Train table skirt to hide boxes & wiring under the table

Black works well you focus on the layout not the skirt.  I used black landscaping  cloth

Landscape material is an excellent method.  Another material we used was banquet table skirting.  It is prepleated.  We added Velcro so it is quick and easy to R&R.  Available on line, very inexpensive.

I have some old black curtains I intend to hang sideways from the edge of my layout. Otherwise I'd probably be looking at that landscape cloth.

Skirts.  Click on the underlined phrase.  My sweetheart has always been involved with a sewing machine.  We recently upgraded her machine.   The skirts also required small curtain rods and cup hooks.  The expensive Oak fascia board was also part of the installation. Key to finding a sewing person, and material.  Joanne Fabrics, or a local 4H group.

Dark colored (black, brown, gray, green, blue,...cheap!) twin bed sheets, halved lengthwise, hemmed and/or pleated, lots of choices from there for hanging...velcro, hooks/rings, magnetic strips, rods, etc., etc..

Re first step...halving & hemming/pleating...That's where mothers-in-law come in handy if they "have machine, will travel" (cross town, that is) and love to speed-stitch!

Thanks, Mom! (R.I.P.)

Mike, I got one of those also.   She made her own beautiful wedding dress 47 years ago and she makes beautiful quilts these day.  I built her the tables for her machine and cutting fabric. She came up with the idea of using those old curtains.

@Oscaleonly posted:

Ideas for material and best color to make the best looking table  skirt or other ideas to cover boxes & wiring on a

large train table (A train carpenter built the table , but left the area underneath it open) for  O

gauge track and multiple O scale trains. I don’t have the carpentry skills to build cabinets. Your

Ideas would be most appreciated.

There have been many, many previous threads on this topic.  You need to check these out because you'll be missing out on a number of very good ideas if you don't:

   Layout Skirting | SantaFeJim

   Ideas for fascia and skirts | Chugman

   Skirting material | RPARMENTER

   OK after searching tha past few hrs for a layout skirt i like | Jhainer

   Type of Material for Skirting | corvette

   Let's see your layout skirting. | CarGuyZM10

   Outer edges and skirting; viewing aisle(s) | Moonson

   Benchwork/layout skirting | waynew

   Easy Layout Skirt | Allentown Bob

   2 Layout Skirt Fabrics | dottyperry

     and many more.

Although some terms can be difficult to search for this one is definitely not.  I found all of the above just by typing "skirt" into the search box on the search page.

Mike

My mom made the skirting for my last layout. See the pictures below. I used Velcro to attach them to the layout. Not sure what I will do for the new layout.

It never bothered me and a skirt would just get in the way.

Nice work in this thread with the skirting and facia boards. They give any layout that finished look and not so "ghetto-looking." And it's easy to store your boxes underneath the layout table where they're out of sight.

The wife had some pleated red cloth she let me use for skirting the layout just over 10 years ago. Found some white facia boards at Home Depot that were just the right width. So, I just cut them to length, installed them, then staple-gunned the cloth on the back of the boards. For my winter-themed layout, the red skirting with the white facia boards enhances the Christmas Season.

@PRRMP54 posted:

It never bothered me and a skirt would just get in the way.

Come on, Dave. Get with the program and install the skirting around your layout. 😂

By the way, I noticed the quote at the end of your post. Gail Halversen, the famed "Candy Bomber" who flew C-54s into West Berlin's Templehof airport during the Berlin Airlift, recently passed away at 101. He lived in this area and I got to meet him in person a few years back.

Lots of great ideas/photos here.  I use black felt that is reasonably priced at Joanne Fabrics.  It's easy to cut, it's rich looking, doesn't wrinkle, may offer a little sound control because it is thick, and you can roll it up and use a velcro piece or a paper clamp to hold it up while you are working under the layout.  I like the idea of curtains, but I don't sew and neither does my wife.  I suggested we get a sewing machine and she said that seemed extravagant considering I'd be the only one using it .  Finding a sewing person at the fabric store to hire is a great idea.

Mike

Here is how I made my skirting.

When the layout was moved to the new train/media/audio room 5 years ago it was put on legs at 35 inches above the floor.  This height was found to be good for operating and viewing from standing or sitting on a stool.  Since the train room does not have a closet or storage room the space below the train layout is used for storage of LP records, spare stereo gear, etc.  This makes for a messy looking area.  It was decided to make a cloth skirt to hide the mess.

