Attaching Roadbed track to foam core.. Type of adhesive?

[learmoia]

Someone asked me on FB and I'm not sure what answer to give..  (I always was using homosote in past layouts..)

Laying Kato Unitrak /Bachmann EZ Track to Blue Foam core.. what type of adhesive to use?

~Ian

[RBrodzinsky]

With Unitrack, I've used hot-glue sticks, and also silicon caulk. But, since I also ballast the track, it is the ballast and white glue for it that makes the final "permanent" bond.

[learmoia]

I assume low temp hot glue sticks so it doesn't melt the foam.

[conrail1973]

On my last layout with Atlas True Track, I used Elmers Glue, and it stuck onto the foam board very well.  I found that suggestions somewhere online.

Thanks,

Adam

[DKS]

Loctite Power Grab.

[MK]

DAP water based adhesive caulk.  Comes in white or clear.  $4 a tube at HD.

[wvgca]

any adhesive that's marked 'safe for foam' , doesn't really matter ...
i prefer dap alex in tubes, it's only four bucks for a tube that fits into a squeeze gun ..
goes on white, dries pretty much clear, in six to ten hours

[bbussey]

Loctite.

[C855B]

DAP water based adhesive caulk.  Comes in white or clear.  $4 a tube at HD.

...i prefer dap alex in tubes, it's only four bucks for a tube that fits into a squeeze gun . ...

This. From experience, the more aggressive adhesives will be a PITA if you want to change (or fix!) something.

Hot glue is a big no-no with blue (or pink) foam. Even the low-temp stuff will still sink into the foam and leave less adhesive surface to grab the web structure of the plastic roadbed.

The "foam core" title threw me off, so I seriously apologize here for getting into semantics - blue (or pink) foam is not "foam core", it's expanded polystyrene foam board, a/k/a "XPS". "Blue foam"or "pink foam" is the better moniker. "Foam core" is a thin foam sandwich - most common is 3/16" - between paper layers typically used for art projects and displays. I can easily imagine building a T-Trak module topped by foam core, so therein was my momentary confusion. Caulk would work well for that, too.

[peteski]

Loctite.

Loctite is a brand name encompassing probably more than 2 dozen adhesives.     Loctite what?

[dem34]

Still going to say white glue because I feel a big part of the point with attached roadbed track is that its easily recycled and it doesn't get much easier to recycle that a water soluble adhesive.

[Steveruger45]

I used gray colored DAP acrylic painters caulk. 
Just squeeze a 1/2” to 3/4” size ball blob every 8” or so inches, keeping it away from the track sections ends and rail joiners, press the track down and  Wipe away any that squeezed out on the sides and weight down the track until the caulk dries.
I used books, power tool batteries, raided the pantry for canned goods etc etc as weights.
 Adjust the blob size as you go if needed to minimize the lost amount squeezed out. 
I have found this technique  holds well but also the track can be removed again if needed by sliding a putty knife under the track to release it and the old caulk can be teased/rolled out from under the track without damage to the track.

[CRL]

Liquid Nails for Projects - latex foam adhesive.

[mmagliaro]

DAP Dynaflex 230, in a gray color - like others said, make sure you get one that says it is safe for foam.  I think if it is a latex adhesive, it won't harm the foam.

I glued by track directly to the foam on my current layout, eschewing any roadbed at all, because once it's ballasted, I think it looks perfect for trackwork that isn't a big burly mainline.  The gray was really handy because it creates a ready-made gray base color between the ties so any places where the ballast doesn't cover 100% won't show.

[hminky]

Glad to hear about gluing directly to the foam.

My thought was to use a trim router to make the roadbed shoulder cutout.



Then the ballast shoulder would be developed using sculptmold or paver sand.

The router doesn't produce that much mess, the particles aren't statically charged.

Harbor Freight has a $30 cheapo.

Harold