One of the most exciting parts of getting into model railroading is creating your very own layout. However, it can be difficult to know where to start, especially when some parts are very expensive. Save money with these five cheap building materials for model railroad layouts.
XPS is a type of insulation foam you can find at many hardware stores. The most common size is a square of one-inch thick foam, and you can stack these squares to achieve height on your layout very quickly. We recommend getting a handheld hot wire cutter for easy sculpting of hills and waterways. If you don’t have a hot wire cutter, you can also use craft blades.
A cheap roll of aluminum foil is a great tool to have in your train room. You can ball up a sheet of foil to create a texturing tool for making foam look like stone. A foil ball can also quickly round off the hard edges of XPS foam when you’re building up height. Some of the best model train layout structures include bridges and castle ruins, which you can texture with foil.
If you’re looking for a sturdy crafting wood, balsa is a good choice. You can find it in small planks at most hobby and craft stores; it also comes in both square and round dowel rods. Balsa is much stronger than cardboard or foam, but it cuts easily. This means you don’t need woodworking tools or saws to cut balsa wood, unless you’re working with very large planks.
Baking soda is a versatile and cheap building material for model railroad layouts. You can use it in all kinds of texturing mediums to mimic dirt, sand, and snow. All you have to do is mix acrylic craft paint, white glue, and baking soda until you get the consistency you like. Spread the mixture on top of foam for a cheap ground texture that seals the foam and protects it from water. You can also use a white version of the mixture to add snow to model trees.
Hot glue might be one of the most essential tools for crafting, period. It’s great for model railroading for two reasons. First, you can use it to glue your foam layout together without worrying if the glue will dissolve the foam. Secondly, hot glue makes a fantastic barrier for resin if you decide to work with water effects.
Just because you don’t have fancy equipment doesn’t mean you can’t have an amazing train layout. Use these tips to save money on the layout design so you can buy your dream train!
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