My baseboards are built mainly in 4 ft x 2ft units. I used nominal 2" x 1" timber (or rather the metric equivalents) for the framing. You could use 3" x 1" or even 4" x 1" if you wanted, but bear in mind the weight - particularly if it's a one-piece baseboard.

Sundeala comes in at least two thicknesses and in interior or exterior qualities. Check the price of this stuff before you have it cut. I got quite a shock when I got the bill for mine!  :shock:

Perry

IMHO Brian …

8 x 4 is a largish piece of timber that will need strong and sturdy support.  Before deciding on the thickness of the board itself you must first draw up a design for the frame (and legs is this layout is going to be self-supporting.)

Rather than me repeat what has been said and done a few times on this forum, take a look at other modellers frames (Perry, for one - and Les.  Not that I want to single out anyone …  I think there are also some links in the Index.) and work out how you are going to build a frame that will suport 8x4.  If the benchwork is strong enough the actual thickness of the baseboard becomes secondary (well, an inch thick would be pushing it :lol: )

I think that half-inch board would do the job - but I have never worked with Sundeala, being a plywood man me-self!

Perry must be psychic - getting in that post before me.  Must have known I would mention him by name  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

:roll:  :lol:  :lol:

Perry

this is on the kernow model rail centre site

Sundeala Hobbyboard. Size 1200mm x 600mm x 9mm thick approx. Please note that the minumum quantity for mail order is 6 to avoid damage during transit.

£9.99 a sheet

bloody expensive ply cant say ive ever considered using it but for some reason it does seem popular

An 8 x 4 or 1.2 x2.4 sheet of shutering ply 12mm thick about £12-£13 a sheet
same size cost £40 in sundaela
cheers Brian

I am led to believe that Sundeala needs more upport than MDF/shipboard/ply. Using the Search facilities on this or other forums should give you plenty of info about the pros & cons of this material.

Sundeala probably does need a bit more support than the other materials mentioned because it is rather softer. It has the reputation of being the baseboard top material 'par excellence' - although I'm sure there will be many other opinions on this forum. I have also used ordinary insulation board before now and found it quite satsifactory - and a lot cheaper than Sundeala, but it does need supporting every 12" or so.

Perry

Un less you are good enough at woodwork to produce a quite strong (not whippy) frame i would hesitate to trust sundeala , in fairness i have not tried it ,but not sure i would be comfortable with it as a strong baseboard, . Belt and braces man me ,but then again my layout is not going anywhere (yet).

Hi Brian,

I built my baseboards, of which I had to make 13, in the
following measurements. Each board is 4ft x 2 ft and are
at a height of 4ft to enable working and viewing (I am
5ft 11ins tall). They are made of 1.25 ins x 1.5 ins of timber
with lap joints making squares approx 1 ft sq.

On top of this I glued and screwed 10mm marine ply.
The boards are attached to the wall on 3 x 5 ins battens which
I had spare and the legs are made of old pallets I had
kicking around.

Picture below (Correct size I hope) shows underside with my
 DCC buses running through holes in the frame.



Why marine ply?  First I could not get Sundeala in Spain or I may
 have used it, although I've heard like Sparky it's not all it's
cracked up to be. Second we have extremes of temperature
here so it needed to withstand heat and damp. Having said
that I have also attached a photo of a board I hurried and
must not have glued it to the frame properly. You can just
see the edges starting to
go wavey.


In the end much depends on what your conditions are, where the
 boards are, how tall you are and what is most comfortable. :wink:  :wink:  :wink:

Hope this helps,

Les

If I can add my humble opinion Brian - sundeala has many advantages over "hard" boards like ply, chip and sterling board but, as has been said, it isn't quite foolproof !!

The advantages:

1. It's relatively light for it's thickness
2. It's relatively soft so will take track pins without pre-drilling but not as soft as fibre insulation board
3. It's dimentionally stable - as are "hard" boards
4. It's easy to cut
5. It's vitually "self-healing" so, in the event of having to reposition track, the old pin holes don't matter

The disadvantages:

1.  As has been said, it does absorb moisture so has to be kept dry (except for the exterior grade whixch is even more expensive.)
2. It needs a mortgage to buy it !!!
3. It's fairly soft so the edges can be damaged on portable layouts
4. Because it's soft, it needs more sub frame support.

