I’m currently working on a section along the back of my layout where there are some printed building ‘flats’ ( I guess you’d call them). I’ve used short sections of fence to hide the bottoms in some areas but since this area is approx. 3 to 4 feet long that would be a LOT of fence to hide it all…
I plan to use some super trees to hide the edges of some buildings but I’m looking for suggestions or ‘how you did it’ advice on hiding the bottom edge of the ‘buildings’ where they meet the ground. The area is across the mainline from my yard and much of this area is only a couple of inches from the mainline track.
I’ve thought about a fence with vines growing all over it but not sure how to construct those.
I will, but have not yet, faced this issue on my layout. All my photos of trackside factories show weeds growing right against the building so I suspect a bit of sculptamold and foliage material will be involved. I have heard of using modeling clay for this purpose as well
I am facing an issue now with a scratchbuilt structure that will be placed on some rather irregular ground. I am toying with the idea of a foam rubber gasket along the bottom edge of the building, perhaps painted a concrete color, so that there will not be gaps. i got the idea from the covers that I put over my outdoor faucets each winter. The dome shaped covers have a foam gasket at the bottom so that it can meet the brick or stone side of the house and not leave gaps. Again thus far this is theory not practice.
Fences are good. You could also use a row of bushes, maybe sprinkle a few flowers on some of them, they could be neat and trimmed like a formal hedge or just bushes. If you have loading doors a narrow loading dock would hide a section. If there is an older building, not being kept up, the grass could be growing tall around its foundation.
To put vines on a fence you could stretch out some poly fiber really thin, put some glue on it (or spray adhesive) and sprinkle on some fine ground foam. I saw a building done with vines on it, that was just the ground foam on dribbles of glue, didn’t look too bad.
I agree with DKNelson on the weed-grown approach, especially where the track is against the building (loading platform or dock doors.)
If the pavement runs right up to the foundation, you don’t really have to ‘hide’ the joint. In the local commercial-industrial districts, a lot of the buildings look as if they had just been set down on the parking lots. Of course, the Dessicated Desert isn’t conducive to weed growth in pavement cracks Takes more than our annual 50mm of rainfall to accomplish that.
A little detail to raise the reality level. Model a well-beaten path through the underbrush to a gate (or a gap) in the fence. People will always find the shortest way through.
I use ground foam around buildings. This gives a “weedy” appearance. There is often a small green border between an asphalt parking lot and the building’s foundation, either by design or simply because plants will grow up through small cracks in the pavement.
Speaking of hiding things, this building has a switch machine inside of it. The throw rod is visible here.
Besides green foliage, you can also use ballast as gravel, or talus to hide the base. If you’ve got a loading dock door, then a platform in front of the door would be appropriate. Finally, a few details like barrels, boxes or trash cans will catch the eye and draw attention away from the foundation base.
Weeds, sidewalks, mailboxes, fences, building structures (sheds, car compounds with fences), storage tanks, parked vehicles, bushes/hedges, parked diner or RPO, maybe a boxcar, stacks of cartons, ties, rails, pallets, lumber, more buildings between you and the backdrop, etc…
Hi Jarrell: I agree with Chuck and Selector. Use a combination of short lengths of fence, asphalt (alley, street, parking lot, etc.) with narrow sections of vegetation, (bushes, grass, weeds, small trees, etc.). I also used shallow backround buildings to hide both vertical and horizontal seams. Here’s a few pics. An overall view. . A short fence.. A narrow street behind the fore ground buildings..
If I hear what you are asking, it seems to be two different things. One is a way to hide the transition between the layout and backdrop. The second is how to hide the gap that usually shows at the bottom of a building.
To hide the layout transition to the backdrop, I find that fence is most effective. Next is clumps of bushes and hedge rows. Piles of junk is another. But the fence and hedge rows are most effective. You may be able to print it out on a color printer, cut it out and mount it on anything stiff that you can stand up. Of course, shallow relief buildings will work also.
To hide the bottom of buildings, I use foliage. Usually WS medium texture, dark green. I put a small amount in a paper cup, then soak it with wet water. Next I run a bead of Elmer’s glue around the base of the building. Then using a pair of tweezers, I apply the wet ground foam and press it into the bead of white glue. Mix different color greens in the cup with the ground foam for variety. This not only hides the seam, but serves to hold the building in place. If you have to remove the building, spray around it’s base with wet water and let soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Then you can remove the building without damaging it.
Sorry if I didn’t make myself more clear. I’m not trying to hide the bases of structures, but I am trying to camoflauge the bottoms of the printed buildings that I have glued to my backdrop. As several of you noted, probably the best methods are fences, bushes etc. and that’s what I’ve started with. I think I’ll make some more fences and try putting vines, kudzu etc on them to get some variety. I’m also putting trees in front of the fence so that breaks up that long line also.
Man… the way that stuff grows, in about 3 days I’ll have to force open the trainroom door!! And I won’t dare go in 'cause it’ll be the last anyone ever hears of me again.
I think a small ridge along with a fence, bushes, weeds, etc. works well. Just as shown in your photo. It wouldn’t have to be a long fence. Any combination of the above should work fine. Also, retaining walls and anything else you can think of.
I usually trace a line around the foundation of the building onto the scenery, cut down into the scenery and plant a foundation and fill in any gaps between the sides of the foundation and scenery with ground foam and other scenery material. That’s kind of how the prototype is.
To grow vines on a fence or a wall try painting a spider web of thin lines using full strength white glue. Then sprinkle on ground foam of appropriate color and size. Let dry. Instant vines (or ivy).
Invasive species is a relative thing. Twenty years ago, at the foot of our driveway (1.2 acre lot), the invaders were blackberries. Now it’s wild roses displacing the blackberries. Scotch Broom is hard on the rose’s heels.
I have yet to see anything that will outdo a well watered and fed pumpkin plant. Whew!
Hi Jarrell: I agree with Chuck and Selector. Use a combination of short lengths of fence, asphalt (alley, street, parking lot, etc.) with narrow sections of vegetation, (bushes, grass, weeds, small trees, etc.). I also used shallow backround buildings to hide both vertical and horizontal seams. Here’s a few pics. An overall view. 
. A short fence.
. A narrow street behind the fore ground buildings.
.