What Product Have You Used For Highways / Roads

I use a textured black spray paint from Rustoleum. Looks good IMHO.

The "road" is thin corrugated cardboard and I used black marker to make the seams look like tar-filled cracks.

Too bad “Moondog Streets” went out of business!  They were the greatest!

I have adopted the "Durham's Water Putty" method described in Dennis Brennan's scenery book--applying it over foam core.  Attached is a build sequence.

Start by cutting out the road in foam core:

Add a skim coat of Durham's putty with black paint added:

Fit the road into the environs:

Add railings:

Weather with chalks:

We use asphalt roofing paper (underlayment). The roll size from Home Depot (about $38) is so big you can do all the roads and parking lots on your layout, your friend's layout, and several others. You can cut it using the "score and snap" method or scissors. Here's what it looks like:

I also use the roofing material, it gives a realistic look, can be custom cut to the contour of layout and the time, cost and effort are well spent. I use either a yellow or white marker picked up at Michael's, Hobby Lobby or a craft store for about $3 to do the center stripe to complete the look.

It has helped the kid's layouts tremendously, having roads and parking lots.

Capetrainman, I have used (and am very fond of) 3M Stairway Tread, which comes in rolls, with plenty of length on them. They come in different textures. These examples show you its use in situ as a variety of "pavements," as roadways and parking lots, etc. This photo... ...shows you an unfinished area where the 3M Tape has been put into place as a rural roadway, leading out from the tunnel portal. I'm including the photo to give you an idea of the thickness of the tape as roadway. It is atop a strip of Masonite used as a base for the tape.

These is, of course, paper backing on the tape, but once you have removed it and emplaced the tape, it is very unforgiving and will not be peeled off too readily - it's pretty much permanent. So, when I have used it, I do all the configuring and scissor-cutting before I remove the backing to press the tape into place.

FrankM

AGHRMatt posted:

We use asphalt roofing paper (underlayment). The roll size from Home Depot (about $38) is so big you can do all the roads and parking lots on your layout, your friend's layout, and several others. You can cut it using the "score and snap" method or scissors. Here's what it looks like:

All my friends that have used any type of foam product ended up with divots where their vehicle sit. How is the surface texture Matt? 

I used black "Darice Foam Sheets" (available from craft stores such as Joann Fabrics) which is available in various thicknesses, cut to size and glued down (I used white glue).

Cracks were made with a sail sewing needle, roads were sprayed lightly with Rustoleum "aged iron".  1/8" car pinstriping was used for the striping.  Weather with chalk powders and/or paint washes.  Tire tracks can be made with a pencil eraser.

When finished, spray with dull cote or matte finish.

I use a combination of 0.125" Masonite and 0.25" MDF. Squadron Green the joints and fill in the edges with Sculptamold.  When dry, sand and paint the roadway with a few different shades of flat black and gray....nothing exact. I then sand the finished surface for some texture and variation and lay down some lines.

Donald

Some great suggestions here, gentlemen, and the scenery in the pictures is realistic.  Thanks for the effort to post so many pictures and for the recommendations!  I'll do more homework and report back to you!

Depending on what the top layer of your layout is made out of, you can always just mask off and "paint" a road on the surface with concrete or black paint and add stripes with a white paint pen and you're done.

I use to use cardboard rather than Masonite or MDF because it's far easier to cut. Once painted and striped they look the same.

Now that I have a laser cutter I am using an MDF-like material. Can cut perfect intersections and curved roadways that match-up with scored or engraved control/construction jts as well as using a thicker material for curbing again prefect curved curbs with cutouts for curb gutters and manholes. 

Street crossing the tracks are made with cork HO switch pads. They are the same width as a two lane road in O scale and have beveled edges. I painted the cork with a diluted wash of Woodland Scenics Asphalt paint. I have done 3 separate modules now with grade crossings. I built them up using layers of cork glued down underneath.

