd just use a piece of 1 1/2" foam board.  It's rigid, light weight and sound absorbing.  Frame it with  1" X 4" oak.

On my modules (for the club layout) I used 3/8" plywood over a 1 x 4 frame. They are pretty lightweight (I regularly carry one with each hand) and haven't warped or flexed much in the three years I've had them. They spend about 350 days a year in an unheated garage, so I think that's pretty good.

 

For a 42" wide area, I would add one center brace, so the longest span of plywood would only be 20ish inches. Before assembly, I would paint all the surfaces of the plywood (top, bottom, even the edges) to prevent moisture from causing it to warp. Might as well do the same with the frame while you have the paint out. A can of "oops" paint is really useful for this kind of stuff. Put two coats of whatever color you can find for cheap, and then do a finish coat of the color you like. For that area, most paint stores sell sample cans that hold about a cup of paint. Two would likely cover the top, and another one would probably do the sides of the framing that you will be able to see.

 

Even cheaper than the plywood is OSB. My Permanent layouts are made with 7/16" OSB, which is the same stuff most new construction roofs around here are made of so every lumber yard around has it. OSB has a smooth side and a rough side to it. I used the rough side on mine to give the paint just a touch of texture. (On a roof, you would use the rough side up so you don't slide off the roof, but that's another story...)

 

Hope this helps,

 

J White

 

Assembling the table with glue and screws will increase the strength considerably.

The thread asks:

Whats the best Plywood to use for a base of a layout?

 

I reply: Whatever plywood is on sale when you go to buy it...

 

SJS

 

He updated the question from the original post. We always use 3/4", 5 ply or 7 ply. If you buy the cheapest stuff it will warp. Its the foundation of your layout, so get some good stuff.

The cheapest 3/8" thick plywood you can get.

And buy the cheapest tires you can find for your car before making that road trip! Oh boy

norton gave the answer that is the most informative and educational. A Baltic Birch plywood of several layers is the best...not osb which has to be able to swell and contract more than plywood  - that's why it is good for wall and roof sheathing.

  Read is used by what several custom O gauge engine turntable makers use.......it's either a many ply plywood ( 7 or 9 or more)...some flat out say baltic birch.

 

      1/2 cdx plywood would be a good economical choice.

 

3/4" plywood is best and won't warp.  I've used 1/2" that warped.  For me, the next time I make another platform, I am going to use drywall with 1/2" plywood on top.  This may cut down on warping and will provide better mass for less vibration and noise.

I am curious why does everyone use such thick plywood and or framing for their bench work.  it seems to me that there isn't really much weight with a layout and just seems to me like its overkill just my 2 pennies

Even if you don't have to stand, sit, crawl, or walk on your layout, thin cheap plywood will warp. You don't won't your smooth track work to become uneven with dips and slopes, because it will cause derailments. It may not happen right away, but it will happen eventually. Build it strong, and heavy duty the first time, and you won't have to ever worry about it later.  

 

Really not that much weight? There's a lot more weight than you might think, especially when you start adding scenery.

Good bench substructure design enables the use of thin plywood. My layout has 180 square feet of inexpensive 3/8" thick plywood, and since it was built in 2008 it has not warped.

 

The substructure is 3' x 6' bench modules made of 1"x4" pine with 1"x4" supports across the 3' width 24" on center. The legs are 2"x3" fir and braced. The modules are clamped together, not bolted.

 

The plywood has a covering of 3/8" thick foam with a ground cover of sawdust put down in a liquid mixture of white glue and water. There is no doubt that the plywood has gotten wet while I was putting down the ground cover. Also, the 3' x 6' bench modules I use have supported my 200-pound weight without cracking.

 

I can lift every one of my 3'x6' lightweight bench modules without getting a hernia!

 

By the way, when I want some warping to occur to make the ground cover interesting, I put down some corrugated cardboard and wet it. It warps nicely as it dries, then I add ground cover.

 

 

If you're starting from scratch, why take a chance? Spend a few extra bucks now.

Yup. 3/4 inch maple laminate. $45 for a 5x7 at Lowe's. Expensive, yes but . . .

