what is a good material to use for making roads? and what about color if you want cement roads i tried to go back and look up past post but i don go very far oly to this past sept how do you kgo further back??
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Woodland Scenics makes some road material called Smooth-it. And they also have both concrete and asphalt finishing paints. There's a You-tube video they have that shows how it all works and is applied. But, you could use dry wall compound as well. Depending on your level of realism, I've seen people use fine sandpaper, cardboard (painted of course) and a host of other materials. PolyScale makes concrete color paint (both plain and aged) and there's also some spray in a can that can simulate that color as long as you add some chalk weathering, road cracks and stains. There are some good videos out there (Dave Frary, Foslimited, Scotty Mason, etc.) that demonstrate various methodologies for making roads.
Jerrman
Jerrman
This topic has been discussed in great detail numerous times. However, if the thread is older than 6 months then it no longer exists. With the impending "new" OGR format this will no longer be a problem. That's got to be a good thing, be it light on dark, dark on light or subtle shades of gray. It's good.
I don't remember how long ago it was, or who posted it. Someone stated that using Rostoleum Aged Iron would give you realistic looking roads.
I used 1/8 inch masonite, sprayed a thin coat of Krylon flat black paint. I then sprayed on the Rustoleum Aged iron. The look is a black road with specks/particles like a asphalt road would have.
I then used white and yellow auto body striping tape to line the roads. I think it looks great.
I used 1/8 inch masonite, sprayed a thin coat of Krylon flat black paint. I then sprayed on the Rustoleum Aged iron. The look is a black road with specks/particles like a asphalt road would have.
I then used white and yellow auto body striping tape to line the roads. I think it looks great.
Ace Hardware can mix a paint in small sample cans called Asfalta[or "Blacktop" in English].
I skim coat dry wall compound over foam as roadbed and paint it, then sand with extra fine paper to lighten it toward grayish if desired. Then to create "craze" looking road cracks in the painted compound, I lightly lean on the roadbed/foam with my arm. Then I trace the cracks with a fine point black Sharpie.
ps: I discovered this "crack plan" by accident when I leaned on the edge of my layout
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I skim coat dry wall compound over foam as roadbed and paint it, then sand with extra fine paper to lighten it toward grayish if desired. Then to create "craze" looking road cracks in the painted compound, I lightly lean on the roadbed/foam with my arm. Then I trace the cracks with a fine point black Sharpie.
ps: I discovered this "crack plan" by accident when I leaned on the edge of my layout
.quote:Originally posted by Doug Tome:
I don't remember how long ago it was, or who posted it. Someone stated that using Rostoleum Aged Iron would give you realistic looking roads.
I used 1/8 inch masonite, sprayed a thin coat of Krylon flat black paint. I then sprayed on the Rustoleum Aged iron. The look is a black road with specks/particles like a asphalt road would have.
I then used white and yellow auto body striping tape to line the roads. I think it looks great.
I also saw that suggestion (i.e. Aged Iron) from Ken Hamilton, who has to be one of the absolute premier modelers in the world. Do you have any pictures of yours to see what the results are like? Thanks.
Jerrman
In my humble opinion, people obsess way too much about the color of roads. Real asphalt comes in all kinds of shades, and is hugely non-uniform. I just take Dennis Brennan's advice and make roads from foam core covered with a skim coat of Durham's Water Putty. Makes nice cracks and irregularities. I mix in enough black craft paint to get a dark gray. If I don't like how it comes out I just paint over it with more paint.
Route 30's asphalt near lancaster is actually red......
quote:Originally posted by groundhogslayer:
Route 30's asphalt near Lancaster is actually red......
Yes! I've noticed that, too, driving to York, and wondered about it. At first blush, I thought something big had been killed on the road, but then the color went on for far more space than that. Next, I thought it was the lighting, at something-a.m in the morning, but noticed it was reddish during the daylight hours, too. Does anybody have any dea why it is that way?
Frank
If you want to try it Rustoleum also makes a product called chalk board .This stuff looks like finger paint I mean it's that thick . put it on wood or Masonite and it looks just like asphalt.
David
David
I used black foamcore..Works for me.
Roofing paper (felt) looks good and is easy to work with. Leave it black for asphalt. Paint it gray for concrete.
I haven't started building my roads yet but when I do I will use asphalt shingles, black, turned over so the backside is facing up. I saw a layout that used this method and it looked like they had actually used real asphalt. You can get scraps from any housing project for free.
I put roofing felt over entire layout and built my town on top of it....
Roy:
A while back I posted a method of making black top roads which used the rust-oleum aged iron.
The article can be accessed at:
http://www.modelstructuresinc....ur_Own_Highways_.pdf
Joe
A while back I posted a method of making black top roads which used the rust-oleum aged iron.
The article can be accessed at:
http://www.modelstructuresinc....ur_Own_Highways_.pdf
Joe
These are all great ideas but one thing I noticed is that no one ever explains how to create curved sections of roadway. Obviously it is much easier to lay out straight sections of road and then use adhesive to apply to the layout but how does one create a curved section that looks as good as the straights? It is much harder to keep the inside and outside edges at a constant distance apart as well as keeping the marking line looking consistant?
Make a template out of heavy cardstock. Templates and stencils are your friends.
