That's a great idea I will definitely try as I have at least two more roads to build.
I don't know what size pieces you're using, but you might try emailing that Wandy-Foam guy a mentioned above and see if he can cut you some long pieces. The sheets at his eBay store are 12"x18", but he may be cutting them from large sheets.
Steve S
LION has builded many roads with many things. Him tried roofing shingles. They easily cut to shape, are easily crowned but the grain is far too corse. That is corrected by making a paste of water, glue and n scale cinders and filing in the road just so. Was fast and easy, and that is what LIONS look for in a project.
LION also used asphalt. Him mixed the N scale cinters with elmer's glue until it was the consistance of, well, ashpalt and then just laid it down (before the glue hardened) in the same manner as the lady on the ashpalt crew in the pariking lot did it. She had a big machine, LION used a putty knife.
Him has tried plaster roads, but him knot like them. Thin plaster mixed with sand would make a nice concrete.
Use what you can find near at hand and on the cheap. Think about trying it on a piece of scrap foist to see how it cracks. Some cracks you will want, others you will knot.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Steve S,
Hornblower
hornblowerGaps between the edges of the sheet foam pieces can be filled in using Woodland Scenics Foam Putty.
You can hide the seam by making it look like a crack. Tear one of the pieces along the edge, then ovelap that on top of the next piece. Scribe the bottom piece with an X-acto knife. Then tear along that score line. The two pieces should match up pretty well. You want to flip the two pieces upside down when you do this so that you're scoring the back side of the foam sheet.
I'll second the Craft Foam sheet approach. I start by drawing my roads on the layout deck. I then glue 1/4" wide strips of 0.040" styrene along the roadway centerlines to create crowns in the road grade. I then use 0.040" sheet styrene to create a smooth roadbase cut to match each road section, gluing these pieces atop the centerline strips with the edges glued down to the layout deck. However, prior to gluing the sheet styrene pieces to the layout deck, I use these pieces as cutting patterns for the craft foam sheets. Once the glue holding down the styrene sheet has dried, I use spray adhesive to affix the craft foam atop the styrene roadbase. Be sure to stagger the joints between the sheet styrene pieces and the craft foam pieces. Gaps between the edges of the sheet foam pieces can be filled in using Woodland Scenics Foam Putty. I then use craft paints to give the sheet foam a nice asphalt color and use fine tip paint pens to draw the center and lane striping. Cracks are easily made by gentle scoring of the foam surface with a sharp hobby knife followed by "tar patching" using a fine tip Sharpie pen. I then airbrush a black wash down the center of each lane to imply oil drippings and then airbrush a wash of the adjacent ground cover color to imply dust blown across the road. The greatest advantage of using the styrene roadbase is its ability to form realistically smooth and gradual elevation changes without creating things like abrupt ski jumps at rail crossings. The craft foam surface has just the right texture for HO scale asphalt as well.
Man, is this timely. I ready to try laying my first road and was just thinking earlier this morning, "Man, I wish I knew how to make a paved road," and viola, here it is. Thanks!
Richard
I'm also a fan of Durham's Water Putty. It is not a hobby or craft store item. Instead, I find it at the hardware store. It comes in a cylindrical container about 5 inches across and maybe 10 inches high.
As I recall, you can add vinegar to slow the setting time. I used to do that, but after I got used to using it I find I don't need it any more. (Particularly after the last time, when I couldn't find any white vinegar, and instead used some cider vinegar from the kitchen. It worked, but my trainroom smelled like a salad for a week. True story.)
Once I spread it, I continue to work it with a 1-inch foam brush and a plastic cup of water to get the lumps out.
I paint it with a water-wash of cheap acrylic gray craft paint. Using a single color, I find that I can patch it later with the same paint and get a perfect color blend.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
For my one street on my small ISL I used Woodland Scenic's "Smooth It",Paving Tape and Top Coat Concrete.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I've done a few roads with sanded tile grout.
Here's some pavement in progress. It will dry much lighter.
The same road looks like this after weathering with chalks and dry-brushed acrylics. I used a brass stencil from S&S for the white markings.
This road was built the same way, but weathered with acrylic washes instead. Cracks and tar patches were added with either black acrylic and a fine brush, or a drafting pen with waterproof ink.
Rob Spangler
Thanks Peter [HO Velo]
Because it seems to speed up the drying time I tend not to add paint anymore. But when I did it was just cheap student's acrylics black and white
The putty is a dull yellow, seen here just after it was slapped on
In this grade crossing I mixed the black and white into it:
Other than adding more water I haven't experimented with ways to prolong the drying time. You get a good 30 minutes when it's mixed according to the instructions, and after that a bit of mist spraying allows you to scrape and smooth it some more.
Mike
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
Craft foam works well for asphalt. It's easy to work with and easy to make cracks and patches. If you want track running through it, you'll need to order some 1mm foam online (an eBay seller named Wandy-Foam sells it.) For roads without track, the 2mm stuff that you find at Michael's or Hobby Lobby will do.
Here's a tutorial that I put up over at MRH website...
http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/17438
Jeremy,
Also having road construction in my future I take special interest in the paved road threads. I used painted sheet cork for roads on my last layout, but never looked right to my eye, especially close up. I remember that my father always had a can of Durham's water putty on his workshop shelf. I liked the weight lifter guy on the label as a kid and still do. I've used the water putty on a few wood working jobs with success, but seems to have very short working time even with a little vineagar added.
Mikelhh,
Man! Your uphill road scene is super, draws me right in! Reason enough to try the water putty when my road time comes. What type of acrylic and color of paint do you mix with the putty? Do you add anything to increase the working time?
Thanks and regards, Peter
JeremyB,
I've used both plaster and styrene to make roads. Styrene is quicker and easier and less messy (cut it, glue it, paint it), but I like the look and texture of my plaster roads better. Woodland Scenics sells a road-making package including plaster and foam tape for the edges, but like a lot of their stuff it's really just a repackaging of stuff you can find at any craft or hardware store.
Thanks guys,
I dont think we can buy that here in Canada though? I have never seen it. I have heard of it before but just havent seen it around here.
I have used foam core board successfully. Also have seen sheet styrene used. You can even shim the center slightly to show a crown in the road.
Good luck,
Another vote for water putty. I like the way you can make the edges irregular and crumbly if you want to.
Also you can mix acrylic paint with it. In my opinion this speeds up the drying, and can be a nuisance.
It can be sanded and painted.
Drywall mud cracks as it dries if you put on too thick a layer. Durham's Water Putty would be a better choice for a roadway.
Hi Guys,
As I plan for some projects in the fall there is one area I am inetersetd in getting some more opinions. I am planning on doing some paved roads, at the moment their dirt and gravel ( which will have to be ripped up first ). I was wondering what product you find the best to make a paved road? I dont know if I want to go with something like a woodland scenics smooth it or something like a drywall mud? any opinions would be appreciated.
Jeremy