Has anyone used EVA foam for track underlay.

[NormanQ4]

EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) foam has many uses, one of them being as a sound deadener under laminate / floating flooring, usually 2 - 3 mm thick.

Has anyone used this as a sound deadening track underlay and if so what was the outcome?

Does ballast / PVA glue stick to it?

[choralc]

Norm, I found the stuff on Jenkins Rubber Shop and "Customers who bought this product also purchased Bostick Contact Bond" http://www.jenkinsrubber.com.au/?stg=377&view=377

Also their thinnest was 10mm.

 

Edit: That was for their blue. They also have 3mm black which might have been the stuff you were thinking of?

[NormanQ4]

The stuff I'm interested in is the flooring underlay, which is only 2 - 3 mm thick and is also available from flooring retailers and Bunnings and Masters.

[2e0dtoeric]

This sounds like the product called 'depron' that some model aircraft builders use for very light models. I've not used it myself.

It can be glued by UHU por, and maybe Bostic/Evostick, but those last two dry yellow, while UHU dries clear. I understand that acrylic paints bond to it.

Depron is available by the sheet, and in various thicknesses, but crushes fairly easily. I suspect that - because it crushes - it would not make good underlay, especially if you run the larger (heavy!) loco's on it.

As far as I know, there are two colours of depron, a greyish white, or black.

.

There are two other foam plastics products on the market, EPP and EPO, (Expanded Polypropylene and Ex Polystyrene), but these are usually injection-moulded, and I've not heard of it being available in sheet form.

[walkingthedog]

Polystyrene can cause strange things to happen on model railways, especially if you paint it. Years ago I used the stuff you can buy in rolls for putting on walls behind wallpaper. I laid my track on it and painted it grey. After about a year I started getting bad running and found the polystyrene had eaten away the insulation on the wires attached to the track and was acting like a resistor across the track. Ripped it all out and all was well again. It is known to destroy insulstion on wire.  

[NormanQ4]

EVA is Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate and should not be confused with any other foam such as polystyrene which is also branded as Depron.

It's commonly used in thicker form for yoga / excercise mats and interlocking floor tiles such as those for playrooms with alphabet letters or pictures on them.

I don't need to know anything about the product as I know what I'm interested in and where to source it, I just want to know if anyone has used it for track underlay, if not I may have to give it a go myself when I make my new layout some time next year.

[walkingthedog]

No I haven't used it. I don't use anything under my track I fix it directly to the baseboard, as I think underlay whether cork, foam or what ever is a waste of time. If you ballast the track any soundproofing caused by underlay is negated and it's just another thing you have to fiddle about with instead of running locos.  Also if the track is raised up above board level, platforms need to be raised as well, more fiddling about.

 

Just my view.

[choralc]

That's why I like Norm's idea of this 3mm EVA in that it still has insulation quality because of its makeup.

 

Do give it a try, perhaps on a demo board and let us know. You may start a new trend in model railway construction.

[walkingthedog]

I still reckon ballast will negate the insulating effect but it will be very interesting to see if it works. Go for it Norm.

[mjb1961]

Slightly off topic,I've got a roll of under laminate floor insulation/underlay ,it's about 2/3 MM. thick polystyrene with silver foil on one side ,could this be used or would it present problems in the future ,,,

[NormanQ4]

I'd be surprised if it was poystyrene which would very likely be brittle at that thickness.

Googling the brand name should tell you for sure.

[walkingthedog]

You can buy rolls of expanded polystyerene about 3mm thick. That's what caused problems when I used it on my old layout. 

[Pete172]

 Hi Norman,

I used the 3mm thick laminate flooring foam sheet (B&Q own brand / pale grey in colour) for all my track laying on a large layout. Yes PVA or cheap craft adhesive (with some PVA in it) does stick the foam down pretty well, and the track to the foam. I cut the foam to the same width as the track + about 2mm beyond the sleeper width each side, then allowed another 3 or 4mm each side to allow for a slope to be cut down to the baseboard level.

Your trains will run nice & quiet !!, that is until you add / stick down ballast, then it's just as noisy as laying the track down onto the board directly.

I had problems with levelling points on the foam ( they need to be pinned down to achieve a level running surface), so I eventually had to remove the points, remove the foam (just wet the glue with water) & scrape off any residue. Then I used hardboard under the points to create a firm surface to pin the points to.

Also try using Latex adhesive instead of PVA as I have heard it cuts down the noise level compared to PVA. You could get this from carpet fitting suppliers or shops.....maybe even toolstation or screwfix ??. Try the latex to stick the foam and to stick down the ballast , if you intend to use it ..

Hope this helps,

 

Peter.

[walkingthedog]

Lay the track straight on the board. I can guarantee you'll change the track layout at some time or the other, makes life a lot easier if you don't have to scrape off underlay.