Pink or Blue?

Pink and blue are the same stuff, different manufacturer.

Pink = Owens Corning

Blue = Dow

 

What you don't want is white "beads". They're even messier.

A sharp knife is the tool of choice. A hot wire also works, but I hate the smell.

 

Keep a vacuum handy. This stuff has the same static cling properties as packing peanuts. Drill bits work just fine, as they don't generate enough heat to melt it.

 

Paint with latex or do a test if you plan to use solvent based. There are special glues for it, but white glue also works well.

I am right now putting together a shelf layout using half inch ply topped with half inch foam. Pink or blue as previously stated are same. With half inch foam I just cut with razor blade and snap for straight cuts. I cut two inch foam with a jig saw works fine. I am going to try securing foam to ply using carpet tape.

I thought this was going to be a Baby thread!

I thought this was going to be a "Girls Train set or Boys Train set" thread!

       
       



My babies are in their forties.

FWIW, I've never found the 2" in blue, so I ended up with the pink.

When it comes to painting, there is a facer film that you'll want to peel off first. Elliot is spot-on; latex paint works fine. I use a box cutter or drywall saw to cut it. Liquid Nails has a glue for Foam that works great.

 

Gilly

 

You can use a drill, table saw or any power tools on the pink or blue foam without any problem. It cuts clean without melting or releasing any fumes. Solvent based paints and glues will dissolve the foam. Latex paints or any water based paints or glues work perfectly. I use plain old Elmer's white glue to attach to plywood or bond to itself.

I Use a variable speed and angle Jig saw $40 home depot and Knife blade  I got from amazon makes zero mess cuts smooth and any way you like. only negative can only cut 2 inch deep at a time.  Ill post the Blade part # later heading to work on layout now

 

The Home Depot's around here have the 2" foam in 2' X 8' panels.  Lowes carried 2" foam in 4' X 8' panels.  I used what ever I could get home.  I covered my plywood base with 1" foam and built risers by putting thicker foam on top.  I used the foam glue in the caulking gun tubes.  I didn't remove the plastic film, I covered everything with a mesh product from Home Depot called FibaTape Super Crack Stop.  It's just like the fiberglass drywall tape, except it comes in a 36" wide roll.  Once this was applied I covered everything with a skim coat of Structolite.  Once it dried I painted it with latex paint.  The Structolite is very forgiving and can fill voids and cover hills.

The Blades to cut the foam are Bosch T113A for a t shank..

they mite make them longer if needed..

 

I was thinking purple...that's what you have when pink and blue get together...oh, you are talking about insulation board.

 

I second Kon's recommendation for the Bosch blades in a jigsaw. I found the 6" length on Amazon. But, anything will cut it. The construction guys use a machete. The Bosch blade is great for clean edges.

 

I have Pink, Blue and Green.  Our Lowes ditched the blue for green. 

 

1" foam on top of plywood base.  Mainly for noise.  I built an 8 foot removable bridge section out of 2" pink from HD in case I ever need access to my furnace.

 

I too used Latex like others suggested.  HD has "oops" paint really cheap.  They had an ugly green gallon for $3.  I painted the blue with the green paint.

 

Some pics attached so you can see the application.  Save all your scrap.  I used that to make the mountain/cliff and the bridge.

 

Added note... Buy some of the paper breathing masks if you plan to cut with anything other than a knife or sand the foam.  The dust is very fine.  You will be gald you did 20 years from now.

 

Ron

look up construction supplies whole sale...talk to the YARD BOSS tell him you are looking for damaged pieces..length is the desired aspect, width not so much..for a case of beer you can get a lot..I used to go to a few places and they let me "clean up" the area..once after a Tornado  got a whole pallet of 3" that was tossed through their sky light..I had so much tied to the top of my Chevy Astro,  I was concerned about fitting under the bridges on HWY 270 as I drove to my LHS to trade some off.

I build a grid of 1 X 3 on 2 foot centers to run my trains..why add plywood when you do not need it?

coarse drywall screws grip fine, but if more tension is needed I add a small piece of scrap wood under the foam and use a longer screw.

also construction sites are a good place to pick up scrap...a case of beer goes a long way...

 

I've found 4" thick pieces of blue foam in construction dumpsters.  Never larger then 18" X 12".  I looked for a supply source, but never found one.  I don't speak Spanish so I was at a disadvantage.  I did find a source for custom cut white beaded foam that I used for my elevated section.  Minimal cutting and minimal mess.

..why add plywood when you do not need it?

The author mentioned using the foam as part of sound suppression.  It's been my experience that foam alone is louder than that of a wood base with a foam top.  Watch this early video of my layout.  Most all is a 2x4 construction with a plywood top, 1" foam on top of that and cork roadbed.  Listen carefully to the train when it comes out of the tunnel and crosses my ALL FOAM 8 foot pink bridge.  It get's louder.  I'm a big fan of foam... but if sound suppression is your goal you should consider combining the foam with other material.

 

Ron

 

 

OK, if you have a WELL VENTILATED area you can use this Harbor Frieght hot knife.  $19.99.  It also works well on the bead board foam as well and in fact seals the edge.  Anyhow that is what I use.  Russ

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/1...hot-knife-60313.html