Ameri Town / sidewalks

Put the building BEHIND the sidewalk, not on top if it. That's how they are intended to be used.

If you want to put the building on top of the sidewalk, just use a small piece of wood or styrene to raise the back, then use scenery material to "fill" the gap so the building is IN the ground and not on top of the ground.

Not really doable, since many of the buildings have a feature flush with the bottom jutting out. For example #72, Bill's Place, has columns jutting out from the front of the building. If you try to place the sidewalk on the same level flush to the front of the building there will be gaps about 1/8-1/4" wide on each side of the relief of the columns where it sticks out. 

The best solution to overcome this design flaw I have found is to mount the building on a one quarter inch masonite base coated with drywall compound. Sand the compound and paint concrete color. Use the same 1/4" masonite for your sidewalks and use one eighth for your streets, giving you a six (scale) inch curb. The relief features of the building sit out over the sidewalk.

edited to add the word scale to "six inch curb."

If you're modeling in the city with structure after structure, most likely you will have concrete parking lots and alleyways flush to the sides of the building as opposed to natural materials.

As you can see in Mike's photos, the steps in the center of the building on the left in photo two impede placing the sidewalk flush to the base of the building. Likewise the columns om the building to the right. You either have to route out the sidewalk to fit the relief of the building or place the building higher on a base the same height as the sidewalk. 

I like Harry's method of placing masonite completely around the buildings with the buildings sitting on top.

To help fit the sidewalks in tricky places, I sometimes cut the masonite into small squares and glue the separate pieces in place around the buildings to form the sidewalks and alleyways. The ones in this photo haven't been coated with drywall compound as Harry describes, but that extra texture makes it much more realistic.

Instead of masonite, you can also use real travertine marble tile squares from Home Depot for even more texture. But, I guess I really should do something about all those weeds growing in and around the sidewalk cracks.  

 By the way, the drywall compound method was used to create the places where cobblestones show through the road. Pieces of thin plastic brick material were glued in place and the edges covered with drywall compound and rough sanded.

Jim

Cutting the sidewalk masonite into smaller pieces is the preferred method for more realism. Likewise with the streets, mimicking the concrete pours. It is time consuming and worth the effort.

An alternative it to use a heavy coat of drywall compound and then to score the pours and sidewalk divisions with a wide bladed saw.

Using 1/4 on the sidewalks and building base and 1/8 on the roads gives a believable height transition from street to sidewalk. "Plop in place" buildings typically have a half inch curb, which equals two scale feet curb height. 

We did a base on Steve H's Barrettsburg model and then had to raise the elevation of the building to allow a flat car to roll in.  Not that this installation is not ADA compliant. A lot of steeps and curbs.

David:

I use 3/8 inch foam board (kind you buy at Micheal's). I cut strips for sidewalks and rectangle to rest the buildings on. To make the expansion lines I simply use a mechanical pencil and straight edge.

To get the concrete look paint:

Black paint - 100% coverage not necesary

Dark Red paint -  100% coverage not necesary

Dark Gray - more than black and red

Either white paint or a textured white paint like Rustoeleum Caribbean island - spray till you get the effect you like.

A 3/8" sidewalk gives you an 18 scale inch climb from street to sidewalk.

As for the concrete finish - Floquill makes "Concrete" in a rattle can.

Thanks to everyone for the great ideas. Harry thank you for doing a better job of explaining the issue then I could. From the looks of the pix some of you shared I'm way behind the curve from a skill perspective !

Dave

As others have stated, I too, like to place the whole building on a solid base forming the bottom floor and the sidewalk.  I use 1/8 inch tempered Masonite and usually make the entire block of buildings on one piece.  By slightly rounding the top corner, you wind up with an edge that looks like a curb at a scale 6 inches.  I scribe the seams in the Masonite using a hobby knife and paint useing Woodland scenics concrete paint.  I also use the WS asphalt color and just paint the roads or streets on the table top.  Even on plywood, two or three coats will give a finish that looks like asphalt.

By doing the whole block on one piece, I can install the street lights and wire underneath the Masonite using copper foil tape.

Happy railroading,

Don

Harry:

I meant 3/16 inch not 3/8 - a typo

I know about Testors Concrete. I use it sometimes but the color looks like mud more than concrete. Try my paint formula and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Joe

Jerrman:

I don't have pictures of the process steps. See if below helps. If not I can jig up something.

Joe