Facia material

[Tin Can Sailor]

What is the material that you guys use on the edge (facia) of your layouts? And what is it called? Surely it can't be called facia.

 

[GeeTee]

For many years people have used hardboard or Masonite. Personally I switched to foam , I can always put wallpaper on top or paint it.

 

[Tin Can Sailor]

For many years people have used hardboard or Masonite. Personally I switched to foam , I can always put wallpaper on top or paint it.

Thanks GT. I've go dog bones on my layout so I need a flexible bendable material.

 

[flyboy2610]

1/8" hardboard has been a popular choice for many years. I'm a long way from that stage, myself!

 

[santafewillie]

Part of my layout, the lower deck, is 1/8" tempered Masonite that I got for free. I have since switched to 1/8" plywood, known at my local Home Depot as "sheathing". It is just as flexible and is less expensive than Masonite. I cut it all into 4" strips on the table saw. Since it will be painted, mixing and matching is not a concern.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

I use the Masonite because it's easy to bend. My layout has peninsulas that are rounded to aid in reaching the track and scenery. Squared corners would make it difficult to work on the surface areas deeper than a couple feet.
One of the things I do with the Masonite now is mounting the UP5s in the facia surface. I actually mount them on a second layer behind the forward facia to make it easier to remove the forward most layer for working on the wiring or turnout motors. The UP5 would otherwise have to be disconnected from the Loconet then dismounted from the facia.

 

[gjohnston]

I just installed my facia using five inch strips of 1/8 inch tempered hardboard. It will bend around curves if they are not too sharp. It paints up nicely too.

 

[Greg@mnrr]

I also used Masonite and attach it using small drywall screws that are recessed and painted a flat black. I found some trim that I use between the sheets of Masonite.

Greg

 

[trailrider]

Because I have a lot of storage shelves and cabinets under my layout, I use a dark brown heavy cloth, held to the edge of the layout with large pushpins.

 

[2Tracks]

Masonite saw kerfed on the back, (rough side,) to facilitate bending around corners.

 

[Selector]

Mahogany doorskin. I had used it as an outer cover for a free-standing layout, but repurposed it for this layout, cut into strips, and painted it.

 

[TLOC]

Fascia is 6” wide using 1/4” hardboard from HD

TomO

 

[BigGRacing]

More photos please Selector, layout is looking sharp !

 

[D&J RailRoad]

dang TLOC. Do you have those curtains laundered and ironed?

 

[TLOC]

dang TLOC. Do you have those curtains laundered and ironed?

Nope, stage skirting purchased. It really changed the look in the train room.

The way it looks now, even though the room is a mess as I build the grain terminal, the stage skirting IMHO makes the shelf float.

TomO

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Is it attached with Velcro?

 

[TLOC]

Is it attached with Velcro?

Ken, sorry I was doing fine this morning and I got interrupted. The Velcro came applied with the skirting and I had to add a board under the fascia and attached the grabby piece of the Velcro. It had a glue backing but every 8’ or so I did drive a wood screw through the Velcro to keep it attached to the board. I did buy 3 sections at 31’ each section for my layout. I don’t store much under the layout but I can easily flip it up and clip with a clamp if I do need anything. Or I can peal the Velcro apart, roll it and do something under.

I purchased this last February 2020 and it showed up 2 days before Wisconsin shutdown in March for the virus. So I think a 3 week lead time. Buy the Velcro from the company, it is a lot cheaper then online or at any store.

georgiaexpo.com

Is where I purchased, it was a very good deal at the time. It is higher now by maybe 30%. Talking to 2 local seamstresses and a drapery store was an experience but the cheapest from them was almost $250 more expensive. My spouse nor I can sew so that never was an option. I am not knocking the guys who use landscaping fabric but I didn’t like it when I tested it. YMMV on that.

There are many other companies that sell staging skirts and things to cover the underside of a table, I lost the name of what they call that. But for me, It was worth what I spent and less than the cost of a sound equipped ST or Genesis diesel.

TomO

 

[gjohnston]

The skirting is very nice. I talked to my wife about buying some material and sewing the skirting up for me. I was surprised when she agreed to do it. We will see how the project turns out. She may have over committed. We could end up with a big load of material on our hands and no place to use it. :-(

 

[Tin Can Sailor]

Some really good ideas here. Thanks.

 

[Stumpy]

1/4" maple plywood that was left over from another project. But alas, no curves.