Masonite backdrop

[jacon12]

I'm starting on the backdrop for my L shaped benchwork. The tables are 16 feet along one side and 12 on the other. I'm thinking that it would be best to install the first section (2 feet high x 8 feet long) in the middle where the curve is..

If I start on the left end the first 8 foot section will go half way and the second piece would not make the curve around the wall, not to anchor it well at any rate.
Is this how you did it or is there a better way?
Any advice on preparing the places on the masonite where the screw heads will be for painting?
Thanks!
Jarrell

[bogp40]

However you decide to position the masonite, just make sure that you have a (looks like 1x2) backer at the seams. You may need a top strip to prevent buckling should there be any expansion. Prime both sides unless you live in a very dry climate. A good quality countersink will do the trick for #6 drywall screws.

[jacon12]

Robert I was plannng on using 1x4's at the seams, maybe 1x2.s will do. Thanks for the tip on the countersink and the #6 drywall screws!
I appreciate the advice.
Jarrell

[simon1966]

Jarrell, I did not curve the masonite. I used some scrap linoleum flooring with the back facing into the layout room to create the curve. I used liquid nails to glue it to the front of the masonite and then when dry used drywall mud to smooth out the joints. I am quite happy with the results.

[cmrproducts]

Jarrell

Putting the Masonite so that it is in the curved area is the way to go. I ended up with a joint in the middle of a curve and it has been a real problem.

Now how to fini***he seams! I have looked at all of the suggested ways of using joint compound, Squadron putty, etc. They all work but I was worried about the joint cracking after many years. Also I did not like to spend all of that time trying to smooth out the joint when using joint compound, as it seemed that the joint never looked smooth.

I finally tried using the paper tape for drywall joints but instead of using the joint compound to attach it to the backdrop I just painted it to the backdrop! I don’t use primer as a first coat on the Masonite. I had a lot of cans of mis-matched paint that I had picked up at the big-box stores over the years and used it to seal the Masonite. Yes, I had to paint a number of coats on the Masonite but I have had better luck using this method than I have with primer ( you may have had better experiences with the primer) and besides with the mis-matched paint it was only $5.00 a gallon compared with the price of new primer.

I would roll on a coat of paint on the Masonite and then let it dry for several weeks (this is the key)! I have a lot of backdrop that I did (a 25 x 75 ft layout room) so I could be working on another part of the layout while the first section would dry.

I used the screws and countersink method with a 1 x 2 backer at each joint. Once the first or second coat of paint was dry I would begin the paper tape install. I would cut the tape to length and then I would put a heavy coat of paint at the joint. By heavy coat I mean that it would be just about to the point of running. I would paint the back of the paper tape and then put the tape on the joint and work it into the paint.

Next I would paint the exposed side of the paper tape with paint and let it dry. Once it was real dry (3 to 4 days) I would then use the joint compound to fill in the edges and smooth out the joint area. So far it has worked very well and most of the joints are now over 3 years old and look as good as the day they were first painted and finished.

BOB H – Clarion, PA

[Anonymous]

Hello, I used the masonite for the curves on my backdrop with no problems, i tapered it to the wall with dry wall compound, when I bought it at Home depot THey cut it for me in 2 ft lengths, (2X4)

[Big_Boy_4005]

Jarrell, as far as the placement of the curve goes, I think you have that right. Some of the others have expressed concerns about warping when you go to paint. It looks like you are using temprerd masonite, which helps a lot. Just support and anchor it well, and it should be fine.

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by simon1966

I used some scrap linoleum flooring with the back facing into the layout room to create the curve. I used liquid nails to glue it to the front of the masonite and then when dry used drywall mud to smooth out the joints. I am quite happy with the results.

Hmmm... now there's an idea!
Thanks Simon
Jarrell

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cmrproducts

Jarrell

Putting the Masonite so that it is in the curved area is the way to go. I ended up with a joint in the middle of a curve and it has been a real problem.

Now how to fini***he seams! I have looked at all of the suggested ways of using joint compound, Squadron putty, etc. They all work but I was worried about the joint cracking after many years. Also I did not like to spend all of that time trying to smooth out the joint when using joint compound, as it seemed that the joint never looked smooth.

