I am going to build small 4'x1' inglenook layout for some switching operations. It is going to be N gauge with Kato Unitrack. What would be the best base for the layout? I was thinking 1/2" plywood with 1" pink foam on top surrounded by frame from 1x4" pine boards. On one hand, the pink foam is not really needed for a mostly flat switching layout but it may dampen some track noise. My previous small layout had 1/2" plywood covered with ready grass mat from Woodland Scenic and it worked just fine. One thing I know I want to do is to frame the layout so it has a finished appearance on the sides. Any comments or suggestions?
I am working on a 1'x4' Inglenook. I started with 2 1x4 sections of 1" foam that I glued together. So far it is suprisingly rigid. I plan to make a frame from 1/2" plywood so mount it on. That will let me add a facia to make it pretty, I hope. It will also be fairly light weight. Trey
For something that is going to be 1' X 4', I'd use 1" X 3" boards for the framing with 1/2" ply on top of that and your foam on top of that again. If you want everything to look neat and "finished" you could use 1" X 6" boards for the exterior frame work, making it so the inside dimensions were 1' X 4'. You could then use 1" X 4" (or 1" X 3") screwed to the "inside of the exterior framework" for the ply and foam to sit on yet be "flush" with the top of the exterior (1" X 6") framing. A little more work but it would look very neat and finished. Noise has always been a talking point when it comes to laying track. Laying it on different materials produces different sounds. Cork roadbed on foam should reduce any (or a lot of) transferred sound from the track to the roadbed to the sub roadbed. One thing I am trying is 1/8th tool drawer rubber matting in between my roadbed (cork) and my sub roadbed (ply) to deaden the transferred sound even more. A bit more work but on a small layout, it maybe worth thinking about.
I used foam for the base of my 32x48 inch N-scale layout. However, I glued the foam to a piece of 1/4-inch plywood. Not only does it make the whole structure a little more rigid, but the plywood provides a good surface on the underside of the layout for mounting switch motors, circuit boards, terminal strips, etc. - Jeff
Thanks for all the replies. I have decided to skip the foam since the layout is going to be flat and just put sheet of cork over the 1/2" plywood. With fascia frame, this should give me fairly sturdy layout and not too heavy if I need to move it.
For a small layout like yours, I would think 1/4" ply would suffice, perhaps with Homasote 440 on top. Homasote makes for a really quiet base and is a dream to nail into for setting your track.
Over the years I have heard a lot about Homasote but never really understood exactly what it is or have seen it. I get the impression that it is a fairly "soft" material, compared to ply for example which begs the question - how durable is it as a sub road bed compared to ply? I am also assuming that it is lighter than ply, which is a good thing, and that it takes track nails very well also. The later being good for holding flex in place while it dries. With that being said, how does it adhere to cork road bed, or visa versa? Finally, if my assumptions are right, I have to assume that it is more flexible than ply which (theoretically) would make it better for obtaining smoother more natural grade transitions?
Homasote 440 is sold as a sound-deadening material in 4x8 sheets about 1/2" thick. It is basically compressed paper pulp. It does not have much strength in tension or flexing, but is fairly strong in compression. It weighs a little less than the same thickness of plywood. I have used it for spline roadbed (cut into 2" wide strips) and also for a flat yard area, just laid over plywood. It is porous, and takes glue very well to attach ballast or ground covering. It is a light green color, and you want to cut it up outdoors, as it generates tons of fine dust when cut with a saw. A toothless blade in a saber saw will cut it with little mess, but the cutting is very slow. I like Homasote spline roadbed as it is easy to make both horizontal and vertical easements.
Thanks SP_Fan, I think I will stick to the ply in that case, especially if it isn't suited to flexing. Thanks for the reply and info though, appreciate it.
I built mine with a stair step, then built a base for it with 1x4. The feet are 2x2 with bolts installed so I can level it. The box also protects the UTP, USB interface, etc.
