Basic scenery

Suffering from the 'Plywood Pacific' look? Share your scenery & structure questions and tips here...
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torikoos
Posts: 876
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:46 pm
Location: Newton Abbot, Devon, UK .
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Basic scenery

Post by torikoos »

I've just started the next step in my basic scenery on my home layout. On this layout, I use the method as demonstrated in Joe Fugate's scenery DVD's (Ten Mile Creek). So the basic terain is cardboard webbing hot glued together, covered with masking tape, painted with latex earth paint, and now I've started with the next layer.
This is a mix of Vermiculite (from the local garden center, I got a fine variety which is best) 4 parts of this, 3 parts of filling plaster (plaster of paris works too but sets too quick for this purpose so best to add some baking powder (not baking soda)), and 1 part Portland cement, mixed up, then add water to make a nice 'paste' that is easy to work with using plastering knife etc.
I use the above for hills etc, the basic boards are the 5cm (2inch) pink foam boards (extruded Styrofoam) from B&Q, however this seems rather hard to come by at present.

I'm happy with how this went so far, but still curious what others prefer to do? Hope to hear from you.

Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
Mike_R
Posts: 406
Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:05 pm

Re: Basic scenery

Post by Mike_R »

I use smooth ceiling paint (artex) for my scenery. It is painted on top of either foam, or if open underneath, a cardboard web with the paint used to stick squares of weed suppression material on the web in several layers. Unlike plaster the paint stays flexible so doesn't crack.

On top of that goes stones sifted from sharp sand (left overs from ballast making) or real sifted soil, Woodland scenics and I must try static grass.
Mike Ruby
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