[Jerzferno]

Anyone use this for table covering? Im starting to plan my layout which includes the table. Was wonfering of this would be a good covering or not? You guys can save me some time and a little money with your thoughts or experiences. Im not going to landscape my layout. I like to change it up every now and then. So Im looking for a decent covering. This is for HO scale.
Thanks!

 

[martybauer31]

I'll give you a very wishy washy "it depends"... The thing you want most of all, be it indoor/outdoor, whatever, is that the fiber is tight and isn't going to loosen with normal wear. Run your fingers across it in a zig zag motion and try to get some material to come up, if it does, I would recommend staying away from it as it will end up in your car guaranteed.

I found a very nice, cheap, tight carpet meant for a basement rec-room at the local Home Depot that has served me well now for a few years and has never pilled up or come loose on me.

 

[Grandcheapskate]

I found a very nice, cheap, tight carpet meant for a basement rec-room at the local Home Depot that has served me well now for a few years and has never pilled up or come loose on me.

I agree. I've had the same experiance. Plus, the noise level drops substantially, really substantially, when you put plastic track on a carpet. You'll never be able to place it on wood again after running on a carpet.

Joe

 

[Dyno Dom]

Marty, Is your carpet mounted to the entire table surface or cut out around
the track layout? (difficult install) Are there any problems with guide pins
or p/u shoes & springs being caught in carpet?

 

[twolff]

I use a patio carpet I found at Lowes. It came in a box and has a felt-like flat texture that has shown no sign of coming apart and liberating fibers. The only drawback is that it will probably have to go when I decide to install borders from hoslotcarracing.com. The carpet is great for screwing a track to, but the borders are probably going to need some kind of adhesive and "floats" on the carpet rather than compressing it like the track sections.

 

[martybauer31]

Marty, Is your carpet mounted to the entire table surface or cut out around
the track layout? (difficult install) Are there any problems with guide pins
or p/u shoes & springs being caught in carpet?

Mine was installed cut around it, but with past tracks it has just been underneath the whole thing, neither has ever been a problem...

I haven't ever had a problem with shoes, springs or pins getting stuck. That certainly is an issue though and some of the tracks I have raced on get attracted to the loose carpet "dingleberries" when you don't get something tightly wound.

 

[rideinstile]

I used a dark green cheap indoor outdoor carpet from home depot and it's holding up good after about a year, I'm going to be changing the layout soon but it shoud be ok, everything was just screwed down. It DOES make it quieter. hth, Dave

 

[Jerzferno]

Thanks all!

 

[munsonator008]

I bought mine from lowes, tight no fibers and not to expensive. I laid my carpet down laid the track on top of it and used a razor knife to cut around it, then removed the track and carpet mounted the track then carpet was cut to size, worked out great