There's a very nice Woodland Scenics demo on YouTube that shows a very interesting technique for exactly that purpose. It involves using two pencils in a styrofoam block. This keep the exterior road lines equidistant whether straight or curved. I'm sure you can find it pretty easily.
Jerrman
Jerrman
Question regarding using durhams water putty for roads or sidewalks, can you carve in details such as expansion joints, with a blade like drywall compound, or is it too hard? I would rather use durhams because kids seem to go straight for the cars and start pushing them around. The stronger less fragile option seems like the way to go.
When using Durhams, do you have to pour It using 'forms' or can you just spread it on hardboard like you would a drywall compound, if its think enough?
Any further methods anyone has would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking for as realistic a result as possible.
Just spent an hour spinning through SIRTs albums... SIRT you need to write a book. Please.
Found more good info here https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/5934960422744986
Still wondering if you can scribe detail into durhams.
Originally Posted by Zett:
Found more good info here https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/5934960422744986
Still wondering if you can scribe detail into durhams.
I am not 100% positive about this since my use of Durhams is pretty limited but I do know that you can spread it with a putty knife. This I have done. It can also be sanded after it hardens but it is not easy since this stuff really is hard. I do not see why you could not scribe your details in it before it fully hardens. Even if you end up with a little bit of "flash" along the scribe marks I am sure that this could be sanded off hardening. Couple suggestions:
First off, this stuff is not that expensive so why not buy a small can and experiment. I know Home Depot sell s the small cans individually. Might cost you $3 or $4. I cannot remember the actual price.
Second is try to contact Dennis Brennan here on the forum. He has a bunch of experience with Durhams and is more than willing to share helpfull ideas and information.
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I sometimes put a very thin skim of Durhams over foam core so that it will deliberately crack. Gives a nice "poorly-maintained" look. You can see the effect in these shots:
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Zett,
Contact Dennis Brennan through his site at Brennansmodelrr.com. He also wrote a great book, Realistic Modeling for Toy Trains. Hope that helps.
Andy
Lightweight spackle over mat board (cardstock) and then lightly sanded when dry. The spackle is easier to scribe than the Durham's when set.
The exposed cobblestone areas are pieces of thin plastic embossed brick material with the edges hidden by spackle.
Jim
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Model Structures posted:Roy:
A while back I posted a method of making black top roads which used the rust-oleum aged iron.
The article can be accessed at:
http://www.modelstructuresinc....ur_Own_Highways_.pdf
Joe
Joe, I tried the link. Can't get to it. I get an error message 404, file not found.
ed
Ed:
Not sure why the link failed.
go to http://www.modelstructuresinc....truct-community.html
scroll down to 'make your own highways' and click on the blue link. there are other small articles that may interest you also.
Joe
PS - if this link does not work I will come up with plan B.
Route 30's asphalt near Lancaster is actually red......
Yes! I've noticed that, too, driving to York, and wondered about it. At first blush, I thought something big had been killed on the road, but then the color went on for far more space than that. Next, I thought it was the lighting, at something-a.m in the morning, but noticed it was reddish during the daylight hours, too. Does anybody have any dea why it is that way?
I believe it has something to do with the chemical makeup of the aggregate in the concrete. You might notice that the earth colors in certain parts of the country are a very reddish hue. The stones in the concrete might be a certain type of iron-based rock that turns reddish as it oxidizes.
i like concrete backer board. its cheap, has good "road texture" and is easily painted...concrete, fresh asphalt or old. Have also used doubled roofing paper.
I like gray latex caulk spread with a putty knife the weathered with graphite. Fills in cracks to look patched
I have gotten good results using 1/16" cork used for bulletin boards. It has a nice texture that is similar to asphalt. Simply cut it to shape and glue it down with white glue. You can also break it in pieces to simulate cracks.
For the color, I use black mixed with various amounts of white - inexpensive acrylics work best. I paint it with several coats and make sure the color is not uniform. I paint a sample and take it outside and lay it on my driveway or street to see if the color matches. Here are several photos of a parking lot I recently completed.
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The Google Maps application is a useful tool for looking at colors and tones when viewed from above (as most of our models are). Find your prototype area, switch to Satellite View, then go to the Menu (three horizontal lines in the Search box) and turn Labels OFF (click on "Labels On" to change it). If you leave the labels on, the program will overlay a white/grey stripe over the roads.
Fine ballast can be mixed to get a wide range of color.
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AUBV,
Love that bridge/aquaduct. Can I ask, did you build it or was it a purchase? It looks very nice, especially with the lighting.
FrankfordJunction posted:AUBV,
Love that bridge/aquaduct. Can I ask, did you build it or was it a purchase? It looks very nice, especially with the lighting.
Ron,
Thank you. I was asked to built it.
AUBV, it is quite a masterpiece. I would love something like that on a layout we are planning. Thanks for sharing the photo.
aubv posted:Fine ballast can be mixed to get a wide range of color.
Here's another example. HO ballast used for blacktop on a parking deck.
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Jim M Sr posted:I like gray latex caulk spread with a putty knife the weathered with graphite. Fills in cracks to look patched
Graphite is a great idea that I hadn't encountered before. I have to try it. Thanks!
