# Cutting foamboard & plywood tabletop. Separately or glued together?



## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

I decided to go the plywood (3/8") and rigid foamboard (1/2") route for my tabletop. My question is; since I will have a two level design (elevated so the main passes over itself in a 'J' shape figure eight pattern), should I adhere the foamboard to the plywood first, then cut for the elevated portion, or cut one or the other first, then cut the other before gluing? This is cookie cutter design.

My concern is; if together, the mess of sawing through both the foamboard & the plywood then supporting with the levels afterwards from the grid work underneath. I'm using the Lynn Westcott method. The room/layout is 9'x19', the layout is N scale and it is a double track main with a hump yard.

I hope all of that made sense.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I would cut the plywood first and use it as a template to mark out the foam. If you use a band saw I say glue them first.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

That was what I was thinking to do, but thought about the double cutting.
Anyone else?


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

I've never built anything of that magnitude but I think I would cut all the plywood with a sabersaw and get all the plywood perfect. Then come in with the foam, glue down chunks and then trim the foam using the plywood underneath as the saw guide. The foam does not have to be that neat and it is easily fixed/ smoothed. It will be covered over with scenery at a later date.
It is like going going to HomeDepot and watching someone taking forever going through the sheetrock pile, looking for perfect pieces. By the time you get it home and screwed to the wall it needs patching anyway.


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## videobruce (Jun 15, 2011)

This isn't just for the table edges, it's for the portions for raised portions (cookie cutter). Cutting along the edges is of no issue.


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