At most it's less than 1% of my hobby investment.

Sits flat on the bench work under it's own weight.

Quality surface paints beautifully.

Easily takes staples for cork roadbed.

Excellent sound quality.

 

You get what you pay for. 

 

I've used both 3/4" and 3/8" in the past, I only use 3/8" now.  I use 1x4 pine to build the underframe with boards 2 feet apart, whatever warpage you get in a 2 foot area is going to be minimal.  3/4" plywood is heavy and expensive and not necessary unless you're not going to support it underneath.

 

Most of my layout is 2 feet wide and I have crawled on it without any problems (I weighed 204 lbs last time I checked).  Like others, I buy the cheapest 3/8" plywood I can get, even if it's already got a warp when you fasten it down to 1x4 underframe that will take some/most/all of the warp out of it.

I am in the 1/2" (nominal 3/8" or 7/16") camp. 5 ply or 7 ply. Sanded 1 side.

Humping 3/4" around just isn't for me.

If using 16" on center grid joists I always used inexpensive plain 1/2" CD sheathing plywood with the best side up. The best side usually has plugs and knot fillers in it. Over the years I have always had either Homasote, Ouietbrace or various thickness of extruded foam covering the plywood---more recently foam as shown in my little attic senior citizen layout[2010 photo].

 

I know people mention they use plywood, which is great, but OSB is just as good as Plywood in my opinion.  Tom Jr.

No argument on OSB characteristics for a layout top but it is a bear to carry up 16 steps--very heavy stuff.

After seeing the large train layout my buddy build with OSB, I built one of my layouts with OSB.

I cannot put my finger on the exact reason, but I did not like working with the OSB, and went back to plywood for my next layout.

IMHO, 1/2 B/C plywood is fine so long as you pick good pieces, and frame it properly.

 

I did another project with OSB a couple of years ago. I found the edges to be very splintery. Had to wear gloves to handle it.

In my experience, for surface integrity it is not the thickness but the quality of the decking and the framing system.

 

I have built modules and permanent layouts using 5.5 mm to 23/32" 13 ply and no problems in decades. Slow growth dense artic hardwood ply IMO is best. 

 

Stability is in the system.  www.curvedbenchwork.net

If you want the correct answer to your question, use 1/2" Fir underlayment plywood.  Underlayment has no voids in the plys, which translates to being quieter.  Using 3/4" birch or maple plywood is more than a tad overkill.  If it is that small, maybe make a rigid base out of 1x3 and use homasote or foam. Put green landscape paper over it and a 1x4 wood border on it to stiffen it up and keep it square.  Lighten your load.  Good to go.

I used an MDO (Medium Density Overlay) board.  Exterior grade material used for signs.

Plywood?

We don't use plywood anymore these days.

Lauan and 1X3 ladder frames like the HO'ers use.

 

Generally, the cheapest 1/2" plywood will warp unless you fix it down on benchwork that has a close framework grid.  Even then it might get wavy.  If you want to use thin plywood, you can increase the mass by using drywall underneath it.  The increase in mass is for vibration reduction.  Personally, if it wasn't for the formaldhyde binder in particle board or OSB, I would definitely use that in place of plywood.  Its density makes it less likely to warp and provides greater mass. Otherwise go for the thickest plywood.

1/4" lauan door skins. Don't over think it.

 

Felt under the tracks and carpet padding underneath is all you need to lower the sound.

 

I used 7 ply birch 3/4" plywood. Never a problem.

 

Your spending thousands on your trains but you cheap out on wood, I don't get it.

 

Remember when some were a proponent of using lamp oil for smoke units, how has that worked out?

