Sandpaper roads?

[Herc Driver]

Just thinkin about this...

Has anyone tried to use gray fine grit sandpaper for roads or parking lots? I was looking at the sandpaper I was using to clean off the tracks from my ballasting adventure and thought it looked pretty realistic as a paved parking lot or roadway. (But then again, I was pretty tired at the time...) Of course getting glued into place would surely wrinkle the paper - unless I could get away with using some type of superglue that dries faster than modeling/white/yellow glues.

Anyway...anyone tried this before?

 

[ezdays]

No, but I'd say that it would have to be fairly smooth at 160 scale to look like asphalt. Even 400 grit may be a bit too rough.

But, about the glue, if you're talking about the cloth-backed stuff, I wouldn't worry about using water-based glues. If you're talking about the paper-backed stuff, you might want to use a spray adhesive to evenly coat it and have a fast drying time.

I bought some cloth-backed black sandpaper on special a while back thinking it was wet-dry. I put it in water, and all the sand came off...:cry:My bad...

 

[Herc Driver]

Just tried it...

400 grit automotive sand paper looks pretty convincing for an N scale roadway. The automotive stuff I found has an almost inperceptable grit pattern. Using a yellow pencil highlighter you can carefully draw in the road yellow centerlines. Using pencil lead, you can add tire wear marks and even skid marks. Even running your finger over it can create a wear pattern and break up the uniformity of the paper. You have to carefully cut out those areas between the tracks - quite a trick to free hand it for the turns where I needed them.

 

[Clerk]

I just layed some road on my layout. I bought a reem of black construction paper and it cuts real easy and had no trouble with it. I used white Elmers glue. Also gray constructiion paper works will for cement pavement

 

[Matthyro]

Good idea Dick. I hadn't thought of construction paper for that purpose.

 

[CSX6638]

Herc Driver
I used Norton Black-Grey wet sanding waterproof sandpaper for the roads on my layout and heavy Grey textured construction paper for parking lots, the waterproof paper does not wrinkle when you apply the glue it sets down smooth, a little white chaulk and black lead pencil gives a more realistic look. If you PM me an email address I will forward you a few photos.