Hi Guys
If you guys were going to build a paved road which plaster would you receomend. I was looking at the woodland scenics smooth it but dont know if you guys might have some more sugestions.
Thanks
Jeremy
I use Durham's Water Putty, a hardware store product. It's a dry powder in the container. I mix it with water and a bit of white vinegar to give me extra working time, and then apply it. If you mix it thick enough, it will hold a crown if you want that on your roads. I work it with a wet foam brush, and keep refreshing the rinse water so the brush doesn't stiffen up. It's naturally a light tan color. It takes a wash of acrylic craft paint very well.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I've been using sanded tile grout. It works a lot like plaster, and has the benefits of being workable for a long time (so you can use a sponge to smooth the surface), and is the same color all the way through. You can paint it, but pick a reasonable color and you won't even have to do that.
These roads were built up from grout. The first was painted and weathered to look lighter than the color of teh material when dry, the second is essentially the natural color with some dust weathering around the edges. Cracks were drawn in place with a waterproof drafting pen.
Here's one under construction. I got the shape of the pavement finalized, and trimmed excess grout around the edges with a putty knife and palette knife.
This is the same road after it dried, received some weathering, and was blended into the scenery with ground cover around the edges. I've since added striping to it with colored pencils.
Rob Spangler
Rob, those roads look great! I've also heard people using grout instead of plaster for roads. Looks like it's a better choice. But to each their own.
Thanks for the tips guys
I have never seen water putty before in Canada
that tile grout looks great, do you smooth it with putty knife before sponging it. The color you got is fantastic
JeremyBI have never seen water putty before in Canada
I have successfully used Durham's in many areas of my layout, including roads. It is available at Amazon and many of the big-box home centers.
http://www.amazon.com/Donald-Durhams-076694000046-4-Pound-Rockhard/dp/B000LNS2LU
http://waterputty.com/
Good Luck, Ed
JeremyB Thanks for the tips guys I have never seen water putty before in Canada that tile grout looks great, do you smooth it with putty knife before sponging it. The color you got is fantastic
Someone told me he found it at Preston Hardware in Ottawa. So your best bet is to check out the more specialized hardware stores instead of the usual suspects. The kind that deal with the trades.
JeremyBthat tile grout looks great, do you smooth it with putty knife before sponging it. The color you got is fantastic
Thanks, Jeremy. Yes, I smooth the grout with a putty knife first. You get a long working time. It DOES take some getting used to, so be patient.
Those roads made with tile grout look great. I have used Hydrocal and Scultamold at different times, shaped with a crown and worked while wet for texture.
I am still not really happy with the texture. And styrene has no texture to speak of and looks best only on modern highways and streets.
I think your tile groud looks like just about the right surface texture in scale without a lot of manipulation. Nice work!