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HO scale Parking Lot

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  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,289 posts
HO scale Parking Lot
Posted by FRRYKid on Thursday, July 27, 2023 4:01 AM

Got yet another one for my Forum friends. Does anyone make a kit for making your own parking lots? I've seen the roll out ones. Those won't work as I have an odd shaped area for the lot. I haven't been able to find correct sized striping other than in decals and I doubt decals would work well on wood or cork. As usual, any ideas that can be provided would be most welcomed.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Thursday, July 27, 2023 5:14 AM

Hi FRRYKid,

Have you considered making your own parking lots? Woodland Scenics sells several products designed for doing exactly that.

They have road striping pens in yellow and white:

https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/C1292

They offer complete road systems which can easily be adapted to parking lots:

https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/RoadSystemTerrain

If you don't want to pay the premium prices for the WS stuff, fine tipped paint pens will do the same job, and the pavement can be formed in a variety of ways from using painted sheet styrene to plaster.

Note that, if you are going to use paint pens, you cannot use a flat straight edge as a painting guide. You have to elevate the edge of the guide above the surface. If you don't, you run the risk of having the paint bleed under the straight edge which will create quite a mess. You can do that by applying 2 or 3 layers of masking tape to the bottom of the straight edge about 1/8" away from the edge of the ruler.

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: California
  • 2,388 posts
Posted by HO-Velo on Thursday, July 27, 2023 9:23 AM

Tried waterproof sandpaper method first, nice texture but sure collects dust, (as seen around dumpster), as for cleaning; what a chore.

Gone the painted styrene & PVC board route.  .020 sheet styrene for this lot, paper template transferred to styrene.

Masking tape & airbrush for pavement markings.

Happy paving.  Regards, Peter

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 2,360 posts
Posted by kasskaboose on Thursday, July 27, 2023 3:08 PM

What detail with the cracks, etc.  You should consider putting on a clinic.  The tips you can provide would greatly help many.  Something to consider.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, July 27, 2023 3:44 PM

I like to use EVA foam to represent asphalt paving. I generally use gray and airbrush darker shades over it. 

 Chem_pave1 by Edmund, on Flickr

While this is a factory yard it could easily be a parking lot.

 Chem_pave-tar4 by Edmund, on Flickr

The darker areas represent areas that have been patched with more recent layers of asphalt.

 Asphalt_Crossing by Edmund, on Flickr

Asphalt requires maintenance:

 Pave_crew-1 by Edmund, on Flickr

 Pave_crew by Edmund, on Flickr

EVA foam is available in several colors and thicknesses. Two to four millimeter is generally good to work with. Glue it down with photo-safe contact cement. It is generally available at craft stores or Amazon. Look for cos-play supplies.

While I painted my stripes with masking tape and an airbrush you might want to consider 'nail art' striping tape. This is similar to the once popular Chartpak Tape. It comes in many colors and some very fine widths.

https://a.co/d/f7gNBrV

 

Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • 599 posts
Posted by azrail on Thursday, July 27, 2023 10:48 PM

Use an ultra fine point Sharpie for the asphalt cracks.

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Thursday, July 27, 2023 11:21 PM

azrail
Use an ultra fine point Sharpie for the asphalt cracks.

I found these to be useful, too:

https://a.co/d/hkZKBhA

Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,289 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Friday, July 28, 2023 3:29 AM

I actually have some Asphalt colored flat house paint that I bought a few years ago to represent pavement. I also have a bottle of craft paint that is also a similar (but diffrent) pavement color for patch work.

I have fine enought brushes in my collection that I use those for patches and cracks. (Don't even own an airbrush.)

Don't have a picture of it handy but I have an good size industrial area that has lots of paving and patches/cracks. It just doesn't have definded parking lines.

hon30critter

Hi FRRYKid,

Have you considered making your own parking lots? Woodland Scenics sells several products designed for doing exactly that.

They have road striping pens in yellow and white:

https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/item/C1292

If you don't want to pay the premium prices for the WS stuff, fine tipped paint pens will do the same job, and the pavement can be formed in a variety of ways from using painted sheet styrene to plaster.

Note that, if you are going to use paint pens, you cannot use a flat straight edge as a painting guide. You have to elevate the edge of the guide above the surface. If you don't, you run the risk of having the paint bleed under the straight edge which will create quite a mess. You can do that by applying 2 or 3 layers of masking tape to the bottom of the straight edge about 1/8" away from the edge of the ruler.

Cheers!!

Dave

 

I might have to use something along that idea.

What's the general opinion on the Flexi-edge that Woodland Scenics sells? It look like an interesting idea.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Friday, July 28, 2023 9:46 AM

The most recent NMRA Magazine which I just received this week has a very good article with drawings and measurements for accurate scale parking lots.  It may seem like an esoteric subject but I for one did not know the measurements and now I do.  

Dave Nelson

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