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Post by atsda on Jun 6, 2024 18:22:23 GMT
I expect to have the lumber for my new layout delivered on Friday, and I anticipate beginning its construction. In the meantime, I have been thinking about table top covering (in the form of a mat). I would like to have the covering do the following: provide a cushion for the tracks, absorb sound, and provide the appearance of grass (although the color does not have to be true to life or green; if gray for example, I could spray paint areas green, black roadbed, etc.) I have looked around and have not found anything that I like except for outdoor grass carpet www.lowes.com/pd/Grizzly-Grass-12-ft-Plush-Dark-Green-Interior-Exterior-Carpet/1001127658?idProductFound=false&idExtracted=falseWhat have you used? What do you think about the grizzly grass ?(It does have a good / low pile height.) Do you have ideas, suggestions, recommendations? Thank you for your input. |
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Post by atsda on Jun 7, 2024 0:53:30 GMT
One of the last items I needed to check before I do any final cuts and install any covering on the layout table top has been confirmed. I will have enough space to nest two loops with O72 wide radius track, each with long straightaways. I laid out the track on the floor. I ran my GP-7 at the slowest speed I have ever been able to - it's the fabulous refurbished track I just got. Alfred
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Post by steveoncattailcreek on Jun 7, 2024 2:37:28 GMT
I think you may be trying to do too much with one product.
For instance, effective sound deadening requires a coordinated system of materials, not just one layer. Similarly, realistic landscaping requires a variety of contours, textures and colors. Sure, you can just go with "toy train esthetic" and cover everything with Astroturf, but if you want anything more elaborate than a flat, monochrome surface, you need a combination of materials IMHO.
OTOH, there's nothing wrong with creating a suitable "blank slate" as a base layer upon which to build out the final features. For instance, I used a base layer of OSB, covered with a half-inch expanded foam board, topped with Bachmann paper-backed grass roll, for both my layouts. Basically, everything is initially uniform and covered, but any given section can be covered and/or excavated as need for further development, and the track is held down over high-density foam roadbed using short nails into the foam sheets but not the OSB.
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Post by seayakbill on Jun 7, 2024 9:10:37 GMT
In the past I have used the low profile , almost smooth, gray indoor / outdoor carpeting. It can be painted if you want some green / brown areas. Certainly was easy and a quick solution for covering the plywood.
Bill
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Post by healey36 on Jun 7, 2024 11:38:01 GMT
In the past I have used the low profile , almost smooth, gray indoor / outdoor carpeting. It can be painted if you want some green / brown areas. Certainly was easy and a quick solution for covering the plywood. Bill I too used a short pile gray indoor/outdoor carpet. I wanted something that had the coloring of ballast under tubular track. Laid over 3/4-inch plywood, it does little to mitigate the noise, but I don't mind the racket, if I'm honest. Being a prewar tinplater, scenery is a secondary consideration, although the notion of scenery "modules", as described by Peter Riddle in his book, has possibilities.  At the end of the day, I didn't want anything that might distract attention from the trains.
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Post by ron045 on Jun 7, 2024 11:42:55 GMT
Agree with the others. If you are just going for the old-fashioned toy train look, yeah, then put down your product or the indoor/outdoor carpet and call it a day. But if you want to do landscaping or have any type of realism this method may not be effective. I have 1" foam sheets on top of my plywood base. I use cork or foam for roadbed. This combination gives me the sound deadening I need. Then I cover that with any landscape material I need, grass, dirt, rock, asphalt, etc. The foam base gives me the opportunity to cut or carve away sections for contouring. I'll even make a trench for wiring switches, buildings or accessories and then cover it with tape or paper that I can landscape over. Then I don't have to crawl under the layout (Big Plus). Good Luck with your decision. Share some pictures.   |
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Post by Craignor on Jun 7, 2024 14:53:46 GMT
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Post by healey36 on Jun 7, 2024 16:54:25 GMT
That stuff looks interesting...I wonder if it comes in any other colors?
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Post by atsda on Jun 7, 2024 20:24:10 GMT
Post by steveoncattailcreek on 17 hours ago
I think you may be trying to do too much with one product.
For instance, effective sound deadening requires a coordinated system of materials, not just one layer. Similarly, realistic landscaping requires a variety of contours, textures and colors. Sure, you can just go with "toy train esthetic" and cover everything with Astroturf, but if you want anything more elaborate than a flat, monochrome surface, you need a combination of materials IMHO.
OTOH, there's nothing wrong with creating a suitable "blank slate" as a base layer upon which to build out the final features. For instance, I used a base layer of OSB, covered with a half-inch expanded foam board, topped with Bachmann paper-backed grass roll, for both my layouts. Basically, everything is initially uniform and covered, but any given section can be covered and/or excavated as need for further development, and the track is held down over high-density foam roadbed using short nails into the foam sheets but not the OSB.
Thank you for your detailed and extensive description. It sounds as if it gives an excellent realistic and workable backdrop for your trains. You have invested a good deal of thought and effort in its production.
This approach is too involved for me at this point: I am looking for a ‘timely’ result. It would take too long to execute. Furthermore, I am stuck in the 50s and sort of ‘model’ my layout in that era – without much attention to scenery, etc.
None the less, many on the forum will benefit from your expertise.
Thank you.
Alfred
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Post by trainman9 on Jun 9, 2024 14:58:42 GMT
I decided to use indoor outdoor carpet from Lowes. It is wide enough that there are no seams on my 5x10 carnival themed layout. Along with the homosote underneath it makes for very quiet running. Of course using Ross track is also a big help.
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Post by atsda on Jun 9, 2024 16:41:48 GMT
Craig, I will check out the mat you mentioned.
trainman9, the carpet you mentioned from Lowe's is the one I am considering.
Alfred
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Post by atsda on Jun 9, 2024 16:42:02 GMT
Thank you all for your comments; I appreciate reading them and will continue to check the thread – there have been many good ideas that would enhance the look of a layout.
Post by healey36 on Jun 7, 2024 at 7:38am
Jun 7, 2024 at 5:10am seayakbill said:
In the past I have used the low profile , almost smooth, gray indoor / outdoor carpeting. It can be painted if you want some green / brown areas. Certainly was easy and a quick solution for covering the plywood.
Bill
I too used a short pile gray indoor/outdoor carpet. I wanted something that had the coloring of ballast under tubular track. Laid over 3/4-inch plywood, it does little to mitigate the noise, but I don't mind the racket, if I'm honest. Being a prewar tinplater, scenery is a secondary consideration, although the notion of scenery "modules", as described by Peter Riddle in his book, has possibilities.
Bill, I was in fact thinking about getting the gray version of the carpeting I had mentioned, and painting it in areas if needed.
healey36, I had thought of getting the gray version of the carpeting so that it would have the color of ballast under the tracks. I too, want to highlight the trains and scenery is secondary; although I eventually use some simple scenery – and of course, 50s era Lionel accessories. Alfred
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Post by david1 on Jun 9, 2024 17:59:42 GMT
Alfred, I used 2" pink foam as a topper Painted brown and from there laid the track. It is very quiet. From there I used scenic materials.
Worked for me.
Dave
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Post by atsda on Jun 10, 2024 18:07:46 GMT
Thanks Dave; so many options to choose from. Alfred
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Post by JDaddy on Jun 10, 2024 20:44:27 GMT
I am building a standard gauge modular layout - I am going to use Homasote from Home Depot. Its very economical, you can paint, and absorbs sounds very well.
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