I finally tried using the paper tape for drywall joints but instead of using the joint compound to attach it to the backdrop I just painted it to the backdrop!
BOB H – Clarion, PA

Bob, I'll keep this in mind when I get to the finishing part.
Did you paint yours one color (blue) or did you do the whiter towards the bottom and blue towards the top and if so, how did you blend the two together where they meet? I thought I'd use both at the same time with rollers and then take a brush while the paint was still wet and make a kind of wiggle line horizontally between the two colors and then smooth it out to blend it together.
Jarrell

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by pacificnorthern

Hello, I used the masonite for the curves on my backdrop with no problems, i tapered it to the wall with dry wall compound, when I bought it at Home depot THey cut it for me in 2 ft lengths, (2X4)

Thanks Pacific, that is what I like to hear![:D]
Jarrell

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Big_Boy_4005

Jarrell, as far as the placement of the curve goes, I think you have that right. Some of the others have expressed concerns about warping when you go to paint. It looks like you are using temprerd masonite, which helps a lot. Just support and anchor it well, and it should be fine.

BigBoy, I tried hard to figure this out so as to have as few seams as possible, but it looks like I'm gonna have about 4 no matter which way I do it. I'll just deal with it!
Thanks,
Jarrell

[cmrproducts]

Jarrell

I started out with a fairly light gray/blue. This is what I used for final under-base coat. I had used many other colors during the (primer) painting and as I mudded in the seams.

This gave me a constant color to begin the 7-color sky. I am doing autumn scenery colors and I wanted the sky to have that Autumn look. I do not have any puffy white clouds as I spent a lot of time observing the sky in the fall and it seemed that the clouds had that layered look to them (such as a pending storm in the next 12 hours).

I started out with a fairly bright blue for the top band (1). The middle band (2) was a blue/green and the bottom band (3) was a slightly darker gray/blue than my base coat was.

These colors were the egg-shell (flat type – very little gloss to them) finish. I put these color bands on and let them dry.

I then mixed the top and middle colors together (band 4) and painted a strip where the top 2 to colors come together (with a 3 inch brush). This was with a full brush. I then dry bru***his mixed color band out horizontally both at the top and bottom to let some of the base colors show through.

I did the same for the middle and bottom colors (mixed together – band 5) and dry brushed this out. But the transition from the Blue/Green and the Gray/Blue was too much and I had to cross mix the 2 color (band 5) and (band 2). I then dry brushed this over the point where the two colors came together (bands 2 & 5). I also mixed the (band 3 & band 5) colors and dry brushed in over the point where those two colors came together (bands 3 &5).

It sounds more complicated than that it was to do. I was not worried as to how much base color showed through on the cross mixed colors as I just wanted to eliminate the sharp color change between the base colors. Overall it came out as I wanted and the egg-shell finish lets the room lights give just enough shine to it that the sky seems to be always changing as you walk around.

Once I get the bright Autumn colors next to the gray/blue horizon color they should really show off the trees and shrubs. In my area of the world (north western PA) the autumn colors are extremely bright!

BOB H – Clarion, PA

[jacon12]

Bob, I'll bet that does look good! If a person stands in the middle of a field so that they can see sky all around, rarely is the color the same in all directions, even the same shade of blue will vary as you move around in an arc. So your varied colors gives off this effect, I suppose.
I'll also bet you've already stood some autumn like trees in front of that blue gray and it looks more 3d.
I may try something like this if I feel confident enough.. :)
Thanks for the tips.
Jarrell

[jkeaton]

Thanks, Bob and Jarrell (and others), I'm almost ready to install a Masonite backdrop and you've answered questions I'd hardly thought about.

Bob, I like your description of using paint to attache the paper drywall tape at the joints. Did you install any screws in the centre of the Masonite pieces? I thinking of taking my Masonite backdrop all the way to the ceiling - to better seal the room, frankly - and will need support screws in the centre of the 4'x8' sheets. If you did put in screws in the midst of the Masonite, did you do the paint and paper drywall tape over them as well? Would that work to hide the screwheads?

Thanks again,
Jim

[jacon12]

Jim, someone in this thread recommended buying a GOOD countersink. After tackling this stuff (masonite), I can tell you that is very good advice. I've done about half of mine using a large twist drill to make the 'dimple' so that your screw heads are flush or sunk in just a hair, and it works pretty good. But, when you working with something that is only 1/8th inch thick it is very easy to overdo that little dimple. I highly recommend the countersink. OH.... those kind that are made for drywall that 'push' in the little dimple... nope they don't work so hot because tempered masonite is very hard unlike the drywall. Good luck with yours!
Jarrell

[cmrproducts]

Jim

Yes I put screws in between the seams. My backdrop goes to the ceiling and I would just put in one at the top and another at the bottom.

I have a drop ceiling in the room and used the light hanging brackets that fit on the ceiling track to hold a 1 x 2 put in vertical. I just drilled a hole in the end of the 1 x 2 and slid in the bolt to hold the 1 x 2 at the ceiling. I screwed the 1 x 2 at the bottom to the benchwork.

