Woodland Scenics makes a product called “Flex Paste,” which is a rubberized material intended to be used as a waterproof seal base for model water features (lakes, rivers, etc) to prevent leakage of the model water material, and also to prevent possible bubbles from the “de-gassing” of foam, if the modeler uses that as a foundation material under the water feature. It also has other modeling
uses, such as simulating snowcover on buildings, terrain, etc.
Now, there’s a company called Flex Seal that also makes a product called “Flex Paste,” which is available at any hardware/home improvement store. Is it the same thing?
I tend to assume it is, but a WS product video shows that their Flex Paste can be sanded after it dries, while the Flex Seal’s Flex Paste says on its product webpage that it cannot be sanded.
I’m planning to model a reservoir on my layout and would like to use Flex Paste as a base over extruded styrofoam. I’d like it to be flat in texture so the ability to sand it would be ideal for me.
Is cost your criteria for selecting the one that can’t be sanded over the one that can be sanded?
I may be wrong, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use a rubber sealer on extruded foam for resin-based water features. They cover the foam with plaster or hydrocal then with the color paint they want and seal the edges with masking tape and white glue.
I guess I don’t understand why you need the sealer. I use either Paper Mache or Sculptamold for my ground cover over foam and do my thing with Woodland Scenics flocking then use Parks Super Glaze Glossy Epoxy for my water.
still water, and make up thin flexible overlays with the various ‘weather effects’ (directional wind ripples, whitecaps, rain, ice etc.) on them. Substitute these depending on ‘season’ or operating session desire. This goes along with snow or other effects that can be made up as ‘appliqué’…
The sealer is to prevent the “water” from leaking out before it sets. The resins used to simulate water are even more watery than the real thing. Wherever real water might seep in then the resin will even more so, especially by capillary action.
Foam is porous to water to some extent, especially the expanded polystyrene manufactured from pellets. Even extruded styrofoam is not waterproof. I expect the Woodland Scenic product is more expensive, by quite a bit, and a lot easier to use, based on my experiences with other products they make.
I’m pretty sure you paint first, then seal , then pour your “water.” The illusion of depth is created by colour both on the “bottom” of the reservoir and mixed into the resin before you pour. Most reservoirs are deep enough and still enough that the surface actually looks black. Particulates that reflect sunlight settle out of most big reservoirs and clear water has no colour. Lakes, ponds and most rivers are coloured either by the actual particulate colours or by the reflecting effects from pale coloured particulates.
At the extremes you see mostly brown tints in water bodies and rivers located in woodlands or pastures to quite clear water in dryland areas to remarkable blues and greens in mountainous regions.
The blue you see from a distance is mostly reflected blue sky with some refracted light due to the very low viewer angle of sightline so consider where your viewer “really is” when deciding on colour for your reservoir. If you are “really” up there looking down on the surface it will be very dark. Only the very edges will have any colour depending on your imagined shoreline profile as it descends into darkness.
An almost hidden Ogopogo would be an amusing idea …
I use flex paste to fill in the crack between the facia and my foam layout so that cracks don’t form. Works well for that and lets me scenic right up to the edge.
I can testify that products such as Unreal Details’ “Magic Water” find holes you never dreamed existed when poured. One possible use for a sealing paste is also where a river or stream ends at the fascia and you want to temporarily dam it up so that when the dam is removed you basically are looking at the edge of the water. That has to be absolutely water tight to work. I used flexible adhesive caulk that comes out white and dries clear and fortunately it worked
While the Flex-Seal product may not be the same thing as what WS sells, odds are there IS an existing building or craft product that IS the same thing that WS sells, available in larger quantities for the same price.
There have been a few layout construction stories where the builder relates missing even one small pinhole before pouring resin water. If there is even the slightest opening - the resin will find it, and you will end up with a pond on the floor instead of a pond on the layout.
If you want to see a master modeler’s example of water on a layout, check out this week’s Weekend Photo Fun thread: Peter’s (HO-Velo) photos are difficult to tell the difference between actual and model.
