Well this gave me enough to get started. I think the PVC is the way to go. I can get both 1/2 ish and 3/4 ish materiel ( it all seems to be metric which is fine). I might buy some sheet materiel so I can glue on laps or battens. I need to get started printing windows. Lots of windows.
But thanks for the advice. I am much more comfortable building this out of some plastic materiel that is robust instead of wood. I like this direction a lot better.
Devon,
You can work the PVC board just like you work wood. I have been using the PVC board for over 10 yrs on various projects. Have you looked at the price of the PVC board as you are going to spend a fair amount of money on it. As for glue Bruce prefers the E6000 and I personally prefer the 3M plastic and emblem adhesive.
Below is a little station stop I built in 2008 that has been outside year round in PA pretty much since it was built. The styrene has become brittle and broken off and the coroplastic roof needs redone but the foam has held up well. For the windows I used chrome vinyl with red pinstripe for mullions but black vinyl works well for windows. Not saying which way you should go only sharing my experience.
Okay sure just throw a wrench in it rooster. This is exactly where I was headed when I started this thread. I have not priced the PVC foam or sheets. I expect them to be pricey. Before I drop the money on the PVC lets explore this little building. I see its a good old pink foam core. And it has lap siding. You said styrene so I assume the lap and the trim details are all styrene glued to the foam core using the 3M adhesive? PA winters are (I assume) worse than N Idaho winters. So I would say you have gotten as much or more life than I would expect. And Foam is cheap and I already have .090 styrene and have every intention of buying a .060 and .030 sheet as well just so I have it. I would do this regardless Because I still use styrene for all sorts of stuff and have a couple cars I want to build where I will need it. So no matter what construction I use I will be buying the styrene.
Edited to see where the window trim is pinstriping
I like the chrome for the windows. I am going to print all my details but was going to glaze the windows with something opaque. Chrome is a nice touch to give the reflection of glass while still being opaque.
I am getting excited to get going on this. Ever since I started my railroad I have for some reason been hesitant to jump in and start building buildings for it. I think it was because I needed to see it in place and use it to decide where I really wanted to take it. And now that I have greatly reduced the scope of what I want to model I really think I have refined it down to what I really want. And that is a lot more buildings and industry and a lot less garden.
So this will be the first major build.
Devon,
Iām heading to my local plastic dealer on Friday to see what I can find as I start to retackle my feed mill and other large buildings. Iāll let you know what I come up with. When I looked at prices it seemed initially that styrene was still the best bang per foot even if I joined two 1/8th sections to make a 1/4" thick piece. But Iāll know more by Friday.
Home Depot carries 4x8 sheets of 3/4 around here.
Bob,
You guys on the east coast are lucky. We donāt have that kind of stuff at the big box lumber stores. We are lucky to get 1x trim PVC. The biggest Iāve seen is 1x10.
I asked once if they could special order some in. The minimum order with shipping was well over two grand. Plastic supply houses are a tad easier to get from here.
Funny. I always envied the West coast folks because TAP Plastics was there!
I know exactly what Bruce means!
Craig,
You west coast pussies have the western red cedar, so donāt complain.
Cliff (stuck in Maryland, but raised in California)
Bruce,
TAP is only a hour or so drive away. But Iāve got a even more direct plastic supply house called Interstate Plastic a few minutes closer.
The guy at Lowes said the #1 reason the west coast doesnāt stick PVC 4X8 sheets is because of the lumber industry here. Itās cheaper to use wood for house siding vs PVC. And he said he was originally from the east coast for the same company and people would come in asking for cedar products.
Cliff,
Oh yah. Iāve got a cedar place only a few minutes away. They sell the 6ā boards cheaper than anything else because itās just āscrapā. Not big enough to do anything with. 
I might be coming home in a few days with some .080 styrene 4x8 sheets. Interstate Plastic has a clearance sale going on right nowā¦ $15 for a 4x8 sheet! 
I canāt complain about the cedar thing. We do have an abundance of it. If you are thrifty you can even get scraps of the stuff for free from one of the many saw mills that specialize in cedar products.
My local supplier isnāt just local. I am not sure where all they are located but Laird plastics is where I am going once Craig turned me onto buying full sheets of the stuff. And they have all sorts of styrene and PVC. I am sure other stuff too.
You tellāem Cliff!
However Iām going to have to report you to the moderator for saying āWest Coastā as that is profiling!
I guess itās all a matter of how you look for it I see it available and some in stock ?
Rooster,
Yes Home Depot and Lowes both show PVC in 4x8 sheets in stock online. But when you show up to the store, all it is the trim stuff. I asked the lumber counter folks and they both (Loweās and HD) said itās a special order product.
exactly the response I got from them also Craig.
