# Base and layout made totally of blue foam?



## musicwerks

Dear folks,

I am finishing on my American 4x8 twin loop layout, running HO Bachmanns and Rivarossi diesels. The base is a flat plywood on 2 wooden ikea tables, covered with blue foam for landscaping. So, I can say its a sturdy base.

I am thinking of constructing a 2nd deck of 4x8 layout on top of the current Amercian layout featuring British HO Hornby steam era, supported by aluminium legs on the existing deck.

This time I hope to use only blue foam for the base only, hoping to skip the plywood base to cut the weight. I cant afford the WL scenics modules (which I know is made totally out of foam, no plywood at all).

a) Has anyone used only blue foam as the baseboard successfully for your layout? 

b) What thickness do you use?

c) How do you join the blue foam pieces to form a sturdy joint? 

d) How do you reinforce the blue foam to take the weight of the tracks, scenery and trains?

Can anyone share your experience? Thanks

Kiong


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## gunrunnerjohn

With sufficient framing to support it, I'm sure 2" blue foam would be up to the task. I've seen a few layouts with only foam that were pretty large.

Obviously, you won't want to walk on it, but for any reasonable model stuff, it's probably more than sufficient.


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## Big Ed

As long as we are talking the Blue foam can I add this?
I asked somewhere else and got no reply.

Anyone have experience on adding water over the foam board?
Do you think if I shape it and give it a coat of plaster the water won't soak through it?
 
I agree with John, maybe 2, 2" sheets would do it if you don't lean on it too hard.


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## gunrunnerjohn

The layout I saw most recently with blue foam was at least 30 feet long and three feet wide along a whole basement wall, then an E-shaped section at the other wall about 18-20 feet long. The middle of the E was probably about 5 feet wide. All of the base was a single 2" sheet of blue foam. The framing under it was 1x4 spaced at what looked like 16-18", I didn't actually measure it. There was a lot of track and accessories on the layout, and it didn't seem any the worse for wear. He said he had had no issue with the load bearing capability of the table. I don't see any need to double it up.


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## gofisher2

I use foam (comes in pink also). Works great, light weight, strong. I use it in 4' and 6' club modules in HO. My 6' only has a 1x2 support at the mid point and about 3/4" support around the edges. Never had any problems. Only down side to foam is the increased noise but in a club environment that isn't a concern and I mitigate some of that with cork roadbed. It's a great material, especially for a shelf layout that hangs off the wall.


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## gofisher2

Everything is held in place with liquid nails and I prep the surface with latex paint in an earth color.


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## sstlaure

gunrunnerjohn said:


> The layout I saw most recently with blue foam was at least 30 feet long and three feet wide along a whole basement wall, then an E-shaped section at the other wall about 18-20 feet long. The middle of the E was probably about 5 feet wide. All of the base was a single 2" sheet of blue foam. The framing under it was 1x4 spaced at what looked like 16-18", I didn't actually measure it. There was a lot of track and accessories on the layout, and it didn't seem any the worse for wear. He said he had had no issue with the load bearing capability of the table. I don't see any need to double it up.


That's pretty much how I frame my benchwork out. It supports the foam very well. A single 2" thickness is more than enough if it's a flatland layout.

If it's an upper level and you wanted it a little thinner, use 1x2's standing in the 1.5" direction for the front/back and 1x4 laid flat in the 3/4" direction framed 16" on center for the stringers. Support the frame/foam with shelf L-brackets that would sit flat on the 1x4's.


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