# Homasote?



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

Just wondering if anyone uses this over 4x8 plywood before laying their tracks down. Also, is it usually available at Home Depot?


----------



## Scafremon (Dec 11, 2006)

I know that rudykuzuti is going to be using Homasote on his track project. His thread is located here:

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=202439

My local HD did not know what I was talking about when I inquired about this product, but I believe rudy got his at a HD.


----------



## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

It's in the building material department and sells for about 10.00 a sheet, 3/4" think 4'x8'.


----------



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

Wonderful, thanks guys!


----------



## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

Yes, I got it at Home Depot, but I understand that some Home Depot in other parts of the country do not carry it. I am in Delaware and I believe the company that makes it is in NJ. I looked for it at Lowe's first, but they did not carry it. It's 4x8 and is 1/2" thick. It cost $23 and change per sheet. 

I installed it just before leaving for a few days on holiday and have not laid any track on it yet. But I did a very informal test of it's sound reducing qualities by knocking on the bare wood table beforehand, and then doing the same on the homasote after it was installed. 

Before = loads of echo
After = echo all gone!!
I think it is going to do a fine job at reducing noise.


----------



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

Thanks, Rudy.

As it's 1/2 in. in thickness, is it a stiff material or spongy at all?


----------



## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

It's not spongy at all except for maybe around the edges, where it seems it could be damaged easily if not handled properly. You also have to be careful about how it is carried because it flexes a lot and seems like it could break easily if allowed to flex too much. It's made from an emulsion of recycled newsprint and cardboard. If you've ever seen those little cardboard-like planting pots that are used to temporarily house small plants at your local garden center, the material is kind of like that but much thicker and with a smoother surface.


----------



## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

You can go to
http://www.homasote.com/where.html,
plug in your zip code, and find out where you can buy it.


> Just wondering if anyone uses this over 4x8 plywood before laying their tracks down.


I used Homasote on a model railroad years ago. Supported by substantial plywood, it seems to work well. Unsupported across openwork bracing, it ended up sagging between supports. It's made from recycled newspaper, so it absorbs moisture from the air and can swell slightly, bowing up or down if not well-fastened to a rigid support. 

Like the sounding board of a musical instrument, plywood or other rigid tabletops can amplify track sound. Soft material like Homasote or cork absorbs the vibrations, killing the sound. Track-nails or -screws will still carry the sound from the track to the plywood if they go all the way _through_ the Homasote - and you're back where you started. So screw the Homasote to the plywood, then nail or screw the track to the Homasote _only,_ making sure the nails/screws don't reach down to the plywood. That's the conventional model railroad advice. Though I haven't tried it with slotcars, I'd assume the same is true.

Good luck.
-- D


----------



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

I would certainly mount the homasote to 5/8 plywood, if I can find the homasote on Long Island. I'd read that you could glue the homasote to the plywood and be fine.


----------



## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

I used Liquid Nails all purpose adhesive because it was one of the recommended adhesives listed on the homasote web site. It's stuck down pretty good. Unless we come under a nuclear attack, I don't think it's coming up off of the plywood any time soon.


----------



## BKracer (Sep 25, 2005)

has anybod used carpet padding(i thihk that's what it is called)i was thinking of using that


----------



## Scafremon (Dec 11, 2006)

BKracer said:


> has anybod used carpet padding(i thihk that's what it is called)i was thinking of using that


While carpet padding surely has some sound deadening qualities, I think it might be a pain to work with being so spongy.


----------



## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

BKracer said:


> has anybod used carpet padding(i thihk that's what it is called)i was thinking of using that


I've seen some guys use indoor/outdoor carpet, but not carpet padding. I like the look of indoor/outdoor, but with two cats in the house who insist on spending time on my table when I'm not around, it's not an option. 

I don't think that carpet padding would be durable enough to keep from being shredded over time by the guide pins on wayward cars.


----------



## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

BKracer said:


> has anybod used carpet padding(i thihk that's what it is called)i was thinking of using that


 I had some carpet left over from doing the basement. I had to use a couple pieces to cover the whole table, but it's working fine. I have not screwed/nailed the track down yet, but I am not having any carpet related problems even with it just sitting on the top. The noise is much less.

