Cork road-bed/underlay

[electrical whiz kid]

Hi, all;
now that I have (finally!!) decided that the track configuration/layout plot/circa/total reason for living-work is nigh, I have looked at several types of road-bed, and am going to try cork.  Cork???  Been around a long time.  Sure, but I have never tried to use just flooring underlay!  I have studied the applications, obstacles, etc; and have called it good.  Has anyone else used this system?  I will be using contact cement (the flammable "stoner" type) because of the quick contact/immovable feature.  My sub is pretty smooth, so I do not anticipate "telegraphing" any imperfections upward to the actual track.  I would like to get some feedback.  Thanks!

Rich C.

[jonathan]

Rich,

I used cork roadbed and was very happy with it.  Also used some EZ track when I had the opportunity to use it.  The vast majority is cork, though.

I like your contact cement idea.  I used white glue or tacked down the cork with small brads--smaller than HO track nails.  Both worked well for me.

Regards,

Jonathan

[on30gn15]

Cork roadbed is a long-used classic. Are plenty of articles how to use it in print and on the web, that is a good thing.

To help it not show under ballast, before laying track I paint cork with acrylic craft paint about same color as ballast will be. Sometimes I even paint the cork on both sides before installing it. Why? I dunno, it just seemed like the thing to do.
Aleen's Tacky craft white glue works fine for me for securing cork.

Since secondary tracks often have lower roadbed profile in real life, on HO layout I'll sometimes use the thinner N gauge cork roadbed for those tracks. Remember, though, that some track length will be needed for sloped elevation change. For that transition a mix of sand the HO and shim the N is used.

[ebtnut]

The "standard" cork roadbed from your LHS is split down the middle at an angle for two reasons.  First, when you separate the pieces the angle will form the sloped edge of the roadbed.  Second, the width of each piece is such that they will curve easily without kinking.  The usual method is to put down one piece on the track centerline (glue or small nails) then the other.  Cork works well if you are using flex track or snap track.  Most folks again use small nails through the ties (there are usually holes spaced out for this purpose) into the subroadbed.  Note that cork does not hold spikes or nails well.  You can also tack the track down temporarily and then apply ballast with wet water and glue or matte medium.  When the glue dries, you can pull out the nails and the ballast/glue will hold the track in place. 

[jbrock27]

...cork does not hold spikes or nails well.

I beg to differ on this.  I have had no issues using spikes set in place with needle nose pliers through the track, to hold the track to the cork roadbed.  Extra holes for spikes can also be made in the plastic ties using a small bit and pin vise.

[Len]

For a variety of reason, the surface of the cork will often have 'ripples' after it's glued in place, which can affect track laying. So after you get the cork glued down, wrap some 400 grit sandpaper around a piece of 2x4, or a sanding blcok, and sand the top of the cork smooth and level. Then vacumn up the worst of the cork dust and go over the cork with a 'tack cloth' (available at most hardware stores if you don't want to make your own) to get whatever the vacumn missed.

Len

[jbrock27]

Good suggestion that I second.  Sometimes there will be a little ridge (height difference) between the 2 halves of cork once glued down.  BTW, cheap, dollar store white glue has worked well for me to secure cork to foam.

In addition, be sure to sand the edges, where it begins to slope, round/smooth as well to take that sharp edge off between the top and slope.  This will help when trying to get ballast to uniformly adhere to all surfaces of the cork.

[electrical whiz kid]

Four hundred-grit seems a little too fine for the first run at uniformity.  You might try starting with 150-grit, and graduating up to about three hundred.  This will take down the bumps in pretty short order-most of the time.  I would think that a little care and fore thought will pay off in big dividends later on down the road.  Also, use closed-grit sanding material.  This gives a better job, less work.
One thing I have discovered via woodworking is that-and I assume the same to be true of cork as wood-to give the finished product a coat or two of sanding sealer-like shellac.  cheap, dries fast, and leaves you alone.  It also provides a uniform surface for whatever glue you want to use on ballast.

Per Brock:  I forgot where I got them from-Atlas comes to mind-but I picked up a bunch of fine brads, long enough wo that, if you wanted to run them down through the cork and into the wood, you can.  You can use a good nail punch for this purpose.

Track-work is all too often the chief culprit in the case of bad-running equipment.  I don't think you can ever be too careful with this stuff.  Check, re-check, and double-check! 

Rich C.

Rich C.

[jbrock27]

...use a good nail punch for this purpose.

Rich C.

