# Making streets and parking lots



## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

What size foam board would you guys think would be good for making streets and parking lots


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

lears2005 said:


> What size foam board would you guys think would be good for making streets and parking lots


Lately I've been experimenting with the flexible foam sheets you can get at craft stores. They are 1/16" thick and you can get them in gray. I painted it with more gray and then stained it with a solution of black ink and alcohol and I was very pleased with the results. You can also easily mark white and yellow lines on it with paint pens.

I think I'm just going to make all my roads with it. I don't know if anyone else uses it here, but there are lots of ways to make roads. Anyway that's my input. You can see it in the pic -


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Use shingles, and cut them to size. They look more authentic as roads than the foam does, and can take more of a beating. All the roads on my layout are cut from shingles, with road lines painted on later.

-J.


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

Got any pic of the shingles being used


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## kingred58 (Apr 8, 2011)

I'd love to see some asphalt roads as well.

Here's a tutorial on how to make some great looking roads by coating foam with a thin coat of plaster:
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/crowley/ashphalt_roads.htm

~Kingred


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

lears2005 said:


> Got any pic of the shingles being used


I use them as well...

http://misterbobsmodelworksemporium.blogspot.com/2008/03/grade-crossings-and-roads-made-easy.html


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## marzbarz (Sep 23, 2011)

I find Styrene to be the easiest product to create streets, parking lots etc.. Styrene is easy to paint and weather as well. Well I really use those plastic FOR SALE signs. Have a couple of pictures floating around here I recently posted on my grade crossings.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I've used sheet cork for roads and parking lots. Look pretty good painted flat black for asphalt. pete


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## txdyna65 (Aug 17, 2012)

Ive been wondering about this myself, excellent link Shay, thanks


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## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

Mr.Buchholz said:


> Use shingles, and cut them to size. They look more authentic as roads than the foam does,


Well that depends on the scale being modeled. In N scale the little rocks in a shingle are way out of scale for an asphalt road.


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

lears2005 said:


> Got any pic of the shingles being used


http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?p=171185#post171185

The roads are all aligned properly and painted now. Parking lots are not all done. The shingles work perfectly, however. You can also mix some white paint and water together to create a wash, that will make your shingles grey if you want that aged look for your roads.

-J.


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## HVF City (Jul 14, 2012)

I use rubber EPDM (roofing mat). Paints well, cuts easy. Contours easily and isn't so thick to be out of scale.
Bill
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=114947222001796&set=pb.100004595559477.-2207520000.1354277468&type=3&theater
www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=114947222001796&set=pb.100004595559477.-2207520000.1354277468&type=3&theater


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## fotoflojoe (Dec 31, 2011)

shaygetz said:


> I use them as well...
> 
> http://misterbobsmodelworksemporium.blogspot.com/2008/03/grade-crossings-and-roads-made-easy.html


I deserve a face-palm...
When you guys mentioned shingles, I immediately thought *wood* shingles. This lead to a "What the?" reaction on my part. 

Shaygetz, those ASPHALT shingled roads look great!


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

fotoflojoe said:


> Shaygetz, those ASPHALT shingled roads look great!


Thanks...I saw it first used on our club's modular layout. If you find older shingles that are a bit sun dried, by rolling them after you cut them, you'll put noticable cracks in it that simulate cracking asphalt quite well.


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## fotoflojoe (Dec 31, 2011)

I've got a short stack of loose shingles sitting out in the weather behind my garage. They're left over from when I re-roofed the garage last year. I'll have to scoop up a few and bring them inside!


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## Hondarado (Nov 24, 2012)

I like to use a thin coat of plaster on Wood ...then paint with flat colors...you can add cracks when the plaster is wet....


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## Steve S (Jan 7, 2012)

xrunner said:


> In N scale the little rocks in a shingle are way out of scale for an asphalt road.


I think they flip it over and use the bottom side. 

I've been wanting to experiment with the method KingRed linked to, but instead of brushing on the plaster, I thought I'd mix dry plaster with some powdered tempera pigment and sift it on (a.k.a Zip Texturing.) I thought that might give it a nice mottled appearance. Unfortunately, neither of my local Michael's or Dick Blick has dry tempera. Looks like I'll have to order it online. 

Another thing to consider is that most asphalt roads have a crown to them to divert rain water toward the gutter. They also tend to have ruts and undulations since the asphalt is softer than concrete. I thought that one way to do this is to take some Readi-board from Dollar Tree, soak off the paper, and cut it to the width of the road. Then sand it to give it a crown and add some ruts. Glue the craft foam on top of that and add the plaster. I'll have to experiment after the holidays.

Steve S.


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