# Roads & Streets



## eagle37 (Dec 29, 2007)

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


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## tworail (Apr 13, 2006)

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.


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## Rusty Spike (Oct 9, 2008)

*Spackle*

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.


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## Rusty Spike (Oct 9, 2008)

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


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## mcnay55 (Oct 21, 2008)

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.


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## rutlandville (Sep 14, 2008)

that is a good lookimg road


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## Don Chovanec (Jan 13, 2009)

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.


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## stationmaster (Dec 7, 2008)

Don Chovanec said:


> 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.


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