Q: What is recommended for attaching buildings and other structures to the substructure of a model railroad? — Byron Christmas
A: There’s no one-size-fits-all way to attach a building to a model railroad. One of the most common methods for anchoring buildings to a layout is with white glue. The key attribute of white glue in this scenario is that it’s water soluble. If you have to tear down your model railroad because of a relocation or you decided to change a scene, you can wet the area with water or isopropyl alcohol to re-activate the glue. This will allow you to remove the building with little or no damage.
In a few instances we’ve used acrylic latex construction adhesives and caulk, such as DAP Alex Plus, to attach buildings to layouts. However, removing structures may be a bit more challenging depending on how much adhesive or caulk you used.
Avoid solvent-based construction adhesives and caulks, especially if your structures are made of plastic or you use extruded-foam insulation board for the scenery base on your layout. The solvent may damage the plastic over time, causing it to warp. In addition, the adhesive may cause the foam to dissolve.
If you’re looking for a glue-free option for attaching buildings, consider using a shallow trench, as shown in the photo above. Obviously, this technique won’t work in every situation. However, we did this with a few buildings on our HO scale Milwaukee Road Beer Line, featured in the January 2009 issue of Model Railroader. When we moved the sectional layout from the Kalmbach Media offices in Waukesha, Wis., to our new headquarters in nearby Brookfield, we were able to lift the building out and safely wrap it up for transport.
Regardless of the method you use for attaching buildings, be sure the joint where the structure meets the layout surface is tight so you don’t wind up with what is referred to as a “floating” building. If there are any gaps between the foundation and layout surface, mask them with ground foam, static grass tufts, 55-gallon drums, figures, and vehicles, among other items. You can see examples of this in the photo at the top of this article.
Want even more ideas on attaching buildings to a layout? Check out Gregg Condon’s article “Foundations for structures” in the July 2021 issue of Model Railroader magazine.
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