Painting Plastruct Wall

[jacon12]

I bought a couple of sheets of Plastructs Coursed Stone wall and was wondering what would be the best way to paint or stain or how to finish the wall off.  The stone work is pretty low relief so I'm thinking about 'lightly' painting it a grey'ish color but not sure what to do next.  I know if I leave it the flat grey color it'll be pretty blah.  I'd like the stone to pop out a little more.

Any ideas?

The wall is made of plastic, of course.

Jarrell

[MisterBeasley]

You might try "mortaring" it, the way you would with a brick wall on a building.  Lots of different techniques, but this one is the one I like:  First, paint the whole thing the brick (or in your case, stone) color.  After it's dry, rub Hydrocal powder in the cracks.  Lightly mist water above the wall, so it "rains" down on it.  (This keeps the spray pressure from blowing away the Hydrocal.)  Let the Hydrocal harden up, and wipe off the excess with a paper towel.  Finally, brush on a light India-Ink in water (or alcohol) wash to tone down the extreme white of the Hydrocal.

For my cast stone walls, I've been using a spray can of Rustoleum speckled brown paint.  This gives a nice color and texture, and it's irregular to boot.  Once that's dry, I brush with an India Ink wash again.  This works very well on Hydrocal castings, because the very small features of the casting absorb the Ink and darken more than the smooth stuff around them, highlighting the features.  I'm not sure how it would work on the plastic bricks, but I think the paint by itself would still look pretty good.

[jacon12]

Thanks for the suggestions, Mr. B.  You've given me a idea or two that I'll try on a piece of the left over scrap wall.  I have some 'mortar' that I bought at a train show and it works very well on 'brick' structure.  I think I'll mist the wall section a light grey color and then try the mortar on it to see how it works.

Hmmmm.. I guess they use mortar on coursed stone walls, don't they?  It looks like the stones are kinda laid down tight on each other right up to the top but surely there's some mortar in there.

I also may try misting the wall with a wash of black acrylic paint, letting it settle in the low spots then try painting the raised 'stone' with the grey paint.  I don't know if that would work at all.

Ok, thanks again!

Jarrell

 

 

You might try "mortaring" it, the way you would with a brick wall on a building.  Lots of different techniques, but this one is the one I like:  First, paint the whole thing the brick (or in your case, stone) color.  After it's dry, rub Hydrocal powder in the cracks.  Lightly mist water above the wall, so it "rains" down on it.  (This keeps the spray pressure from blowing away the Hydrocal.)  Let the Hydrocal harden up, and wipe off the excess with a paper towel.  Finally, brush on a light India-Ink in water (or alcohol) wash to tone down the extreme white of the Hydrocal.

For my cast stone walls, I've been using a spray can of Rustoleum speckled brown paint.  This gives a nice color and texture, and it's irregular to boot.  Once that's dry, I brush with an India Ink wash again.  This works very well on Hydrocal castings, because the very small features of the casting absorb the Ink and darken more than the smooth stuff around them, highlighting the features.  I'm not sure how it would work on the plastic bricks, but I think the paint by itself would still look pretty good.

[Grampys Trains]

Hi Jarrell: Mr B's method sounds good. I've used basically the same method, just a little simpler. I painted the brick with what ever color I wanted, then just mixed a thin mix of a mortar color, wet water, and alcohol. I used a fine mister bottle and layed the wall flat, and sprayed the mixture on and let it dry. The alcohol seems to spread into all the crevices. Then, a alcohol, India ink spray to finish it off.

[Bob grech]

I would suggest touching up the stones with Floquil's concrete, weathered black, roof brown. Follow-up with a heavy concentration of A&I stain. Once dry, use polly-s white (water base) to add your mortar (apply paint over entire wall, then wipe off, leaving it in the cracks). Tone the white down with a lite mix of A&I. Let dry, then finish up with dull-cote.  

[nbrodar]

You could also try drybrushing the wall with grays and browns as I did one the foundation here:

Here another one, although the bridge is actually a urethane tunnel portal.

Nick

 

[robert sylvester]

jacon12: I have used all sorts of methods from spray cans to hand painting.  I use Holgate and Reynolds, similar to Plastruct. I have rock walls, brick walls, you name it.

This rock wall, for example is hand painted grey.  Then I take powered plaster mixed with black Tempra Paint powder and mix, thus I get grey.

Various rock walls on the layout.

The same for scratch buildings.

Another way to get the brick work to stand out is to mortar; i.e. sheet rock mud spread on the brick wall then wiped with a damp paper towel and allowed to dry.

Thus my two favorite ways to enhance brick work or rock walls is to mortar with plaster powder mixed with Tempra black paint or sheet rock mud.

It is cheap and I think the results are pretty good.

This is a brick wall cut to fit and used as a station platform.

The above is using the powder, below is how it looked before finished.

This is the same platform with the unpainted brick wall used as the passenger platform.

I painted the brick wall with red brick paint, allowed it to dry then dusted the platform with the powder mixture and used a soft brush the sweep off the excess.

Hope it helps.

Robert Sylvester, WTRR

[jacon12]

Thanks for all the suggestions and photos!

Now to decide which way to go.. 

Jarrell

[gandydancer19]

Thanks for all the suggestions and photos!

Now to decide which way to go.. 

Jarrell

Well, just pick one and use it for the current project.  Then use another way for the next project.  That way they won't look alike.  Soon you will find one or two ways that you like best.