PVC Foam Board Buildings

LGB-Sid

LGB-Sid

Registered
Country flag
Decided to order some 1;24 scale doors and windows and some PVC foam board after watching various online videos about how good the PVC foam board is for G scale buildings.

First problem was what was the correct type of board I want (here in the UK) in the end my best guess was Foamax sheets, so ordered some on flea bay as usual what is listed is not always what you get , I got something called Palfoam low weight foamed PVC sheet :( Not quite what I expected it too be like, very light don't think I will need more than a Stanly knife to cut this stuff anybody used "Palfoam" is it any good for outside use, I probably won't leave all my buildings outside over winter but don't want to run around collecting them at the first signs of rain either.

It scores easy so adding brick detail to the surface would be easy instead of using expensive plastic sheet cladding stuff.
 

Attachments

  • Build1-1.jpg
    Build1-1.jpg
    102.1 KB · Views: 0
If you need information on foam board construction, talk to Mike Duffy (forum member and moderator) as he's a wizard in that respect. You'll find him in the list of members or alternatively just start a conversation with username 'mike'. That should do it. His thread Lazy Grange Bay 3 - a new start is amazing.
 
Last edited:
I have used Foamex, which is PVC faced. The foam is dense (you can't get a thumbnail into it), but it still cuts with a Stanley knife. It also goes under the tradenames of Foamalite, Forex and Palight, apparently. Comes in 3, 5, 8 and 10mm thicknesses.
 
Northsider said:
I have used Foamex, which is PVC faced. The foam is dense (you can't get a thumbnail into it), but it still cuts with a Stanley knife. It also goes under the tradenames of Foamalite, Forex and Palight, apparently. Comes in 3, 5, 8 and 10mm thicknesses.
Click to expand...

The same company that makes Palight make what I got Palfoam I found out..I can mark the surface easy on this stuff with my fingernail, Looks like I can use it for a mock up of my building rather than a finished thing until I get the real stuff to make it from , should have known better than using flea Bay :)
 
Perhaps you want to mark it with a fingernail. If you look at Mikes constructions, he makes all the brick lines with the edge of an old screwdrivr.
 
  • If it's the same stuff I'm using its fine out side if painted...20160805_212511.jpg 20160705_103523.jpg 20160429_090854.jpg 20160914_131914.jpg
 
Thanks mike just going through your post on what you have made with it amazing what can be done with it in the right hands:) if you made all that with Palfoam then I'll use it , I was expecting it to be a lot harder to cut and work after watching some of the on-line videos it looked more like a solid hard PVC sheet rather than a foam, having played with a small off cut realized its not a coating on either side of a foam inner like I thought it was but it's a one piece material. Will need to practice adding brick patterns, started a larger area and eyes wandered and put the vertical bond lines in the wrong row :( a bit of practice I think needed.

Mike what are you using as a key for painting, I tried a light sand on a piece and then a coat of car primer and it scratches off easily, do you use a PVC / plastic primer on it first ?
 
I use excatly the same...I rough up the surface of the foamboard with a razor saw..and used £ shop cans of gray prima for cars....humbrol enamel paints after that...yes it will fade...4-5 years out side...repaint..but at the price it cost to make ...worth while..I draw the building out 1st...like a papper box..sides front back ect..20160915_192715.jpg
 
Ok thanks maybe I didn't sand / rough it enough first will try again on another piece tomorrow, don't mind the re-painting ...4-5 years that's more often than I do my house :)
 
The foambord I used has a clear plastic membrane covering it ..on one side..trust me...don't try and paint it lol20160705_115927.jpg
 
LOL I did removed the plastic membrane :), gave a small piece a good sand this morning to rough it up and sprayed it will see how well it has stuck to it tonight.
 
You can build engines with it as well !Preston-20140215-00320.jpg

Nothing subtle, just 3mm & 1mm foamboard. Top tip for this stuff is to glue it with an industrial superglue - the stuff that comes in bottles not tubes and is so tough that the bottle is mainly plastered with health warnings. This tip came from a great guy called Ross who posted on this forum.
 
Got some 5mm thick this week , to make my walls from, had a go at scoring the lines direct into the surface, but again it's easy to make a mistake and scrap what you are working on. So decided to build out of 5mm and cut the brick work etc. out of 3mm and glue it to it that way if I mess a bit up I still have a building and only need to make the add on bit again, maybe a harder way to do it...plus this way the widows will sink into the outer walls. Got some Halfords Plastic primer this week as ordinary undercoat doesn't really stick to it Plastic primer does so good to go now :) train 30-09-1.jpg
 
Looks good so far, and with foam board it's good to several layers as it adds strength also relief where the sheets meet.

Have a look at the good sheds on lazy grange bay, that's about 5 layers thick in places.

Also consider the weight of the building, I had to glue a few bits of scrap metal to,one of my foam buildings to add weight, to stop it blowing over/away in the winds

Dan
 
Come unstuck with my way of building now ...I need to stick sheets the biggest about 300mm long by 100mm with all the bricks scored on it and cutouts to go around my windows cut into it, onto my building shell made out of 5mm sheet. There is no way you can cover a piece that size with supa glue and stick it in the correct place in time or are there slower acting supa glues ? Does plumbers PVC pipe bonding glue work with this stuff I seem to remember it had a slightly longer cure time ?
 
Evostic spray impact adhesive? Sorry sharp message, 3 buttons have pac*ed up on my *eyboard and trying to type without them isn't fun. (abcdefghi***mnop)
 
Generally the thicker the superglue the longer it takes to go off I usually use "Zap a Gap" superglue, clamp the pieces in place and run the glue along the back of the joint then set it with activator ("Zip kicker")
 
nicebutdim said:
Evostic spray impact adhesive? Sorry sharp message, 3 buttons have pac*ed up on my *eyboard and trying to type without them isn't fun. (abcdefghi***mnop)
Click to expand...

Will Evostic stick PVC ? and is it waterproof ?

Polaroyd will look for some thicker superglue thanks and try on a non critical bit to see if it works OK :)
 
I'd test a scrap piece with any solvent based adhesive, just in case the foam softens. I'd also test Copydex, which won't attack the polymers -and aslo check how waterproof its bond is.
 
I'd test a scrap piece with any solvent based adhesive, just in case the foam softens. I'd also test Copydex, which won't attack the polymers -and also check how waterproof its bond is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top