I've used drywall mud for some of my early roads, but it's too soft and is easily marred, requiring frequent touch-up. Durabond patching plaster works better, as it's very hard once set.I also do a lot of roads using sheet styrene, and for a couple streets on the upper level of the layout, I simply pre-fabbed them to fit around structures that were already in place...
The sidewalks are .060" styrene sheet, while the roadway is only .030" thick, so I added a strip of .030" or .040" thick styrene under the centre of the pavement, to create a crown in the road.
I still need to come-up with a scene to put behind the two overpasses, which are about 26" from the aisleway.
Wayne
I prefer to use Creatology Fun Foam sheets to create my road surfaces. These dense craft foam sheets are about 18" by 12" and around 2 mm thick. Cost is around $1 per sheet at many craft stores and many colors are available. I usually create a roadbed using .040" sheet styrene which allows me to create smooth and gradual grade changes. A surface crown can be created by first gluing a narrow strip of .040" styrene down the centerline of the roadway, then gluing the styrene roadbed down over the crown strip.
Prior to gluing down the styrene roadbed, I like to use the roadbed pieces as cutting templates for the Fun Foam surface layer. Once the styrene roadbed is glued down using adhesive caulking, I then glue the matching Fun Foam pieces to the styrene roadbed using spray adhesive. I either carefully butt the edges of the foam sheets together and later fill with Woodland Scenics Foam Putty or simulate a major crack in the road by slightly overlapping the edges of two foam pieces and cutting through both pieces in a crooked or even jagged line. I then glue down the foam pieces with the two crooked/jagged edges carefully placed together.
The Fun Foam takes paint well and the resulting surface finish has just enough texture to be close to true HO scale asphalt. As the Fun Foam is somewhat self healing, additional cracks can be created by cutting into the foam with a hobby knife. I then go back and "seal" the cracks with "tar" (Sharpie Fine Point marker). I like to use paint pens to create striping. Finally, I airbrush a thin wash of my "ground cover" paint along the roadway edges to simulate dirt build-up along the road surface, and a thin black wash along the center of each lane to simulate oil and grease falling from the vehicles. These weathering steps also tone down the road striping and the finished road is very convincing.
Hornblower
Kathy Millet has a video of using that foam to make roads
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
RICHARD BENTLEYAnyone have any idea what it would be Or where to get it from ?
Back when nearly all pick-up trucks had caps on the beds there was a black foam tape that was used as a gasket. I wonder if that was the product?
It comes in several thicknesses and widths. Maybe check your NAPA store?
I use EVA foam and glue it in place with spray photo adhesive:
Chem_pave-tar4 by Edmund, on Flickr
Pave_crew by Edmund, on Flickr
I used glossy Tamiya paint for the thick tar lines and an artists .005 ink pen for the small cracks.
Pave_crew-1 by Edmund, on Flickr
You can search for "making EVA foam roads" and some videos and tutorials will come up.
Good Luck, Ed
RICHARD BENTLEYMy father in law used some kind of peal and stick rubber for his roads but doesn't remember where he got it from. Anyone have any idea what it would be Or where to get it from ?
Hi Richard,
Walthers has their own brand, and they also offer a couple of European brands:
https://www.walthers.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=paved+roads
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
One of the European companies makes a peel and stick road that is lined. I think in 1 foot sections.
shane
Here's something to consider Richard.
I've heard of guys using GAF Weather Watch. It's a peel and stick roof underlayment that has fine texture on it. I've heard after some weather washes and painting the road lines on it they said it looks great. I've worked with this stuff a lot through the years and think it would look choice.
The stuff is 50 bucks a roll though. If you know a roofer or have a friend that knows a roofer The stuffs 3 ft. wide and you don't need much.
TF
Walthers makes some
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
My father in law used some kind of peal and stick rubber for his roads but doesn't remember where he got it from. Anyone have any idea what it would be Or where to get it from ?