Q-Board

[DafyddElvy]

Does anyone have any experience of using Q-Board as a baseboard outside, my initial line is going to be bracketed off the fence and I was thinking of using 300mm ish wide strips for a double track line, in some ways I am fortunate that the ground rises at one end where I'll have a raised ground level loop.

All advice gratefully received, thanks.

David

 

[FatherMcD]

Interesting stuff! Never seen it before, but it may be a UK/EU only product. We often seem to lag behind in product innovation in the US. I have no experience with this material, but would also be interested if anyone else has used it. Does it have fiberglass or something embedded in the coating to provide flex resistance?

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Well, this is once case where the US is way ahead of the UK. Schluter systems Kerdi board came out around 1987.

Q Board appeared maybe about 2016.. I cannot find earlier references.

History | Schluter

Brief overview of our company's history

www.schluter.com

The Schluter product is great.

Greg

 

[FatherMcD]

I stand corrected. My comment was overly broad. I was mainly thinking of a few examples of other specific products. At any rate, if Q-board can function in a load carrying capacity as in the Kerdi board shower bench illustration on their website it might do exactly what David is hoping for. The Schulter website does state that it is not for exterior use, but perhaps some type of waterproofing could mitigate that shortcoming. It is for use in showers, after all. But to David's original question. Has anyone tried this or something similar?

 

[Paul M]

The Schulter website does state that it is not for exterior use, but perhaps some type of waterproofing could mitigate that shortcoming. It is for use in showers, after all. But to David's original question. Has anyone tried this or something similar?

It's probably not frost proof

 

[dunnyrail]

Does anyone have any experience of using Q-Board as a baseboard outside, my initial line is going to be bracketed off the fence and I was thinking of using 300mm ish wide strips for a double track line, in some ways I am fortunate that the ground rises at one end where I'll have a raised ground level loop.

All advice gratefully received, thanks.

David

Wicks do a Backer Board that is waterproof for putting Tiles on to create a waterproof wall. Not sure if it is the same product (but it looks and sounds similar) but in around 2010 we put something similar from Wicks that was to be used as a backdrop for mountains with some flat for sky. It was outside for some 3 years with no issues with frost.

However a couple of small points, these boards tend to be a concrete based product with possibly some fibreglass on the surface that does not have much lengthways strength and thus needs to be well supported. Hanging brackets from fence panels is not to be recommended, many do it but not good practice. I doubt that the 6ft gap between the posts would be enough to support this stuff anyway.

 

[David1226]

I doubt that the 6ft gap between the posts would be enough to support this stuff anyway.

I hope no one takes a fence at that comment.

David

 

[dunnyrail]

I hope no one takes a fence at that comment.

David

That will make a change from some who read my posts!

 

[JimmyB]

However a couple of small points, these boards tend to be a concrete based product with possibly some fibreglass on the surface that does not have much lengthways strength and thus needs to be well supported. Hanging brackets from fence panels is not to be recommended, many do it but not good practice. I doubt that the 6ft gap between the posts would be enough to support this stuff anyway.

Hanging items can only be done on your fence, not you neighbours. Your current neighbour may be content, however the next occupant may not be so accommodating, and as it is their it is illegal, ask me how i know

 

[playmofire]

That will make a change from some who read my posts!

People do sometimes rail about them.

 

[DafyddElvy]

Hanging basket brackets are to keep someone else happy, the ones chosen have a wee birdie inside the triangle.

Spacing of the brackets will be no more than 300mm, my thoughts were to get some small channel to run underneath the boards to give a bit more support.

Dunnae wurry the fence is ours, our garden is higher than the neighbour's and for some reason their fence is lower and fixed to the retaining wall while ours for some reason is set about 150mm back from the wall, I'm guessing for the post footings.

The fence has been given a good shuggle to check its condition, as with our previous abode I'll drill down in to the post to feed wood preserver.

Sounds like the Q-Board could be the material I'll adopt unless someone warns me otherwise, thanks to all as usual for the advice.

David

 

[Greg Elmassian]

on the Q Board, as I understand it, the surfaces are waterproof, the joints between would need the appropriate waterproof sealer. it's designed to be laid side by side and just a small seam is "exposed"

I think the issue is the sides, that thickness is not designed to be exposed or not sealed. I believe it is a bit porous. So this is where I would take extra care. Also the orange/pink center is definitely not UV resistant.

Personally, I would go with a traditional hardi-backer, which is cement based, and normally, as was asked, has fiberglas mat embedded. I have used the higher end, waterproof stuff as an untreated, unsealed base for my switchyard, it's about 10 years old, looks new, and I clean the switchyard with a hose or pressure washer.

Greg

The picture below is before I used plastic wood to space it from the ground, but this picture shows the product off better. It looks the same 10 years later.

 

[GAP]

I used fibre-cement panel for my baseboard (Hardie-backer, Hardie Plank) and hung my supports off my fence posts.