I advise caution on using a punch in conjunction with a hammer as it can easily result in creating a dip in the tie/track and distorting the rails in that spot, by exerting too much downward force.

I also suggest that sanding the cork, is not like making a piece of furniture or wood-shop project, it does not take much time or effort or a variety of sand paper grits.

[electrical whiz kid]

Jim;
There are several types of nail punches; the ones to which I refer have  cupped heads-similar to that of the head of a finishing nail.  If you get a large enough one, then that should pretty much eliminate the hazard of this operation; as long as you don't get over-zealous with the hammer (which should not be anything over 13 oz.), and that the nail can seat itself comfortably up into the centre of the punch.
As I had afore-stated,  make certain of the positioning, square-ness, smooth-ness, etc of that run of track.  Be rigid in your standards.  Remember, track-work is probably the most important consideration of layout building...  OR, as the inscrutable Chinese used to  say BC (before college); "No tick-ee, no laun-lee!"

Rich C. 

[Trainman203]

Better paint the cork with a sealer before ballasting or weeding-up.  Otherwise you will lean the hard way, like I did, that cork swells with moisture - that is why it is used to close and seal wine bottles.

I failed to seal the sheet cork under a yard.  The track finally worked perfectly after months of tweaking and I happily ballasted away. Overnight, the cork swelled and humped up 1/4 " in some places, max heartbreak city when that happened.  It did not go back down when dry.

I didn't have to tear up the track, thought at first I would, but I must have sunk 250 or more 3/4 " screws 1/4" apart to get the yard level again.  Nowadays, I seal AND screw down the cork, though not 1/4" apart.  Never going through "that" again.

[electrical whiz kid]

Trainman;
(See my previous post)...  Shellac is a great sealer...
ANYTIME you are working with porous material-of which cork product happens to fall in that family-and ESPECIALLY if you are planning to torture said cork with various and sundry watery compounds, you should thoroughly seal it.  BEFORE you ballast, etc; it, unless you like perpetual labour, like to put out an endless amount of dinero, or are even a masochist.  And you are quite right-paint will work-but shellac is-oh sooo much easier...

Rich C.

[Trainman203]

Rich, I actually used both shellac and some kind of 1 hr. Drying water based sealer on newly installed cork, but before the track went down, AFTER I nearly destroyed a yard that took months to get every engine to like it. Sealing AND screwing down periodically worked very well.

I missed your statement about sealant Rich, sorry.  The point is doubly made to seal cork roadbed unless you can guarantee that, when ballasting, King Kong will hold it down while it dries.  Another time I tried to seal cork in one place after the track was down but before ballasting, with mixed results.  

So take a pleasure trip to the hardware store,  spend a couple of bucks on sealer, seal the cork, then lay the track and ballast it worry free.

[jbrock27]

There are several types of nail punches; the ones to which I refer have  cupped heads-similar to that of the head of a finishing nail.

Rich C.

I for one, am very familiar with nail punches, having several different varieties and sizes and have used them for other things.  If you are suggesting using an appropriately sized one to push down by hand power on a rail spike or nail, that is one thing, but if you are suggesting use a hammer with one on a rail spike or nail, then I am not in favor of or recommending that. *Keep in mind, I am coming from the perspective that it is NOT necessary to go through the cork and INTO wood in order to hold the track it place.  As I mentioned earlier, spike into cork has worked fine for me.

...Chinese used to  say BC (before college); "No tick-ee, no laun-lee!"

Love this saying; have used it many times myself.

Better paint the cork with a sealer before ballasting or weeding-up.

ESPECIALLY if you are planning to torture said cork with various and sundry watery compounds, you should thoroughly seal it.  BEFORE you ballast, etc;

Rich C.

Never have heard or read of this recommendation, ever, before.

[electrical whiz kid]

Jim;
It is only something I do-I have done this on any cabinet work; it works.  for me..  Shellac works as a sealer; it works for me, I am happy with it.  I have used it on cork, and it makes me happy.  It works...for me.  If you would want to use coal tar, I would be just as  happy for you.  Same with nail sets.  the one feature of this feature is that it saves fingers.  If you want to hold that small a nail with your fingers, that is OK with me-seriously..  A nailset is something I recommend-only as a bit of experience  in that it has worked.  for me.    If you don't want to use it, that is fine.  If you don't want to use a nail set to maybe make work easier, that is fine as well.  In short, it is your layout, cork, and choice.  The same with anyone else in the world.  I offered a remedy-it is not the answer to the ailments of the world;  It is only my choice, my money, and my saved fingers.

Kindest regards;
Rich C.