This is to just take some of the sprinngyness out of the Masonite. In several places I was able to fold back the backdrop from the end of the peninsula and attach the Masonite to the other side. The one place I just glued the 2 pieces of Masonite and then taped and filled the seam. This is the only place I may have trouble later on down the road as I am not convinced that the tube adhesive will hold for the duration.

As for the screws, I started out using a large diameter drill bit but after putting way too many holes in the Masonite I purchased a set of counter sinks. This eliminated the problem and made it much faster to counter sink the holes.

I used the drywall compound (pre-mixed type) to fill in the holes, only because I had it left over from doing the room drywall. There are probably other types of fillers that would do a much better job with less shrinkage, which means less time to get the job done!

BOB H – Clarion, PA

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by pacificnorthern

Hello, I used the masonite for the curves on my backdrop with no problems, i tapered it to the wall with dry wall compound, when I bought it at Home depot THey cut it for me in 2 ft lengths, (2X4)

Pacific, is that the seams between two pieces that you did with drywall compound?
Thanks,
Jarrell

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cmrproducts

Jim


As for the screws, I started out using a large diameter drill bit but after putting way too many holes in the Masonite I purchased a set of counter sinks. This eliminated the problem and made it much faster to counter sink the holes.

I

BOB H – Clarion, PA

Amen Bob! If I learned ONE thing in dealing with Masonite that would be this stuff is HARD! My backdrop is only two feet high and I'm placing screws at about 18 inch intervals (which I may regret later?) and where two pieces meet I used carpenters glue on the backside of the masonite, then screwed it down at about 8 inch intervals (top to bottom).
So guys and girls, if you're using this material for a backdrop do yourself a favor and use good countersinks.
Me? I'm hardheaded and now have a couple of holes to patch[banghead]
Jarrell

[Anonymous]

Where would someone go to buy some masonite? Is masonite the name because I did a search at home depot .com and lowes

[jacon12]

Jon,
I bought it at Home Depot. It's over close to the 4x 8 plywood... in that section. I'm sure Lowes and any other larger building supply places carry it. I've heard it called 'hardboard' also. If you call around, ask for it by both names. If I remember correctly it was around $7 for a 4x8 foot piece.
Jarrell

[bill1224]

I'm wondering about other mat'ls beside masonite. What does everyone think about the material you see on billboards. I don't know what it is, maybe roll vinyl. I've seen them putting up entire billboards with all the advertising printed on it. Which brings me to my next Q. What do you do if you're artistically challenged?
bill1224

[Anonymous]

Masonite is a brand name. Generically it is "hardboard".

[n2mopac]

It is also referred to (more technically) as tempered board. I can't say what you should search for on a web site, but if you actually go to Lowe's, Home Depot, local building supply, etc. (I have yet to find a lumber yard that doesn't carry it) they will know it by any of these names. The only difficulty sometimes is in finding the 1/8" stuff. 1/4" is universal, you can find it anywhere. Do-it-yourself orientes stores often carry 1/8" as well, but stores orineted more toward contractors often do not. This is because it is more useful for hobbies and is rarely uses in such thin stock in regular construction.

Ron

[jacon12]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bill1224

I'm wondering about other mat'ls beside masonite. What does everyone think about the material you see on billboards. I don't know what it is, maybe roll vinyl. I've seen them putting up entire billboards with all the advertising printed on it. Which brings me to my next Q. What do you do if you're artistically challenged?
bill1224

Bill, since I'm so new at all this I'll only say that several people have used linoleum rugs to make the backdrop and they do recommend it. After working with hardboard I would think the rug would be much easier to get the screw head countersunk just right.
Jarrell

[Anonymous]

Has anyone usd posterboard? The stuff the kids use in science fairs and atr projects?

[rrinker]

I'm considering it. I really need a way to fix what I did - on this first section of my layout I had the idea of using thinner foam insulation board as the backdrop, so I got it all fastened on, it's pretty good except for a slightly ragged gap where two sections join, plus the corner is of course square and not nicely curved. I definitewly will not attempt this on any other portion of the layout. But I can;t really remove this now, so I have to deal with it. Ont he workbench I use a piece of heavy posterboard - let that get cut up instead of the actually bench top when cutting parts and so forth - gets messed up, just put on a new piece of posterboard. Cheaper than a large size self-healing mat. Anyway, the stuff I got comes in a pack of 3 from Staples, so I stuck the other two up against the foam backdrop and - well, paper has a MUCH tighter joint line. Even without fill it would be darn close to an invisible gap. It also curves nicely into the corner. It's also heavy enough that it should take paint without turning into a mushy mess - it is, i believe, coated - it's not cheap postetboard. Anyway, this seems to be my best bet for fixing the original poor choice. Going forward I will use more conventional techniques.

--Randy