Home >> Hobbies >> Model Railroads

How to Glue Cork Roadbed to Blue Foam

Cork roadbed consist of thin rolls of cork material used when making hobby landscapes. Cork roadbed is commonly used when making a city or landscape for model railroading. Model railroading enthusiasts create large and intricate landscapes, and then route the trains in and out of miniature towns and villages. One material commonly used as the foundation, or platform on which the landscapes are built is 4-by-8 sheets of closed cell, blue foam board. Because some solvent-based adhesives will melt these materials, and paste style adhesive will keep the roadbed from laying flat, questions arise regarding how to glue these two materials together.

Things You'll Need

Roll cork road bed
Blue foam board, 1-inch thick
3M Fast Foam 74 spray adhesive
Newspapers, or spare cardboard.
Exacto knives, scissors, straight edges, and cutting boards
Measuring tape and pencil
Nylon wall scraper or kitchen spatula, 3 inches

Instructions

- 1
  Spread the newspaper or cardboard out on the work surface to protect the area from overspray. Spray adhesive will not come out of fabric, and will stain surrounding surfaces.
- 2
  Spray a small test piece of the cork with the spray adhesive. Allow the adhesive to dry and check the cork to see if the adhesive dissolved or softened the cork material. Repeat the process on the blue foam board. The 3M spray adhesive comes in three formulations, and the Fast Foam 74 is specifically created for foam board and artificial materials.
- 3
  Cut the road bed to the desired size. Before applying any adhesive, test the piece in place to make sure it is the proper size and shape.
- 4
  Spray a thin coat of 3M contact adhesive on both surfaces, the blue foam board and the cork road bed. Allow the adhesive to dry according to manufacturer's directions. The contact adhesive should "tack up" before the pieces are assembled.
- 5
  Apply the cork to the foam board. The contact adhesive will stick on contact, and will not allow you to reposition the cork, so make sure the cork is placed in the right spot the first time.
- 6
  Smooth the cork out with a nylon wall scraper or kitchen spatula. Be careful not to tear the delicate cork.

Model Railroads