In the first pic you also see a module behind that is painted with black textured rustoluem spray paint. My city is never setup quite the same way so I have not put down traffic lines yet.

In the back is a piece of cork just laid do to match the grade crossing. Notice it is not painted yet.

3751 hits the same grade crossing and in the background I just used black poster board cut the same width to made the road go beyond. I used the pinstripe tape for road stripes but it peeled up eventually. The paint pens from WS don't like my cork either so still working on a solution.

T&P 610 blowing threw a crossing.

I used black 3/16" thick foam core for my roads. Grade crossings are made with Woodland Scenics N scale foam roadbed. Keep in mind that my layout is more toy train than scale model.

Spackle, smoothed and sanded, then tooled to make it look cracked. Primer grey, dusted with khaki and washed with black acrylic

I have used a variety of methods.  Most of them for mentioned.  Here is a project where I used Hydraulic cement, It was still wet when this pic was snapped.  When dry it looks just like aged concrete.  You mentioned curbs, similar to Durhams and spackle, this stuff is great for building up depth.

Not a great deal of work involved either.  Mix with water and apply.  A good method for stripes, is the white out roller wheels used for correcting documents.

I have used masonite and foam board with Durhams' Water Putty and Smooth-it. All worked well for me. I use Masonite for all the building bases and score it for sidewalks, using Rustoleum Desert Bisque textured paint to look like concrete.

Has anyone found a material and/or method to create a properly "paved" (floated and dressed) concrete road?

Ron

Hi Ron,  I tried a concrete product from "Arizona Rock & Mineral " .  The results were pretty much the same as using spackle  or water putty. ALso I tried one time, "Quickret" cement in a tube for patching cracks.  It would not spread  correctly and did not work.   But was does work is the Quickret' in the container.  It has vinyl in it and smooths very easy.  It can also be thinned and still gives very good results.  Lowes, Home Depot have theses products.  

You need to build 1/4" curb in the  chosen length with balsa or basswood and fill  with product.. Make sure you build a crown in the middle.  No road especially concrete if flat.  

There are so many methods and different materials used in model roads. I have tried just about all of them..  Here is a pic of  Blacktop, concrete, and cement...  I found that 1/8" cork also is very realistic and is the long portion of these samples...

This is all 1/8th" Fine cork.  A very lite coating, in spots of vinyl spackle. Raw umber, "Pan Pastels, for weathering.  Base coat of apple barrel "Blacktop" thinned out.  That's it...

Finished product'

So many great suggestions here to use for asphalt roads on the new layout.  After reading the suggestions for a second or third time I decided to conduct a study that was three weeks in duration...it was not a scientific study, but I believe the results are acceptable

I decided to purchase the 3/16" black foam sheet at Hobby Lobby in  20" x 30" pieces.  It is similar to the Darice product mentioned above by HMORGAN.  I actually had used the Darice product before for a roof replacement on my Korber engine house a few years ago.  The study was to place a Brooklin 1955 Chevy Nomad and a  Buby 1956 Mercury Monterey on the board and let them sit undisturbed for three weeks.  As some of you may know, the Brooklin is a very heavy piece compared to other 1/43 or 1/48th cars available on the market.

The good news is that tire marks were not present when I lifted up the cars.  Someone above had an experience where the cars had left tire imprints on the foamboard.   It could be that the Hobby Lobby product is more rigid with a harder surface than other brands?  I like the thickness of the product as well because it will reduce the high curbing appearance of the MTH buildings on Main Street.  Once the roads are cut with the help of my wife (she is very particular about such things), I will spray paint the board with the Rustoleum "Aged Iron" color mentioned above by HMORGAN.

Thanks again, and please comment further if you would like!  I'll let you all know how the finished product looks on the layout...

I had some water filter carbon that I glued down with some old gloss black paint that had thickened slightly due to age.  I liked it.

Used rolled roofing, sticky on one side gravel on the other. Painted with several coats of chalkboard paint.