2. Stage 1-October to November 2019 G Support Construction

With the plan decided upon construction began in earnest on the track bed supports all the way along the fence on the lower level and up to ...

ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com

10. Stage 1-April 2020 Stage 1 is complete

Stage 1 of the layout is now complete. The High Trestle was completed, the Low Trestle was installed Baseboards across the back fen...

ringbalin-light-railway.blogspot.com

No experience with Q-board but looking at the product site it looks similar to the fibre-cement and should work OK I used paving paint to seal the top of my plank.

 

[JimmyB]

Q-board is only a trade name, a bit like talking about hoovering, and we are talking vacuum cleaners. So most cement based backer boards could work similarly, though I would still be inclined to both support and seal the boards.

 

[DafyddElvy]

Q-board is only a trade name, a bit like talking about hoovering, and we are talking vacuum cleaners. So most cement based backer boards could work similarly, though I would still be inclined to both support and seal the boards.

With what exactly I'm not sure, but for lateral strength I am planning to put the edges in a metal U channel with a sealant of some form and if I think its required I may run a lateral support along the centre line either underneath or on top of the board, bracket spacing will be no greater than 400mm which I think should provide sufficient support along the length of the board.

I will say that I got a bit of a shock when I weighed a tram at the weekend, complete with batteries etc it cam in at just under 1.2kg which is something I need to keep in mind considering what future trams I plan to build.

David

 

[maxi-model]

Not "Q Board" but an alternative - Have you considered using the Filcris product ? Filcris Ltd - Plastic Wood, Plastic Timber and Plastic Lumber Suppliers Recycled Plastic Garden Railway Products from Filcris Ltd Quite widely used by the garden railway community, though mostly as a raised trackbed. It's highly suited to outdoor use and they make a wide range of products based on this recycled plastic material. Max

 

[Greg Elmassian]

The QBoard looks like it has a foam filler, so treatment of raw edges needs to be attended to you, I see you have thought of that.

Really not sure of it's strength as as structural material spanning distances without support. Why not email them and tell them what you want to do. I remember the early days of "plastic lumber" where people figured that they could do unsupported spans the same as wood. Well you cannot, for the same dimensions as real wood, you need to support it "twice as often", i.e. the unsupported spans can only be half as long.

Greg

 

[Michael]

I've used Q Board (from B&Q, pink middle) but not in the way you intend to use it.

It was used 3 years ago to provide a long solid flat base between two platforms over which runs a double track. The original intention was for the track to be fixed to it but for various reasons it didn't work out like that. The board is now covered with a thin layer of 'ballast' (alphine grit) on which the track lies.

I've have had no problems at all, no movement, no warping (like Filcris does) and in particular no weeds.

I also buried some to see how it would weather. Just dug it up and after 3 years in an English garden, there's no deterioration of the 'rigid' foam edge.

 

[maxi-model]

I've used Q Board (from B&Q, pink middle) but not in the way you intend to use it.
I've have had no problems at all, no movement, no warping (like Filcris does) and in particular no weeds.

As far as I am aware the Filcris product does not warp per se. Yes, there are issues that can be caused as the material can expand as it heats in full sun. But the warping issues I have seen reported are due to actual structures being built of multiple Filcris components that did not take account of this factor. My local 16 mm NGM group has one of two members who's lines make extensive, and subsequent repeat use of, this material in their lines construction and I have heard no comments as to its unsuitability or disatisfaction in this application. Indeed, there is a section on the Filcris website, in the second link supplied, devoted to the use of the material for this purpose with plenty of guidance. Perhaps they could offer advise in this particular construction.

I only offer the suggestion as it appears that Q Board, in this application, may be being used to the limit or even out of spec', as are a lot of materials we employ in this hobby are. If you feel my suggestion has no merit then so it be. Max

 

[DafyddElvy]

As far as I am aware the Filcris product does not warp per se. Yes, there are issues that can be caused as the material can expand as it heats in full sun. But the warping issues I have seen reported are due to actual structures being built of multiple Filcris components that did not take account of this factor. My local 16 mm NGM group has one of two members who's lines make extensive, and subsequent repeat use of, this material in their lines construction and I have heard no comments as to its unsuitability or disatisfaction in this application. Indeed, there is a section on the Filcris website, in the second link supplied, devoted to the use of the material for this purpose with plenty of guidance. Perhaps they could offer advise in this particular construction.

I only offer the suggestion as it appears that Q Board, in this application, may be being used to the limit or even out of spec', as are a lot of materials we employ in this hobby are. If you feel my suggestion has no merit then so it be. Max

Max,

All replies are informative to one extent or another, I am starting from scratch in a scale I hadn't previously given much thought to, all information is just that its information, and so far, apart from the comics amongst us, everything I've read has been helpful.
I am not a conformist, I know what I want I just don't know exactly how I am going to achieve what I want, getting peoples feedback and experiences is invaluable.

I have a bit more reading to do before I decide what material I'll be going forward with, my wife has come home today with some sample brackets so I need to pull my finger out I suppose.


David