The carpet is a very tight weave, maybe close to indoor/outdoor carpeting. For me, it was great. I found a use for the left over carpet and it was FREE; a Grandcheapskate's favorite word.

Thanks...Joe


----------



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

I was in Home Depot tonight for an unrelated matter, but I strolled through the lumber department (I didn't have the minivan with me, and will need to take out the middle seats... will be a minor project this weekend).

They have Homasote at ~$24 for a 4x8, so I'll be good to go this weekend


----------



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

I didn't want to hijack the other thread on rockley63's new layout (very nice indeed- good luck!).

Homasote- I picked it up yesterday, and since it's paper itself, I don't think it would take kindly to being put through a sanding process. I'm going to prime and paint it today (as advised by Greg Braun) and hope for the best. It's in my basement, which tends to be fairly dry. I've never sensed dampness or a musty smell down there, and during the worst of monsoons and rainstorms, it's dry as a bone.

Given it's content and makeup, I wouldn't do any more to it than potentially drive screws or nails through it. In a best attempt to seal off any potential moisture issues, I'll be caulking the joints where it would be meeting up with a 1x8 barrier around the perimeter of the boards. I've glued it down to the 4x8 plywood using Liquid Nails, and it's going nowhere. The two 4x8's are resting on an existing worktable, and they hang off the edges 9 inches width-wise and 12 inches length-wise. Since that was the case, I didn't frame out 1x4's underneath the plywood... yet.

I do plan to frame out underneath to give it a truly solid base, I'm just anal. It's going to be a framed such that the cross beams of the base will provide plenty of support underneath, enough that there will be no bowing or sagging. That will also enable me to mount side barriers (the 1x8's) around the perimeter of the 4x8's.

I'm trying to concentrate on getting my track laid down, so the underframing will be done over the next month... assessing the table last night, I felt I could get away with that step in the near future.

Thanks to all the folks out there who've given some feedback directly to my questions, and of course the entire site here is extremely helpful... reading through historical posts and discussions has been invaluable! Thanks very much!

BTW, I think the BEST $6 I've ever spent at Home Depot is a panel carrier, a tool that would most likely benefit ANYONE who's building their own layout. It enables a solo effort out of something that usually is a two-man job... carrying 4x8's!


----------



## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

If you decide to use any form of carpeting on your layout, it is imperative you get a very tight weave so that stray threads don't end up in armatures, axles, etc.
I lost a great running Super G+ when one of the threads unknowingly got wound into the arm.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


----------



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

I'm priming and painting the homasote with oil-based enamels, following Greg Braun's site (I sound like a shill, but it's a great site for re-newbies like me  ). My wife wondered why I just don't lay down a fabric, and I told her I didn't want to deal with a fabric for a number of reasons- the fibers for one. Can destroy a car, and would be a nightmare to keep clean.

I'm off to hit the homasote with it's second coat of primer. It sucked up the first coat, and given it's texture it was a chore with a hand brush! Anyone know why oil-based enamels were suggested for this application? Durability? Sealability? Outside of painting walls, I'm clueless with paint.


----------



## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

Not sure why Greg suggests oil-based primer. Maybe because the homasote is a paper based product and latex primers are water based. 

Regardless, I just primed mine yesterday with Kilz 2 Latex primer and experienced no issues or problems. I preferred using latex for the easier cleanup. I used a roller to also make the job go faster and easier. Like you, the first coat pretty much got sucked into the homasote and did not cover completely. The second coat resulted in a nice, even cover. 

Next week comes color. I chose Behr 440F-4, Athenian Green. You can't really judge it by the Behr web site, which makes it appear darker than it really is. The best comparison I can think of is that it appears very similar to the green used at Fenway Park.


----------



## valongi (Dec 23, 2007)

Yeah, I could have rolled on the primer but speed wasn't an issue. Second coat is taking forever to dry compared to the first one. I think the first coat got sucked right into the material, whereas the second coat is trying to dry on top of a flatter, less porous surface. It'll be later on tonight or tomorrow morning before I can put the first coat of color (Hunter Green). I laid the second coat on real thick, it looks extremely even. Watching and waiting for paint to dry SUCKS!


----------

