Road making gone bad!

Generally your foam core needs to be glued down to prevent that bowing due to the moisture in the putty.

Thanks.

 

I glued the **** out of it and it still happened. I will try more glue next time.

Foam core for streets and sidewalks is asking for trouble. Use 1/4" masonite for sidewalks and 1/8" for streets. Gives a six scale inch curb and the masonite will not warp. Alternatively, you can use all 1/8" by laying down the full width of street and sidewalk as one piece and then adding another 1/8" on top of it where you want to represent a sidewalk.

 

Cut it to size, file the edges a bit to take the sharpness off it and apply coats of drywall compound. When dry, sand down the excess drywall compound and paint.

 

If you're energetic, you can cut the pieces of your sidewalk to individual panels and lay them side by side. Lots of work, but worth it. If not, apply a couple of coats of drywall compound, sand it down a bit, and then score the joint lines with a saw or three sided file. The end result is well worth the work.

I might try that method since I am limited on foam core now.

Could some one post pictures please. Thanks Ed P.

you didn't put matte medium between the foam core and water putty

I always screw down the foamcore with drywall screws before applying the Durham's.  I apply very thin coats, with the intention of having them develop cracks.

 

Here's one example:

I have an article coming out on this subject.

Foam core is absorptive. Use Gator board and spray it with dark primer.

Then use painter's tape for road markings and weather with powder.

 

Scrappy

I know I should have posted pictures but it looks like crap. I will try some of the aforementioned ideas.

 

Learn as ya go.

Foam core or gator board or Masonite is fine but hard to cut curves.

 

I use cardboard for roads then paint the stripping colors, cover with pin-stripe tape for the specific hi-way markings then paint or coat the cardboard with the road color; remove the pin stripping and the road lines are revealed.

 

cardboard is easy to cut, and glue.

I have used foam core as a base to build streets using Woodland Scenics Smooth It plaster.  The foam core was glued down to the base using liquid nails foam cement.  I have had no problems with bowing or lift up.  You could probably resurrect your street by sanding it down and recoating with water putty or plaster.

Just like Harry said above, use 1/8 masonite and you will have no problems. I've been using it for years.

 

Alex

Be careful of joint compound.  It can crack after time.

As do roads and sidewalks, which adds to the realism.

For blacktop roads I use rolled roofing.  One roll can do a very large layout.  Looks great.

 

 

Heh.  I had exactly the same thought.  

I've used cut foam core and coated with a mixture of joint compound with black acrylic paint.  The color ends up as grey.  I glued to foam core down with gorilla glue and it hasn't come up.  I am tempted to push down on the road to cause cracking, but I can't bring myself to do it!

 

In the forthcoming article you will see how easily I cut exact curves in Gator foam, paint the Gator asphalt, and apply road markings. i made a roadway more than 12 feet long with a parking lot. Watch for the article.

 

Scrappy

Scrappy,

Where will this article appear? When?

 

Paul Edgar

What is gator board and where do you get it at  thanks Ed P.

How to make roads  Click Here

Paul,

lI am obligated not to release any info yet as this is editor's prerogative.

As soon as I am allowed to do so, I will.

The article explains how easy it is to do any size road.

Gatorboard (foam) is the way to go. I bought a dozen sheets 20" x 30"

 

Scrappy

Some foamboard (most probably) has an outer layer similar to cardstock. Even if you've glued it down well, you're putting the putty on the unprotected side, this side can swell, whether or not the glued side stays put. Sometimes the backing will pull away from the foam. Elmer's Foamboard has a coating on it or you could primer the up side of it before you add the putty.

 

How did you hold the tar paper down?

 

Ken

I used 3/16" Foamcore Board throughout my Yard to to "raise the ground" and submerge the crosstie tops down to dirt level. It is glued to blue extruded construction foam that had been primed and I primed both sides of the Foamcore Board[and brush-caulked the raw edges.].

 

Based on experience posted by others, I was concerned with warpage or delamination of the paper cover as a result of applying wet water, followed by a liberal 50/50 water/glue mixture on the ballast between the ties/rails. I primed with Kilz because I had some on hand.

 

The board was installed over a year ago and with the exception of swelling in one narrow spot, no problems. However, I don't know what the effect of Durham's Putty would be. I have skim-coated one area with drywall compound without problem.

Black Foam core boards....good for roads? 3/16"

 

http://www.amazon.com/Elmers-F...mp;keywords=foamcore

General roadways:

I apply self-sticking fiberglas drywall tape and cover it with a skim coat of drywall compound. When dry, I paint it "Asfalta" [blacktop in English] from the small sample-size cans at Ace Hardware, When paint is dry I lay my forearm or fist on the surface and press down utill the surface crazes or cracks. Then I use a fine tip Sharpie to draw lines along the cracks. Hard to see cracks in this fuzzy photo.

         

I use foam core for streets and filling in areas between yard tracks etc. It should be glued to the substrate and then painted with latex paint before applying any other scenery materials. I always apply an undercoat and let it dry thoroughly. Then I apply a second coat and apply my first layer of scenery. I have also used Durham's Water Putty over it. The key is to make sure that you first seal it with the paint.  

 

I have some in place for over twenty years and have not yet had any problems.

Ed, a number of places carry it including small sections from Micro-Mark and larger ones from Dick Blick on line. One of the definitive sources and the major booster and educator of using Gatorfoam (a.k.a. Gatorboard) is Dave at Gatorfoam.net. He swears by it and it really does work well for a number of modeling uses. 

 

Jerrman

ive tried foamcore, gotta make templates with paper, trace and cut with a razor.  its cheap and ok look, paint it also.  Yup, it likes to Curl on ya!!  I end up weighting it down or liquid nails to the platform then painting.  I also sprayed the roads before with grey primer and you can then sprits the dark or black onto the road by holding pray can close and just enough to spray spots out.  works nice.  I have done that.  latex paint did not work for me at all.  curled like a son of a gun!  I think roof tar paper might work good, but then you have trouble painting cracks or spots into it.  what ever look is good.  I also used masonite and cut with the scroll saw or if you have a small table jig for tight turns.  nice for moving the piece around tight spot cuts. 

Hi

I have been using black sand paper looks good. I glue it down on foam.

I use 3-m spray glue.