# Dollar tree hack



## cbishop (Nov 26, 2018)

I found 12lb bags of cat litter at dollar tree for, you guessed it....a dollar. Great dirt color and after sifting was perfect for a gravel lot and gravel roads. The larger pieces that didn't sift through are perfect for ballast


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## jimur (Mar 6, 2020)

cbishop said:


> I found 12lb bags of cat litter at dollar tree for, you guessed it....a dollar. Great dirt color and after sifting was perfect for a gravel lot and gravel roads. The larger pieces that didn't sift through are perfect for ballast


 May I ask what you used to sift and which scale is your layout?


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## cbishop (Nov 26, 2018)

I used the sifter in the pic below. My layout is O scale.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I personally would never use cat litter. For one thing, I have 3 cats, and I wouldn't want to give them any ideas. I also don't care for the properties of the clays they use in the manufacture of it -- they darken and get mushy when exposed to moisture, especially if it's the clumping litter. And I don't like the deodorizing compounds.

But that's just my opinion. If it works for you, I'm glad you found a bargain.


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## cbishop (Nov 26, 2018)

Its non clumping and its cheap crap from dollar tree so it doesn't do what cat litter is supposed to do 😂 which is why I use it. I'm with you on the actual functioning cat litter, it would be bad news. 
I apply it by painting on a thick layer of paint glue mix then sifting it on top of that. I then saturate it with cheap dollar tree hairspray, turns it into hard gravel surface.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

My layout has a no littering policy........


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## cbishop (Nov 26, 2018)

Haha!! Thats good stuff!!


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## bigdodgetrain (Jun 12, 2015)

pictures would help.


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## cbishop (Nov 26, 2018)

I think it turns out good


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## cbishop (Nov 26, 2018)

Thats after soaking with hairspray. Turns solid..

I do the exact same method with sifted quikrete to make industrial gravel lots. 

Both make a great budget base to build off of. Main thing is to saturate with hairspray.


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## cbishop (Nov 26, 2018)

Thats after soaking with hairspray. Turns solid..

I do the exact same method with sifted quikrete to make industrial gravel lots.

Both make a great budget base to build off of. Main thing is to saturate with hairspray


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