It always is fun for me to read the responses to posts that ask questions on the most optimal methods of enhancing layouts: like materials for platforms, landscaping options, etc.  Usually, instead of providing those unconventional or less expensive options, some folks will simply say just buy the most expensive item or go with the pros on that issue-case closed.  My brother-in-law is notorious for this.  He is an auto technician and when I ask him about problems with a car or how to remedy a problem, he simply says, "You should buy a new car?" Now, that is not responding to the question but rather infusing a value judgment into the discussion.  I think most people on here fully realize that going with the thickest plywood and forgetting about cost in the interest of simplicity deals with that problem expeditiously.  But for those looking for the more efficient and less costly option that completely satisfies their needs without over-kill in buying more than one needs, that response is not satisfactory.  Plus there is the fun of finding unconventional methods that prove to be just as good for them--that's part of the fun!  No one want to pay more for something that can be obtained for less and be just as effective.  It's like the guy who said that it didn't matter to him whether his favorite football  team won the game by three touchdowns or three points, as long as they won.  The effect was the same regardless.  So let's try to explore other options to win the game in model railroading.

That's a relative judgement, Elliot. Every individual is unique and different in what they can physically handle. No one answer fits all persons. 

Since nothing is forever, you have to ask yourself, am I going to burden my family or someone else who moves into the house some day?

Chances are they don’t want all this crap in the room or basement.

They are probably not buying the home for someone else’s hugh bulky train layout.

By making light weight, strong L or T frames as portable sections, you can take them with you, pass them on or store them away for other family members to enjoy.

I often wonder why most think they need a lumber yard of material and supports for heavey

tonnage.

What kind of felt and carpet padding would you advise using?

Just my opinion: for a 42" by 42" board, 1/4 inch lauan plywood is fine, and the surface will look decent. Framing will be important, I would use 1 by 4 pieces with a brace in the center. As mentioned earlier, glue and screw everything, with the possible exception of the legs.

 

 

Maybe I am not understanding something here why even use plywood?  why cant you directly adhere 2 layers of 1" Rigid Insulation (pink or blue) directly to the framing, stagger the joints and change the orientation of the second layer?  to me the plywood seems like overkill 

In the time this post has been running, you could have stopped by any new construction jobsite and scrounged enough 3/4" underlayment scraps to build your layout.  It doesn't get any cheaper than free.  And you'll never get anything built by asking the same very basic question a different way every other day. 

Why is it over engineered? It never has warped, it is very stable. I also put 2" of pink foam on top. The base is also made of 2x4's that are bolted together, the plywood is then screwed to the base using 6" screws. 

 

I believe in doing things right the first time. I have spent many thousands of dollars on my trains and I was determined I would build the layout correctly. 

 

If you want to do it with a cheap grade of wood then please be my guest.

Yeah what he said!  I don't build a layout worried about someone else buying the house down the road. Has nothing to do with over thinking it. Not everyone builds portable/modular, around the room layout. Don't knock it because it's not the way YOU do it! 

 

A door skin braced with a few 1x3's is not going to support this:

 

quote:

Maybe I am not understanding something here why even use plywood?  why cant you directly adhere 2 layers of 1" Rigid Insulation (pink or blue) directly to the framing, stagger the joints and change the orientation of the second layer? 

 

My primary reason: the rigid insulation I've seen does not hold screws worth a darn.

 

I've helped my older son build several HO and N gauge layouts with rigid insulation. On the positive side, it is very light, and can be sculped.

Woodland Scenics Foam glue, pink or blue insulation sheets, and black plastic modular shelves as benchwork, is all I use.

No heavy wood, no fiddle faddle with nails and screws, saws etc.

The glue is tough as nails, and forgiving if you make a mistake.

No need for plywood, but I have used the above mentioned glue to adhere insulation sheets to foam.

If you decide not to use plywood, then you have to use thicker foam or multi sheets for thickness to stay rigid.

Fort Pitt HiRailer modules.

Just another case of different people with different ideas about what is "the right way".

 

Some people are always talking about how they walk on the layout all the time and they need it to hold 250+ lbs. I guess they should build it like an outdoor deck.

 

Others have well-placed access panels or plan the bench work for ease of access. These people only need benchwork sturdy enough to provide a rigid platform for the trains.

 

Others look to the future and the probability of moving it all. These people plan light-weight modules small enough for easy moving. Good design and bracing take the place of heavy materials for these builders.

 

The moral - build your benchwork to meet your needs and with materials that fit your budget- not what others say is right. There isn't just one "right way". 

 

Jim

I can barely bend over, I cannot imagine walking on any layout.

Would like a topside creeper though.