LlandudnoJunction Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Just looking for help to see if this will be suitable for a baseboard. I have 10ft X 2.5ft ply which is 18mm thick which I would like to use. Would I still need to place a lattice skeleton under neath this or would it be ok on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert17649 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 depends if its marine ply you should only need edging underneath , if its the caravan type lightweight you will need a supporting frame. Actually probably better to have a framework whatever type of ply it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter220950 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 The problem will be, as you can see if you pick it up, it will flex in its present condition, so anything attached to the surface will move differently to the board, such as scenery or buildings. Although it will make the board even heavier a support of timber bearers and cross bracing will take the flex out of the board, it also lets you run wiring below the boards and use point motors and the like. I know it's not very helpful but starting with 18mm ply is probably a bit on the thick side, 12mm would be better, but sometimes you are where you are. If it's going to develop into a sceniced layout you could cut lumps out of the board in areas where there is only scenery and add back lighter landscaping such as polystrene sheet. If it's not going to moved about much, I would brace it up with relatively cheap CLS studding that's about 63 x 38, if you need to handle it more think about the lightweight ply sandwich beams that are used for bracing. Keep us all up to date with progress! Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted November 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 11, 2015 Peter above has replied pretty much as I would, essentially any board needs bracing and 18mm although it is suitable to do the job will be chuffing heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 This is 16mm ply from an old wardrobe. It's 6ft long, and 1ft wide at one end and 2ft at the other. It's heavy, but it's not intended to go anywhere very often, so it doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Hopefully your 10x2.5 bit of ply is intended to be a permanent baseboard? If so it will need supporting with framing as others have said and legs ideally near the ends and in the middle. If you ever want to move it I'd suggest cutting it in half. Your baseboard needs to be right in the first place or you will never have a reliable railway. Ask me how I know! Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCB Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 It looks awfully heavy. I wonder how it will take track pins? Personally I would have used something a lot thinner on a more substantial frame probably 2" X 1" but I would have pre drilled the cross pieces for the electrical wiring before assembling it. The carpentry looks good but I like to have an edge on the baseboard of around 12mm or so to stop stock falling off so I use a 3" or so strip of hardboard as edging. which hides all that good (or in my case bad) workmanship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 It looks awfully heavy. I wonder how it will take track pins? Personally I would have used something a lot thinner on a more substantial frame probably 2" X 1" but I would have pre drilled the cross pieces for the electrical wiring before assembling it. The carpentry looks good but I like to have an edge on the baseboard of around 12mm or so to stop stock falling off so I use a 3" or so strip of hardboard as edging. which hides all that good (or in my case bad) workmanship. I built the bookshelves it rests on at one end, and the wall bracket that holds the other, and nothing has collapsed yet! Track pins? What are they? Some sort of primitive substitute for PVA? A lot thinner costs money. An old wardrobe found in a shed is free! I'll put edges on later cut to the contours of the scenery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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