I have a problem that I could sure use some advice on…The base for my train station and baggage platforms is made from a PVC plastic sheet from TAP Plastics…It is in the sun for a good part of the day and I’ve noticed the edges are folding up from the heat. The sheet is 3/8" thick…should I try a thicker sheet or move to another material?? I’m trying to get the look of wood planking.
Thanks
Richard
I’ve screwed 1/2" aluminum angle on the bottom of a few of mine. That seems to help.
probably not UV treated and …never mind …I’ll let the experts chime in here.
Hey Rooster…you would be right about no UV treatment…that is on my long list of to-do’s, and we’ve had excessive heat for June…it’s not looking for pretty for the next few months. But do you think UV treatment would keep the plastic from warping in the heat?? I figured it just helped with fading of paint, etc…
Thanks,
Richard
I’ve sworn off expanded foam plastic outdoors.
I was using it as backing for plastic stones making retaining walls. Within a month it had warped beyond repair. I abandoned my project.
It was during a MIK contest in February, so it wasn’t dealing with summer heat, however, my Feb. may equal your summer’s heat…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Richard, is it solid PVC or foam board covered with PVC, I have a building I did using 1/4" PVC from home depot and had no problem but it is solid, Bill
Paint is a form of UV treatment, as it cannot get to base material in theory. I cannot see the picture or open it, freight sheds says it doesn’t exist.
Al P.
i can’t help you with your problem.
but i want to compliment you on your snowy landscape.
I’m sorry the picture was an posted by accident when I hit the wrong button. I will take a current pic tomorrow when it’s light outside.
Thanks,
Richard
This is a current picture of my base problem…The base on the baggage area is the original Pola base…no issues there. I just set this out in December…but we’ve had temps the month or so in the high 90s and low 100s…don’t see it cooling off for quite sometime.
Thanks - Richard
Richard,
I cannot tell from the picture if the Scribing you have done is in the base material or was glued to the top. if you did groove the base material you have effectively stress relived it and that is why it has deformed. if you glued on a large sheet of material on one side this could also have caused the same effect as the materials may have different expansion rates under the heat.
I have been working on a project with the PVC sheet to make a structure, and have been gluing styrene to it with out ill effects so far, but not large or thick sheets.
hope this helps
Al P.
Thanks Al - Yes, I did scribe the planks into the base material…so that completely makes sense that it as you have written - stress relieved. I’ve thought about either doing what you’ve done and glued styrene strips or wood craft sticks. Just not sure what the end result will be so I guess I’ll have to play with it.
Richard
Plastic is worse than wood at shrinking and swelling, Sun hitting that side causes it to draw up just like wood. If you secure it to anything rigid it needs to allowed to move within the fastener.
Thinner plastic MAY be a little easier to control, but it will still move.
Personally I use steel and or cement. A six dollar bag of type S mortar mix works easy as a permanent base, but it is permanent. I have a couple structures that I have set in the mortar mix before it sets up,
This allows a base where no weeds or mud from rain shows up and you can texture, stones, and wood planks in the surface. Nice to smooth off and place a few cracks in the surface.
I pour my cement in the evening then texture it early the next morning so some 10 hours after it has been poured, do not try to texture right after it has been poured, let mostly dry first, but not cured.
I also use a 16 gauge metal for small structure bases so I can fasten details and people to the base, so when i pick up the structure the details comes with it.
Have fun
Dennis
Richard Mynderup said:
I have a problem that I could sure use some advice on…The base for my train station and baggage platforms is made from a PVC plastic sheet from TAP Plastics…It is in the sun for a good part of the day and I’ve noticed the edges are folding up from the heat. The sheet is 3/8" thick…should I try a thicker sheet or move to another material?? I’m trying to get the look of wood planking.
Thanks
Richard
Richard,
Not sure how wide your base needs to be nor am I sure what type of PVC board you are using. What I can suggest is what you already suggested yourself “thicker material” …I would recommend 3/4" for your application. I know CA regulations are different than most but I looked at a Lowes that I believe is local to you and available.
Royal, Azek and Everture are all decent products if you are looking for a base. I am not getting into specifics or manufactures as I’m just making a suggestion from my knowledge of playing with most composites and plastics outside on my RR in PA over the past 10+ years. You can score all for the floor board look you are after just don’t score too deeply. I do like the Azek materials myself and yes it is more expensive but WHY IS THAT ?
Honestly …Al (whom is very,very knowledgeable/respected by me if that means anything) is correct that the application of paint does protect against UV rays. However I disagree on the scoring as the cause of warpage as it is perpendicular to the warp, so if you would like to compensate for such you could score the underside of the board parallel to the station with v grooving allowing the bowed area to lay back down. OR …you could just look at the link above and play around with those materials instead of playing around on TAP plastics site which is mind numbing and a great resource but one hell of a rabbit hole to head down for basic outdoor stuff.
Other opinions may vary and I’m not a technical guy. I’m only trial and error guy that is clueless and only post on LSC for humor and entertainment. However you will NOT find me posting on ANY other train related sites so I guess I’m tolerated here and love belittlement but slowly becoming a JAFO .
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This post has been edited by : Rooster
Rooster the 3/4" PVC Board is available at Lowes here in California. I used it to replace Hardy Cement board that failed under my engine shed. It has handled our 100+ Summers that are much like Richard experiences in Reedley.
large scale central june 27 by Dennis Rayon, on Flickr
I noticed a what looks like maybe a concrete frame under the building platform, maybe you can screw a couple small L shape brackets that the plastic can slide under. Maybe camouflage the top by setting a shipping box or a suitcase or something
to pull the eye away from the bracket.
Dennis
Dennis I saw that and wondered about the frame myself ?
What is the the framing under the base >?
Thanks for all the thoughts!! The frame below is the pvc vinyl material (trim material I find at HD) I’m using for the ladder system of my roadbed. I made this frame to keep a hollow bottom below the building for install of lighting, etc.
Richard
