Model Railway Forum

What I need to get me started is a SINGLE sheet of 50mm thick STYROFOAM. I know I can buy a pack of 10, but what do i do with 9 surplus?
Anyone know of a source of a single sheet in Yorkshire?
Cheers Jim

Jim, have a look in B&Q - they do packs of insulation under the name Jablac. It's dark grey and comes in packs of 3 about 4'x2'.
I used to use pink styrofoam from Wickes but it's no longer stocked unfortunately.

Thank you. I will check
Jim

Is this for use on the surface of your layout, so if you cant find what you want why don't you just forget the idea and put tracks down on to the ply as most do. ..........................John

Some foam sheets eat wire insulation. Expanded polystyrene does.

I got my styrofoam from Jewsons, I’ve built quite a few layouts using styrofoam as a baseboard, it has both advantages and disadvantages.

Its light weight is the main one but it does need framing or bracing if used in a large size. I laid my track using PVA glue on to Woodland Scenics foam track underlay. I used set track as my layout is compact and has tight curves. Laying flexi track is more difficult as it is under tension and the styrofoam is soft so it won’t take track pins. Any wiring was fed through plastic straws.

I’ve used styrofoam because I don’t have woodworking skills or tools and I’ve found it can work very well indeed. You can’t throw a styrofoam layout into the back of a van but you can lift it easily, I used to take one layout out into the garden to put it into the sun so the scenery materials could dry.

Hello Sillymoo,,,,,,,,,,,The reason I sugested he should consider is he has asked this question before the problem being he says is he is not prepaired to buy a pack he only wants one piece. He cant find where he can by one piece. So I sugested he forgot the idea so he could get on with his build. Personally other than the lightness of the stuff, I am not keen on it because it rots wire insulaion sometimes and needs lots of framing because it is not very stiff like plywood is.................John