Having said that, if I could get it here in France, it would be my preferred baseboard top.  In reality - "you pays your money and takes your choice" !!  Re the thickness, I think 1/2 inch in old money is the stuff I'd go for.

Hope that helps

Petermac

Is your 8x4 going to be in one chunk Brian and if so have you considered how you are going to gain access to the middle area?

I've used Sundeala on The Western Valley for the first time ever.
Having built many layouts (or been involved in joint projects) I think I've used every material known to man :!:
Without question, I will never use anything else again (unless I build a fully portable exhibition layout).

It must be used properly and must be supported correctly. Sealing of the surface is essential before exposing it to water (eg ballast spray or wet plaster) but I overcome this by painting the surface with emulsion in a colour appropriate to what's going on top scenically. If you do this, it's a joy to pin into, cut, scrape depressions in, cut out point motor holes etc. etc. and has proved as durable as any surface I've ever modelled on.

About the size of the proposed board, I would only add one comment. Before you start, consider if  8 x 4 is a good practical size. I've never seen a layout over 2' 6" wide that was easy to work on and personally would rather have a 2'6" x 8' layout than a 8 x 4 one.
Having said that, always remember, it's your layout, so in the end do what suits you

Gwent Rail said

About the size of the proposed board, I would only add one comment. Before you start, consider if  8 x 4 is a good practical size. I've never seen a layout over 2' 6" wide that was easy to work on and personally would rather have a 2'6" x 8' layout than a 8 x 4 one.

That's a very interesting comment, Jeff - and one with which I now completely agree.  The reason I say this is that 8x4 is the most common "walk-around" (therefore being able to reach two feet into the layout from all angles) small layout design in the USA.  Model Railroader plugs dozens of these designs every year.  The popularity of these dimensions is due to 8x4 being a standard size piece of plywood (or whatever board) available at the timber merchants.

You and a few others may recall me being tempted to go down this road a year ago when I was dreaming up a new layout - but the more I looked at this style of layout the more I found it unsatisfactory.  To begin with, even with my large available space, a walk-around layout didn't have enough potential for interesting track design, operation and scenery (no backdrop )  I know it's all a matter of taste and space but …  well, I've said my bit :roll:  :roll:  Time to crawl back under the layout :wink:

Yes, a walk-around of 8x4 is limited. I have found a good plan that is a walk-around being 14x10 in the book by Iain Rice - "Mainlines in Modest Spaces" being the "New Hey & Old Hall"page 76. Ideally required an overall room size of 20x16 ft
My layout room had the length but 4 ft too narrow. dash it all  :!:  :!:

Gwent Rail said

I've used Sundeala on The Western Valley for the first time ever.

It must be used properly and must be supported correctly. Sealing of the surface is essential before exposing it to water (eg ballast spray or wet plaster) but I overcome this by painting the surface with emulsion in a colour appropriate to what's going on top scenically…………………………….

A very good point Jeff - now why didn't I think of that.  It would have saved several miles of "undulating" track. :oops:  :oops:

Petermac

The central access is a wise decision I'm sure Brian. Don't forget to keep us up to date on progress as we are all interested in how you get on.

We're all right behind you, Brian - some form of central access would make life a lot easier.  Just out of curiousity - how big is the garage?  (I'm one of these lateral thinking people when it comes to space :lol: )

So forgive me for being nosey Brian, why can't you fit your car in there, nt that its got priority, the layout has  :D  but i would of thought a car could of gone in there.
Phill

90% of people i visit on jobs i do at their homes do not keep their car in in the garage its usually everything but the car
cheers Brian

Brian said

Thats easy to answer Madam as got the frige freezer and umpteen other bits of rubbish that women need in there
                Brian

Well i guess its like the handbags then my other half id the same and she says i cluter, woman are the worst  :evil:  :D  :D  at least we keep things we know we want sometime soon  :D  :D
Phill