# Working with Homasote



## seebee63 (Oct 17, 2012)

Hi Folks!

I come from another hobbyist site – slotcarillustrated.com 

Yes, my hobby is slightly different, but you guys seem to be the biggest users of Homasote outside of the building industry, so I'm hoping to find answers to my questions here.

I'm setting up a 4x8 fold-up door table for my son's track and to reduce noise I bought a sheet of .5" thick Homasote to mount the track to. I had originally planned to attach (screw or glue) the track to the sheet of Homasote and then add cork curbs and run-off areas, but after looking at the sheet I'm thinking it might be possible to cut into it about .25" with a sharp utility knife, peel or scrape out the stuff under the track and then inset the track (shimming the top edge up to be level).

Can anyone who has used this stuff comment on if this is easily of even possible? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

No comment via experience on my end, but ...

Do you have a router? It might be easier (and much more accurate) to cut away the channels in way of hte track with a router and a flush-cut bit.

TJ


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## seebee63 (Oct 17, 2012)

No router and I've heard that cutting and routing of Homasote creates a terrible mess worse than almost anything else. I was severely warned about this!


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

I would not do it. Thet is a lot of work to get it even at a depth of a .25". i would add a something on the top of it that was cut to fit the road.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

I'd put the track on the homasote, then add contours, etc with the dense pink/green foam. You can get 1/4", 1/2", 1" or 2" thick.


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## seebee63 (Oct 17, 2012)

Southern said:


> i would add a something on the top of it that was cut to fit the road.


Hmmm, that's a good idea! I wasn't too worried about getting the depth perfect as long as I could get it just a bit deeper than .25" I can easily shim the track up to flush.

Now I have to find a product that's thin sheet product in the same thickness as my track, easy and clean to cut, takes paint well and can stand up to the abuse of a bunch of 10 year olds!


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

You can buy MDF in 1/4" sheets from many home stores (HD, Lowes, etc.) It cuts nicely, takes paint great, etc.

If thinner is required, you can likely find 1/8" Masonite ... rough on one side, but very smooth on the other.

TJ


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## seebee63 (Oct 17, 2012)

That's an option but I want to keep the weight down and also find something I can cut with a knife since I'm in a condo and tool noise and mess has to be kept to a minimum. I may see if a sheet of cork might work, or maybe Sintra.


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## briangcc (Oct 11, 2012)

Well if you go the router route, have a shopvac handy as homasote makes an absolute mess when cut with anything.

I have shaped it before using a Shur-form tool. Think big rasp with replaceable blade. It isn't fun and its slow as heck but it can be done.

As for sound deadening - forget it. Once it gets scenery glued to it, it'll be just as loud as plywood. 

The plus side for homasote is that nailing track directly to it is a breeze and its lighter weight as compared to a similar thickness plywood. And it will bend a bit easier than plywood.


Tip: Seal both sides or it will wick moisture and warp over time.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

seebee63 said:


> That's an option but I want to keep the weight down and also find something I can cut with a knife since I'm in a condo and tool noise and mess has to be kept to a minimum. I may see if a sheet of cork might work, or maybe Sintra.


How about a sheet of 1/4" foam-core poster board from your local art supply shop?

(I had to Google "Sintra" ... neat stuff ... I haven't heard of that before.)

TJ


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

How about good old cork roadbed? You can get a good near perfect grove in the homosote with a table saw or a hand held circular saw but that's a lot of work. Cork roadbed looks great,easy to cut and shape with a hobby knife or any sharp knife and it's easy to glue down and can be removed with a putty knife as long as you use only enough glue to tack it in place. Cheaper than homosote or anything else that I know of. Cork will deaden the sond of the trains and won't absorb humidity or warp over time. Thare just ain't nuffin' better I think. Pete


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