Great ideas, info and photos everyone!  

I used roofing shingles to create this country road.  I sprinkled some Woodland Scenics fine cinders down the middle of the roadway to give a leaked oil/grease over time look.  

I also used roofing shingles on some of my downtown roads  not shown ( couldn't locate photos ).  For other down town streets and industrial area I used Dept 56 brick paving.  The brick paving still needs some dullcote and simulated grease spots admittedly.   

BobbyD posted:

AGHRMatt posted:

We use asphalt roofing paper (underlayment). The roll size from Home Depot (about $38) is so big you can do all the roads and parking lots on your layout, your friend's layout, and several others. You can cut it using the "score and snap" method or scissors. Here's what it looks like:

All my friends that have used any type of foam product ended up with divots where their vehicle sit. How is the surface texture Matt? 

 

It feels slightly rough to the touch like a road. It's relatively thin and flexible and doesn't get divots from being touched unless you mount it on foam or foam core. In my example, it's glued on top of a thin layer of dirt which is glued to plywood (it's glued to the ties in the track). I've finished the design on another layout I plan to build and will be using it again.

I've used a similar foam product to Darice called "Foamie"  I like it because it's very easy to use and it does not warp when painted and can easily be cut with scissors.

I also used a mix of fine and medium black ballast. I used a layer of about 1/4" and I like the result. I intend to use it in other areas of the layout and may use it as a final topcoat on the foamie...not sure.

Forgot to explain earlier.  I mixed the ballast in a bowl, more light than medium.  Poured on the layout using insulation tape to mark the edges.  I would probably cut the thickness in half in the future.  once I was satisfied with how it looked I mixed 1 Part Mod Podge (white glue) to 2 parts water then sprayed the road with alcohol to beak up the surface tension of the water then applied a heavy dose of the glue mixture with an eye dropper. I started in the center of the road and worked out. I made sure the mixture bled out of the side of the road onto the bed of the layout. When it dried, I could drive a deuce-and-a-half, or a dump truck with coal on it. 1/48 scale of course! 

Wow Ed, the black ballast looks like real black top'...How are you gluing it down, and I wonder if the foamie is required as you have such a nice think coating of the ballast. I have used the foamie, and noticed it needed a little something added.  Never thought, to try ballast.  Where'd you get the black stuff from?....

Td, thanks. I just updated the post with a "how I did it."  The ballast is from Woodland Scenics.  I did not first lay down the Foamie. I do agree the Foamie roads are great but do look a bit wimpy...I think I'm going to go back and spread some of my ballast mix, on the roads because I really like the look.

Td, looking at your logo....thanks for your service!  I wore Uncle's uniform  as well.

ToledoEd posted:

Td, looking at your logo....thanks for your service!  I wore Uncle's uniform  as well.

Thanks very much Ed'.  I appreciate your sentiments'... I must say though, Not sure when it became popular that service members were being thanked for their service'....  I volunteered , and was paid good money.  That was plenty of thanks'..........(LOL)   Combat Veterans, of the Vietnam war, will never forgive being spit on in airports by civilians when returning home.   Some wounds just don't heal .........and 50 years later'. hasn't changed a thing'..............

Anyway, on to more harmonious topics'.. I take it you are using a mix of the lite and medium ballast to get the look you like'... Are you using white glue/water, or  matt magic.... I am going to have to re-do all my roads now as I think your technique is the one'... I have tried so many different systems, but never the ballast'.........SO, a great big 'THANK YOU' heading~ your way'....

Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

ToledoEd posted:

Td, looking at your logo....thanks for your service!  I wore Uncle's uniform  as well.

Thanks very much Ed'.  I appreciate your sentiments'... I must say though, Not sure when it became popular that service members were being thanked for their service'....  I volunteered , and was paid good money.  That was plenty of thanks'..........(LOL)   Combat Veterans, of the Vietnam war, will never forgive being spit on in airports by civilians when returning home.   Some wounds just don't heal .........and 50 years later'. hasn't changed a thing'..............

