flooring underlay tiles

QUOTE (allenmaiden @ 19 Apr 2008, 15:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>i'm about to begin my layout in my 32'x8' loft. believe it or not i'm modelling crewe (post modernisation obviously) i have lots of railway and points already and have built railways in the past. in the past i have used cork tiles as track underlay pva'd down. this time i'm thinking of using wood floor underlay tiles (the green fibre type). i realise that pva'ing them down and pva also on top for grass etc will reduce the effectivity of soundproof a little but i'm hoping that the pva will also stop the tiles from crumbling as they wil in effect be sealed with p.v.a.

will this work?? i've a friend who can get these tiles cheap and as it will be a large layout it will keep cost down and make time building faster as i wont have to buy, build, then save for more expensive cork, before continuing again.

i'm mainly worried about how long it will last and if it will be effective. has anyone tried this before and can advise me. do they crumble after time, will heat in a loft effect them etc? thanks.

Hi Allen

I had the same idea about a year and a half ago and my advice is not to use them. They're quick and easy to lay but soak up pva by the gallon, just like blotting paper. They are also very fragile irrespective of the fact you intend soaking them in pva, and the edges fray with any knocks seemingly evident for ever. You cannot effect any form of repair other than to relay, which would be difficult if they're stuck down.

It is true that sound proofing is better than cork although only marginally and they do cause an awful lot of green dust - even when pva'd. Mine all went in the skip with the conclusion that these would be okay if sandwiched between the baseboard and a top surface, but not to use as the surface itself.

Have a go and see if you can obtain a better result than I did, maybe you can but to me, it was a waste of twenty of my hard earned pounds.

Mike