OT - Extruded polystyrene foam insulation

geck · Post by **geck** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 9:09 am

This is for model railroading...my other hobby...but I wanted to ask since there are so many knowledgable people on this board.

Does anyone know where I can get this stuff in Florida? Since it's so damn warm down here the thickest you can get is 1/2". I am needing 1" or 2" thickness...comes in 4x8 sheets.

Dow makes the blue stuff (Square edge) and Owens Corning makes the pink stuff (Foamular).

Places like Lowe's can get it, but only in bulk. I just need 2 sheets of it...not 50.

I've called other building supply places but they don't seem to have it either.

Thanks.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 7:23 pm

Have you tried Builder's Outpost? http://buildersoutpost.com/posts/view/r ... on-polyiso

geck · Post by **geck** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:37 pm

That's the Poly-Iso stuff that is attached to a metal or paper backing. Not the same thing. Thanks for the link though.

USSARCADIA · Post by **USSARCADIA** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:27 pm

Same problem we have here in SoCal. They just don't stock it, and a lot of people look at you with blank stares when you ask about it. You might ask if someone here on the boards who can get it for you, cut it up, box it up and ship it to you.

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Sat Oct 08, 2011 10:29 pm

I can get the 1" and 2" pink at the local Home Depot, if you're willing to live with it being cut up for shipping we can work something out, PM me if you're interested.

Ken

update- Looked into shipping 2" thick sections, unless you want a couple of 1 or 2ft squares the shipping costs will be a problem, cutting down a full sheet to a manageable size still makes it oversize for a lot of shipping methods so the cost will be higher. Tried the idea of cutting a 4x8ft in half and boxing it up, shipping cost will be at least half the cost of the material.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:18 pm

Here's four thoughts:

1.) Builders surplus shops. I have bought a few odds and ends at one where I live. They oftentimes have pink or blue styro too. Perhaps yours will too in the tickness you need.

2.) Can you just laminate the stuff to get the thickness you need? I can understand where a long, lateral seam could be a problem for terrain modeling (rock ledges), though. But, it laminates pretty well with white glue and some rubber cements (test first).

3.) What about splitting a bulk order up with some guys at the local IPMS or model RR club? Four or five guys might be willing to go in on some with you.

4.) Sign shops - they have different kinds of foam scrap laying around. Maybe they have another type of styro that will work for you.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

geck · Post by **geck** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:10 pm

At my Home Depot they have 4 x 8ft 3/4 inch in stock.

BUT...right next to it they have 4 x 8ft TWO INCH thick Expanded Polystyrene (the white beaded stuff). ????

Guess that is cheaper to stock than the Owens Corning stuff...

Anyway...I am going with the 3/4 stuff and laminating...that's better than nothing and better than the 1/2in stuff at Lowes.

Umi_Ryuzuki · Post by **Umi_Ryuzuki** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 6:13 pm

Last year, I searched every Home store in the area for Owens Corning styrene insulstion. None was to be found anywhere.
I called Owens Corning and asked where I could buy it, and they told me to
go to Home Depot....

I told them that I had checked all the local Home Depot
stores, and that none of them carried the rigid insulation.

The Owens Corning's rep seemed a bit confused, and I told them that the Home Depot were
carrying a much cheaper brand and that the only Owens Corning product available was
the fiberglass batt insulation. He said he would look into it...

This year all the Home Depot stores in the area are stocking a small amount of Owens Corning rigid foam insulation

geck · Post by **geck** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:05 pm

Wow...interesting...

Home Depot is very lazy as well. When I called them to ask about shipping the thicker stuff from another store, they said it was up to the store manager.

Called my store and they said that the product was not in the region and that they couldn't get it (which is BS if you ask me). I asked "You can't ship from another store outside of the region?!" and they said no. What they really meant was they just didn't want to deal with it.

OR

They want to force you to buy in bulk.

Now granted I live in the warmest year round climate in the country, but still...

I'm just glad they have the 3/4 inch stuff and plenty of it.

geck · Post by **geck** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:19 pm

Thanks to my uncle and cousin I now have what I need. A 2" and 1" 4x8 sheet of this stuff.

They had a difficult time finding it even up North!!! They went to several stores and finally found some in Pennsylvania.

This stuff must not sell well for the big home improvement chains.

Paulbo · Post by **Paulbo** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:58 pm

geck wrote:...Now granted I live in the warmest year round climate in the country, but still...

And in the interests of energy efficiency we wouldn't want to insulate air conditioned homes again heat in the same way we insulate heated homes against the cold?

I have NEVER understood this. (Designing heating systems for home heating for 30 years now.)

I just started writing a treatise on HVAC and insulation and ... decided that it would be amazingly boring. (I was bored by it!) Suffice to say, insulation standards should be the same across the vast majority of the country (but a bit more stringent in very very cold places like North Dakota and Alaska).

geck · Post by **geck** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:09 pm

Well...we could go on and on about things that should be standard...but aren't.

I agree. Just glad I finally have some of this "unobtainium" crap. All I want is to build my railroad!

scratchy · Post by **scratchy** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:40 pm

Have you considered sending out a call for help to some of the members here,... see if they can shop at their local Home Depot, Lowes, whatever store,... and ship this to you. You of course would pay for all expenses of course.

It's just an idea and falls into what this site is meant for,.... help each other out.

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:23 pm

scratchy wrote:Have you considered sending out a call for help to some of the members here,... see if they can shop at their local Home Depot, Lowes, whatever store,... and ship this to you. You of course would pay for all expenses of course.

It's just an idea and falls into what this site is meant for,.... help each other out.

I tried that idea (see my post above), shipping costs are easily half the cost of the material if not more depending on distance and the amount sent.

Ken

geck · Post by **geck** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 7:52 pm

I did...I asked here where to get it and kenlilly106 graciously offered help, but it would have been a real pain for him to ship.

I guess you didn't see my post above, but I did get some...thanks to family members.