Anyway, on to more harmonious topics'.. I take it you are using a mix of the lite and medium ballast to get the look you like'... Are you using white glue/water, or  matt magic.... I am going to have to re-do all my roads now as I think your technique is the one'... I have tried so many different systems, but never the ballast'.........SO, a great big 'THANK YOU' heading~ your way'....

 

Forgot to explain earlier.  I mixed the ballast in a bowl, more light than medium.  Poured on the layout using insulation tape to mark the edges.  I would probably cut the thickness in half in the future.  once I was satisfied with how it looked I mixed 1 Part Mod Podge (white glue) to 2 parts water then sprayed the road with alcohol to beak up the surface tension of the water then applied a heavy dose of the glue mixture with an eye dropper. I started in the center of the road and worked out. I made sure the mixture bled out of the side of the road onto the bed of the layout. When it dried, I could drive a deuce-and-a-half, or a dump truck with coal on it. 1/48 scale of course! 

Okay, Ed, thanks for the additional information'..... I was wondering if you could possibly  get a few more close ups of your rodes if you get a chance.  As they are interesting to look at and compare notes to....

Boilermaker1 posted:

Spackle, smoothed and sanded, then tooled to make it look cracked. Primer grey, dusted with khaki and washed with black acrylic

Is the primer and khaki spray paint? 

Dave

Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Okay, Ed, thanks for the additional information'..... I was wondering if you could possibly  get a few more close ups of your rodes if you get a chance.  As they are interesting to look at and compare notes to....

OK, will do in the morning. You’ve inspired me to post a YouTube video of a road build. 

ToledoEd posted:

Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Okay, Ed, thanks for the additional information'..... I was wondering if you could possibly  get a few more close ups of your rodes if you get a chance.  As they are interesting to look at and compare notes to....

OK, will do in the morning. You’ve inspired me to post a YouTube video of a road build. 

That will be perfect'.......... Thank you' ...

Welcome. My pleasure. 

I go simpler, like some others above...I have a bunch of leftover asphalt shingles and portions of shingles from a (real-life) shed roofing project.  They have a texture that seems scaled appropriately (they are actually asphalt LOL) and they come in various blacks and grays.  Reasonably priced if you have to buy them, considering one bundle is a LOT of 1/48 roadway.  Easy to cut and put down, not too thick, easily weathered and they accept paint (for road lines) well.  Note - you need to get the loose "pebbles" off in advance or it's a little messy.

Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

ToledoEd posted:

Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Okay, Ed, thanks for the additional information'..... I was wondering if you could possibly  get a few more close ups of your rodes if you get a chance.  As they are interesting to look at and compare notes to....

OK, will do in the morning. You’ve inspired me to post a YouTube video of a road build. 

That will be perfect'.......... Thank you' ...

Td, by roads I took it to mean those I made using the Foammie material.  Here they are.  Let me know if I missed the target.  What you can do to increase "realism' is scuff them ever so lightly with a fine grain sand paper, or even a scotch guard pad. I chose not to do it because, so often I start something like that and don't know when to stop and boom...it looks like I didn't know when to stop! 

Thanks Ed for posting the additional photos'.. I appreciate you taking the time to do so'...  Actually ED, my bad, I should have been more clear.  I am really more interested in seeing the black ballast streets, parking areas, driveways, or whatever you have created .  To Me, the ballast looks the most like real black top...  The results you've achieved, is the look I'm looking for.  So I thought a few close ups would be instrumental in seeing exactly what I have obtain.... Sorry to be a pain in the...^&*()@#$%.... 

Td, no problem. Actually, the only area I've completed so far using the ballast technique is the short road by the Coal Tower. I'm starting another short road and parking area tonight.  I intend to video it and post it to my YouTube channel. I'll keep you posted.