Weathering flatcar decks

[Dodger]

What's the best way to weather flatcar decks to look like aged wood instead of the styrene look?  Would the replacement decks made by Modeler's Choice look better?  Thanks!!

[maxman]

If you are a member of the MRVideo Plus thing there is actually a video of Cody's workshop where he shows how to paint/weather a plastic deck.  Looked pretty good to me.

[MisterBeasley]

I took a piece of grooved siding sheet from Northeast Scale Lumber, cut it to size and glued it to the top of a flatcar.  Then I weathered it with an India Ink wash.

[dstarr]

Two ways come to me. 

1.  Just paint.  Wood weathers out driftwood gray.  A coat of light gray rattle can auto primer followed up with some dry brushing of black to high light the wood grain in the plastic.  And maybe some brush swipes of white with a touch of yellow to simulate places where loads have scraped off the weathered wood surface exposing the light wood underneath.

2.  Add a real wood deck from strip wood.  Nice thin 1/32 strip wood should not make the deck too thick.  Stain the strip wood driftwood gray.  Either use Minwax, or just thin some gray paint down to a wash.  Since stain doesn't sink into wood with glue on it, stain the stripwood before gluing it in place. 

[cedarwoodron]

Before doing any painting, it might be good to use a distresser "tool" of some sort. You can get some metal brushes from Harbor Freight for less than $3.00 or if you have motor tool brush wheels, a few light scrapes across the width of the deck will enhance the use of diluted India ink wash or diluted black (flat) paint after a gray primer spray can coating. Or- use some dark grays and earth tones to dry brush on after the gray primer. Don't try to be "artistic" about it, just make things older and dirtier than new. Sometimes, you can mask off single or several cross pieces (of the scribing) and treat as light tan (to simulate replaced wood) as you weather. If you use chock blocks to secure a load, these are generally newer wood and should look like fresher lumber, in contrast to the wood decking. I have used both coloring methods (for some visual variety) on MOW flats and old boxcar interiors where I have inserted scribed styrene flooring. Cedarwoodron

[wp8thsub]

I distressed the original plastic deck on this Athearn car with a razor saw and utility knife, then dry-brushed several applications of gray/tan acrylic craft paint.  The paint also adds some texture to relieve the smooth plastic look.  The first coat of paint adds some tooth to hold later dry-brushing and doesn't necessarily provide a finished look by itself.  I like to start with darker colors and work toward lighter ones.  The rest of the car is still awaiting weathering.

 

[hminky]

Visit:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/decks/

for styrene as weathered wood:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/weathered_plastic/

Thank you if you visit

Harold