# Suggestions on platform covering



## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi Everyone,

With help from a fellow model train enthusiast, I have decided on a 
6 X 10 Platform in my basement. As of now, we are going to be using
a styrofoam board on top to help with the noise of the trains going around.
I have no intentions of braking up the foam for scenery purposes as some
videos have shown. So, when I do decide to lay down say, dirt, grass etc.
what is used to stick the material to the foam? Also, if I lay the green grass mats that are sold, I am in the same situation. I have heard that a solution of water and elmers glue works.
Any input would be most appreciative.'

AlRoz


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

alroz said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> With help from a fellow model train enthusiast, I have decided on a
> 6 X 10 Platform in my basement. As of now, we are going to be using
> ...


A thin mixture of Elmers glue , water, and a drop of dish detergent, like dawn or something like that works good for ballast, or grass ground cover folage,building trees,stuff like that, but sense you are using foam sheeting,right? you MUST ues a glue made for styrene ,go on line or go to your local craft store such as Michaels, or hobby lobby ect.for the correct glue, [glue made just for foam] after your grass mat is glued down,sense it has a plastic backing ,you can do from that point what ever you want.......Mike


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Thanks Big Mike


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Big Mike,
I just realized something after reading your reply again. Actually, the intent here is to lay the green mat over the foam. So I was concerned if the Elmer's solution that you mention can still be used.
Thx


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The green mat is paper. I use paper white glue to adhere it to foam. That is what I use for car loads. Thinning helps in spreading and prevents lumps. The cheep paper glue is fine for backing paper. I use a sponge brush, for large ares use a big sponge.


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

I would test a small sample with the glue to see if its going to be ok,if so then the elmers glue will work, ......as long as it does what you need it to do,with out any problems,or melt the styrofoam , its all good,I don't think elmers glue will hurt ,its not that strong....mike


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

Alroz, I tough ,at first ,you was going to use the grass mat with the plastic backing,
so thats why I suggested the styrene glue, sorry...........mike


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## sschullery (Feb 15, 2012)

I wonder if anyone else has noticed that particle board works pretty well for layouts IF it is well supported--I think just laying as sheet on the plywood would work. Takes screws, nails, paint, etc. with no problem. It's not as quiet as foam but it's pretty good, I think.

Steve


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I think nothing you do will get rid of the noise of the O trains rolling down the rail.

Did you mention what kind of track your planning on using? 
Different track, different levels of noise but in the end they are all noisy.

Go with N scale if you don't want a lot of noise.

Fast track? I don't think foam will help at all.


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Big Ed,
The track is MTH's RealTrax. I have seen video's that show the use of the stryrofoam on top of the platform and also to be used to sculpture sceanary etc. I do not plan on doing this. I am trying to find suggestions as to painting the board after laying the track down or as mentioned, using the green conventional mat and use that as the base.
Not quite sure what to do at these beginning stages. 

Alroz


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## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

alroz said:


> Big Ed,
> The track is MTH's RealTrax. I have seen video's that show the use of the stryrofoam on top of the platform and also to be used to sculpture sceanary etc. I do not plan on doing this. I am trying to find suggestions as to painting the board after laying the track down or as mentioned, using the green conventional mat and use that as the base.
> Not quite sure what to do at these beginning stages.
> 
> Alroz


Paint before you lay the track!

( Been there. )


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi Dave,
When mentioning about the painting, i am referring to painting the styrofoam board
after laying it down. The guy at the hobby shop recommends to lay the track down on it, then tape around the edges etc and then paint the board as well as the sides of the platform.
I have a little problem visualizing the board painted green.

thx - Alroz


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

alroz said:


> Big Ed,
> The track is MTH's RealTrax. I have seen video's that show the use of the stryrofoam on top of the platform and also to be used to sculpture sceanary etc. I do not plan on doing this. I am trying to find suggestions as to painting the board after laying the track down or as mentioned, using the green conventional mat and use that as the base.
> Not quite sure what to do at these beginning stages.
> 
> Alroz


I have had good results in painting that type of styrofoam,I used a good grade of interior laytex ,it seems to stick to it good,and as dave said ,paint your board first,you will have better results,and a cleaner looking layout........................JMO Mike


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

sschullery said:


> I wonder if anyone else has noticed that particle board works pretty well for layouts IF it is well supported--I think just laying as sheet on the plywood would work. Takes screws, nails, paint, etc. with no problem. It's not as quiet as foam but it's pretty good, I think.
> 
> Steve


yes it does, I have used it in the past, in fact, thats what is on my new layout,with home-a-sote ? on the top of it,my fastrack layout is really not that noisey,as I have stated in another thread,unless I run my trains really fast ,I don't have noise,............but the real trains are very noisey,its just part of it,so I don't understand why every one is so hell bent about the noise? I mean,we buy trains with sound boards ,accys,that play music ect.so whats up?...............Mike


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

ok cool everyone, thanks for all the input.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Make sure to get the right paint.