Some dark blue inexpensive material was purchased at Jo Ann’s or another cloth store.  Enough was purchased to make skirt for the whole perimeter around the layout.  Skirting was made for the most visible ends of the “L” and the sides where the control panels are.  It was not made at this time for the less visible sides facing the two walls with the train shelves.  This also provides easier access to the boxes of LP records , VCR tapes, Reel to Reel tapes, CDs, cassette tapes, etc. stored under the layout.

The skirt is made using simple panels 6 inches wide with 2 inch pleats.  A 5 inch hem was sewn on the bottom and a 1 inch hem was sewn on the top.  The skirt was held to back side off the 1x6 base boards around the layout with thumb tacks or push pins. The skirt is sized to hang about ½ inch off of the carpet.  It was made in panels large enough to cover each straight side or end with about 2 feet extra to overlap and not leave any gaps.  Believe it or not I sewed the skirt with my wife’s help threading the sewing machine.

Pleats would be sharper if I had ironed them !

It turned out the layout would be an eye sore without the skirt hiding the storage mess under the layout.  It is more convenient to access the LPs under the layout with out the skirt on the backside.

Charlie

@NJCJOE posted:

My mom made the skirting for my last layout. See the pictures below. I used Velcro to attach them to the layout. Not sure what I will do for the new layout.

Goodness Joe, how did you ever get to the back of this part with all the stuff in the way?  That looks like a challenge to access!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Goodness Joe, how did you ever get to the back of this part with all the stuff in the way?  That looks like a challenge to access!

Accessing underneath was challenging. The layout was only 24" high as well. Once I put the skirting and shelving up, I had to slide myself under to reach the back. By that time though, most of the wiring was complete so I did not have to go under there too often.

For accessing the top. I had to remove some items so I could climb up there.

I was thinking about the top, it's pretty busy up there!   I didn't even consider going under, at 24" high, that was a challenge!

Masonite panels suspended under the layout surface with screw eyes and plastic cable ties. Panels swing out easily and can be propped with a stick; are removed altogether for extended work, followed by fresh cable tie replacement. Wife's choice over fabric.

Gray cloth with buttonholes hung from cup hooks.  John

Found the material on the internet and the wife made the skirting it is in sections so the skirt looks correct.

I used black window screen all around to keep the cats out from my wiring underneath the table.  It's held on by a Velcro tab at the top and bottom of each end attached to the table legs.  It's hardly noticible, still hides everything stored underneath, and allows for full ventilation to keep everything fresh underneath.

Ron

Not much to add about the skirting, except that if you have baseboard heating under parts of your layout (as I do), common, solid materials will block the heat from escaping. I used a perforated plastic material in those sections that lets the heat out and keeps the rooms warm and attached it with clear plastic pins to the backside of the wooden skirt.

My recollection is that it is called "pet" skirting or something similar and was available at Joanne's Fabrics. 

Beadboard. Tacked on and easy to remove.  Baseboard added later.

I guess I'm lucky enough to have an accomplished seamstress wife and also a cousin who owns a linen rental business. When those tablecloths have run their course they make great train table skirting and the price is - free. YMMV but it's worth asking the local linen rental business. The material they use is incredibly sturdy and of course the wear and tear as a table cloth takes practically nothing away from a second life as train table skirting. She has done all the skirting in my train room and has also done all the skirting for our modular group which at last count is roughly 152 feet of skirting. Basic procedure is sewn on velcro with stick on loop on the table, then shot with staples every few inches to be sure it stays put.

Target, Herringbone Curtains.

The wife cut them in two and put the 1910 Singer to work

I do black curtains.

I’ve been trying to get rid of this material for a year.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/274909966671

I haven't made it to the stage of adding any skirting yet.

My wife wants to put up curtains or use table cloth material she has. She picked up the table clothes for free from where she works.

My thought is Beadboard hinged at the top and some sort of prop when opened. Although room to lift the boards might be an issue. So the misses will probably win in the end. Plus it gives her a job to do on the layout!

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

Target, Herringbone Curtains.

The wife cut them in two and put the 1910 Singer to work

Very nice and that's a beautiful machine. 😉

I use display shelves instead of cloth skirting. There are a few access openings around the layout: