If you're going to choose between these 2 for asphalt roads...

I have 2 options for asphalt roads: flat black paper board or sandpaper. If you were going to choose between these 2, which one would you choose? If you choose sandpaper, what kind should I buy?

I'm actually limited to these 2 choices since I live in Metro Manila.

Mike B.
 
N

nachoman

I have used flat black paper board and it looks okay. If you do use sandpaper, get as fine as possible - 600 grit or greater. The paper board would probably be cheaper.

Kevi
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
Mike, wet-or-dry type paper will be the correct color for a base, although you will want to weather it a bit with paint. The new wet-or-dry will look like freshly laid asphalt. Get at least 400 grit to get a realistic texture, and laminate it to some luan plywood, corrugated cardboard, or some sort of heavy card stock to give it some strength.
 

CNJ999

Member
I would just point out that unless absolutely just laid, asphalt is no where near truly black in color. Asphalt with even a relatively modest age to it is a dark grey hue.

CNJ999
 

Herc Driver

Active Member
I like sandpaper too...it weathers with chaulks very nicely, you can create tire marks, add stains, and it can be lightly painted with lines and local road markings. If you choose to glue it down, be very careful to use just a small amount and cover the entire area as evenly as possible. Otherwise, when it dries, the paper can roll and become wavey. In the past, I've glued my sandpaper roads down, and placed a piece of wood on them to keep them flat, added some weight - like a paint can - on top of the wood to keep everything pressed down evenly.
 
Use contact cement to glue it in place and you'll have no wrinkles or lifting. ;):-D

Wayne

I concur with Dr.Wayne, I have used contact cement for many uses in model railroading, and it is great, you can use a spray can, or liquid, if using liquid, you can spread it fairly evenly with a stiff card, ie. credit card or the like.

:thumb:
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
I concur with Dr.Wayne, I have used contact cement for many uses in model railroading, and it is great, you can use a spray can, or liquid, if using liquid, you can spread it fairly evenly with a stiff card, ie. credit card or the like.

:thumb:

I prefer the gelled variety, by LePages, although a one quart can is the smallest size that I've been able to locate. I apply it using a brush - clean-up is easy with lacquer thinner. I've also found that if you're gluing another material, such as wood or metal to styrene, you'll get a better bond by first "prepping" the styrene with a brushed-on coat of lacquer thinner.

Wayne
 

Iron Goat

Member
I have a background cut-out that I need to mount... do you think the gelled contact cement would do a good job there, also???

Bob
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
have a background cut-out that I need to mount... do you think the gelled contact cement would do a good job there, also???

That would depend on the material the cut-out is printed on. In the case of permanently attaching pictures to a backdrop, I would recommend wall paper paste. It is, after all, designed specifically for printed paper.
The usual "surface preparation" would still be required.
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Bob, the contact cement would work, although I don't know if the solvents in it would bleed through and affect the visible side - it's not very "wet", like regular contact cement, but you never know. As Pete suggested, the wallpaper paste should work well, or you could try Spra Mount, an artist's adhesive by 3M Company.

Wayne
 

Iron Goat

Member
Thanks Pete and Wayne... This background cut-out is from Realistic Backgrounds, and is printed on "premium card stock". I have some painted scrap formica left, so I think I'll test the methods using some small sections of that portion of the background that I had trim off to get the cut-out section.

Thanks again... Bob
 
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