Track on XPS baseboards

[tmcsean]

What is the best way to fix plastic-based track to an XPS-topped baseboard? It will have to withstand a reasonable amount of manhandling.

Tony

[steamraiser]

What is XPS?

[jon price]

What is XPS?

https://insulation4less.co.uk/collections/xps-insulation-board

[steamraiser]

Thanks JP.

[Paul S]

Hi Tony,

As you're probably well aware, you need to avoid any adhesives that are solvent based, as they will just eat through the XPS. Personally, I use F Ball Styccobond F44 Floor Adhesive, which is an acrylic water based adhesive, designed to stick down vinyl flooring. It stays slightly flexible, and track can be lifted fairly easily by soaking in water for a few minutes if necessary. It's slightly thicker than PVA, and you can either put it on with a spreader or a paintbrush.

Hope that's useful.
Paul

[John Donnelly]

I built a small layout a few years ago with an XPS baseboard but I added some thin ply to the top (glued down with acrylic no more nails type glue) and laid the track on that.

[nigelcliffe]

I built a small layout a few years ago with an XPS baseboard but I added some thin ply to the top (glued down with acrylic no more nails type glue) and laid the track on that.

There are lots of variations in the "no more nails" style of glues. As a friend has just found, building baseboards from XPS with thin ply coverings. Stuff wasn't staying stuck together. He ended up ringing the tech-support line of one of the glue brands, and getting advice about "use this product, not that superficially very similar product". With the right advice, all worked well, including repairs to poor joins previously done with the "wrong product".

No I can't remember which product is which.

[John Donnelly]

No I can't remember which product is which.

Neither can I other than I got it from B&Q and it worked.

[nigelcliffe]

No I can't remember which product is which.

Neither can I other than I got it from B&Q and it worked.

That was my friend's problem. His original came from a DIY-shed, which he'd used on previous work. He bought another tube, which he thought was the same, but there was a small difference in the naming, and that's where his problems started... After the phone calls to the maker's helpline, clarity of which product is which.

[Alan Turner]

What is XPS?

eXtruded PolyStyrene (XPS)

As opposed to Expanded Polystyrene - ie packaging foam.

regards

Alan