Some will melt the foam.


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Hi,
I have another question, it is mentioned here to paint the platform before laying down the
styrofoam, since I am not going to paint areas that the foam is going to lay on, can I just glue the foam board to the platform and then do the painting.
Also, any suggestions as to the green color tone that will seem realistic?

thanks,


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

alroz said:


> Hi,
> I have another question, it is mentioned here to paint the platform before laying down the
> styrofoam, since I am not going to paint areas that the foam is going to lay on, can I just glue the foam board to the platform and then do the painting.
> Also, any suggestions as to the green color tone that will seem realistic?
> ...



No sense wasting paint if your not going to see it, glue it down as is, I say.

Color is up to you.
Go to Home Depot, they have thousands of colors they will make up for you.

What you could do if your stuck on a color decision is get a few in their sampler sizes and take them home to see which looks best to you.

I have a box with around 12 sampler colors as they came in handy for painting my ROCK. And other stuff.

(My ROCK)
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=5314


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

yes ,take your time with the color, I re-painted my board four times before I was sasy-fide
with it,....or maybe I just gave up,...anyway, its green now..........Mike


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## sschullery (Feb 15, 2012)

Years ago I read that a common mistake is to use too dark of a green for the layout base color; most of the world's fields are not Chemlawn or ping-pong table green but, rather, more of a yellow-tannish green in overall color. Once that was pointed out, I had to agree that the nice rich green used in the common paper grass mats only really looked right in a well-watered suburban lawn scene. A lightish yellowish green was recommended. I had an almost chartreuse can mixed up that started out looking rather garish on the empty board (wife was very skeptical!), but once I started adding things I think it worked out well. I think the whole effect is just brighter and easier to see the various other structures, etc. compared to how they are on a dark background. Maybe the picture will give an idea--on my computer screen it comes thru as lighter than it really is. 

However, I surely don't mean to impugn anyone else's personal preference!

Steve


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Hello sschullery,

I had a discussion about the color paint with a person ysterday and he thought
that grass green color paint wouldlook good however; reading what you are saying about
the yellowish green seems good. I suspect I will need some samples to get a better view
to what the color actually looks like on the sides of the platform as well as the styrofoam board that we are laying down.

AlRoz


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

if you have ever flowen in a plane or helo ,you would see there are lots of different colors of grass depending on gress type or location ,looks like big odd shaped patches sowen together.

JMO think grass is tough,try matching the blue for the sky,I have been working on this one for some time now tring to get it even close.
I think because the sky is forever changing,the color is different depending on the time of day and weather conditions, of course.
think I'm just gunna pick a blue and be done with it. Mike


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## wolfeinmane (Feb 8, 2012)

I use Liquid Nail on a lot of the things I have to adhere to the foam board on my layout. I have never had a problem with it and it's cheap.


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## Badwolf & Arizona RR (Jun 17, 2011)

Dave Sams said:


> Paint before you lay the track!
> 
> ( Been there. )


Boy, did I get guff for this (though I wound up adding foam later, I still took flack for painting the bench work green and then overlaying the foam). I don't regret it, just be ready for the slings and arrows. 

In the end, it's better to have a green bench - makes for a quick layout base if you need one.

FWIW


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Well, an item that I have seem to have not mentioned, this is going to be a freight yard theme so now that I thinkk about it, I have never really seen lush green grass in those areas, more kind of brown to what I see in most pictures.
Am I correct on this? 

Thx,

Alroz


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## sschullery (Feb 15, 2012)

alroz said:


> Well, an item that I have seem to have not mentioned, this is going to be a freight yard theme so now that I thinkk about it, I have never really seen lush green grass in those areas, more kind of brown to what I see in most pictures.
> Am I correct on this?
> 
> Thx,
> ...


IMO, your concern is right on--more than ever I would suggest a color along the lines shown in my earlier picture. You want a color that doesn't call attention to itself, and I think that it would be really tough to get a brown that didn't look odd. Scattered weeds--dead and alive--over dirt have a mix of straw, green, and light grayish brown that I think the overall effect of is reasonably matched by a light yellowish olive green.

Here's a quote from Bill McClanahan's Scenery for Model Railroads:

"Most real grass is not green as we think of it. It is much closer to the color of the Jeep of WWII - drab, dull, fairly dark, olive-toned. If it is light, it is more yellow than green. ... I find I can add a lot of yellow to a mixture without spoiling it, and a yellower mixture is better in dry places or where the soil offers little nourishment."

Steve


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## alroz (Apr 26, 2012)

Ok, I have a better understanding now as to what to look at here and how to proceed.
Thanks everyone, I think i may pu tthis one to rest


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