Ho Scale Road Pavement


H

Horsedad

Guest
This is my first time at this forum and I am a new modeler. It's time for me to put down some roads. My layout, currently 4'x8', includes a small town with a few buildings/stores and a country setting witha few farm houses. I've heard of material I can purchase that is basically a flexible raod. I'm looking for any ideas/suggestions on creating roads.
Ted
 
Ted, the material I used is remarkably cheap and easy to use: 400-600 grit sandpaper. Technically, wet/dry aluminum oxide paper, it's a dull black or grey colored and looks just like asphalt paving.

Cut with an old pair of scissors (or a pair that you don't mind BECOMING old quickly..) and you'l find it's very easy to do and screw ups don't cost you much.

I make splotches on it with grimey black (that's the color) paint to make it look more real. Some like to give it a light spray coat to knock off some of the sheen, but mine wasn't that noticeable.
 
I've done both the 400/600 grit sandpaper and the Woodland Scenics road system... not really sure which I like best. The sandpaper definitely works for large parking lots.
 
Depending on where the road is going I sometimes lay a piece of card board under the paper just to give it a little lift. Also if you press the cardboard down on the sides a little you can make a nice grade in your road. :cool:
 
I've used a stiple textured matboard, available at most frame shops. You cna get a lot out of a piece, and it has a good feel already. I then paint it with black and white cheapo watercolors, the kinds available in supermarkets and drugstores from crayola and other companies. They can be blended right on the paper to great effect, and if you think it looks wrong you can even rework it later with another layer or paint. Additionally, the matboard is ususally the same height as the diff between code 100 rail and the "spike" that hold it down, making grade crossings a snap.

I've also used foamcore to some sucess, and I've seen plaster used before too.
 
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