Roads & Streets

[eagle37]

What's a good material for making streets and roads? I've
thought of tar paper, but I don't know how I would get as
"little" as I would want--except perhaps to be a couple of
feet off the next roofing job boss I see :-).
eagle37

[tworail]

Tar paper is really quite thick and would make a good base. But I think the 'stones' on it might be too coarse? I don't have any handy to take a closer look.

In the past I would make the base out of cardboard, apply a light layer of plaster cloth, paint it grey-black, and sprinkle a bit of fine sand on it. Then weather to suit.

[Rusty Spike]

I use spackle (lightweight, red devil brand, comes in a good sized bucket that cost $12). I frame the road with small wood or platic strips and then use a putty knife to lay in a smooth roadbed. Once dry (about a day), I lightly sand and then scribe concrete joints and cracks or just cracks if doing black top (point of an x acto blade). Then I paint it black forcing the paint into the cracks. I might go with medium gray if it's concrete and close to the viewer to soften it a bit. Then I paint with old concrete paint (or cheap poster paint that is the color of concrete) being careful not to flood it so the cracks keep the darker color. I lightly sand again (concrete is not typically smooth like asphalt) and then weather with diluted india ink or diluted black paint and a cloth. I'll post some pics.

[Rusty Spike]

Sample spackle-made road . . . flash lighting is so harsh . . .

[mcnay55]

Wow, thats a nice looking road. I am still experimenting on making a road. I have used drywall plaster in the past but wish for more realism.

[rutlandville]

that is a good lookimg road:)

[Don Chovanec]

I have used art foam sheets. They are about 1/8" thick, come in many road colors. This is almost like a foam rubber. It does glue nicely, you can paint on it and it is cheap. The sheets I have come in 11"X17" sheets and are very flexible for hills and such. With landscaping on both sides it really does look real. I am not sure where you get it now but I am sure it would be like in crafts stores and such. I would send you a picture but I am trying to find my pictures. Also there is some mini pinstriping tape that I used for center lines. It looked good for quite awhile but eventually dried out and pealed off.

[stationmaster]

I have used art foam sheets. They are about 1/8" thick, come in many road colors. This is almost like a foam rubber. It does glue nicely, you can paint on it and it is cheap. The sheets I have come in 11"X17" sheets and are very flexible for hills and such. With landscaping on both sides it really does look real. I am not sure where you get it now but I am sure it would be like in crafts stores and such. I would send you a picture but I am trying to find my pictures. Also there is some mini pinstriping tape that I used for center lines. It looked good for quite awhile but eventually dried out and pealed off.


Ditto. Skim coat, a finishing plaster, also works well.