Structolite Coverage

Overnight everything dried and hardened. Last evening, while it was still setting up, I gently poked up at the cardboard web sections that had sagged from underneath. The Structolite was still soft enough to be flexible but firm enough to hold its shape so some of the saggy areas look OK now. I'll have to go over some other spots and holes but overall I'm fairly satisfied with the way things look.

My feeling is that Structolite is good stuff, very inexpensive when compared with Hydrocal or plaster cloth, and it's rough texture creates a pretty realistic looking base. However maybe it's not as suitable to being applied over a cardboard lattice as some other mix. It takes so long to set up the cardboard loses its strength because it's absorbing all the moisture from the paper towels over a long period of time. With something that sets more quickly the cardboard wouldn't absorb as much and would have a better chance of holding its shape.

Don't think anyone mentioned this yet but will the Structolite accept the Woodland Scenics color stains/dye???

I don't know about Woodland Scenics stuff but I just used cheap acrylic paint from Michael's, diluted as per the recommendations on the many YouTube demos I watched, and everything turned out fine. 

I usually prime the Structolite, along with any plaster rock castings or Sculptamold areas.  I use flat latex house paint in either tan or gray depending on the part of the country I am depicting.

This primer coat give a good surface to accept the Woodland Scenics colors or any other washes of color you want. Otherwise the different materials will absorb washes differently from each other.

Jim

I'm looking to stain color the mountains so I take it by diluting the paint from Michael's creates like a thin stain like texture? I want to stain instead of paint because I think it looks more natural. 

Some great photos & layouts.

Pete, I like the view of your top waterfall...Any tips for getting that wispyness.

Thanks

Bill D

That waterfall is (a) white paint; (b) Strips of silicone adhesive laid up on a piece of glass, peeled off and applied to the waterfall; and (c) wisps of cotton.

Can I get in on this Please!

I am a Newbie here and I am loving all the Help I have received here so far.

Thank You ALL !!

My ??

I have just finished applying the plaster cloth on my 1st Rock Ledge Wall which was made from Styrofoam hot glued together.

It is straight Up about 10 inches High by about 35 inches wide.

I want to apply my cast rocks to that wall now.

Can I use Pre-Mixed Lightweight Joint Compound instead of the Sculptamold stuff. I can not purchase that stuff anywhere around where I live. One of my buddies is telling me that Joint Compound can be watered down a little to make it more smooth and still HOLD the rocks onto the wall.

Advise Please.

Thank you in advance.

The DAP ready mix joint compound is very smooth and I don't see any reason why you could adhere rocks with it. It's so smooth that I used it for fake mortar in the chimney I built for a scratch-built station project. I used it to simulate fire clay around the flue pipe and it's very convincing.

Before Weathering: 

After Weathering:

So go ahead and use joint compound.

Thanks a lot Trainman2001.

Sometimes we just need re-assurance especially when you never did stuff like this before.

I am having a ball setting up this layout.

Thank You once again.

Keep ya posted.