I am building the DPM warehouse (103) and want to make a tar paper roof. The model comes with a white card stock flat roof and I envision a black tar paper roof on this model. I need a how to and materials list. I am thinking of making it from tissue paper. Thanks, Max
Max,
First off, [#welcome] to the forum! Good to have you aboard! [:)]
For a glossy look, you could probably use black electrical tape and butt the sides together. For a flat look, 600 grit sandpaper would work.
Tom
Cool thanks 600 grit sandpaper will definately give me the look I see in my mind.
I use fine sandpaper,even when it’s black i paint it with polly S grimey black,then indicate the tar lines on the seams,around pipes and chimmneys and any roof hatch,with a fine black permanent marker…which is slightly glossy and looks like tar.
For a sloped roof, I used strips of masking tape, and then painted them flat black with cheap acrylics. For a flat roof, I put down a piece of duct tape, and then used the cheap black paint on that. I used duct tape because it was wider, and I didn’t want a lot of seams. The tape gives me the texture I want. By brushing on paint, I get an “uneven” look that looks much better than an even spray or tape which is already black.
I took the roof styrene - painted it heavily with a brush with grimy black and sprinkled black pepper on it. Interesting effect.
Black ballast will work too
400 grit black emery paper for the tarred and gravel look, although you could rub it/ brush it with some drywall dust or talcum powder. Otherwise, just paint the cardstock black and cover that with diluted gloss medium to get the tarry look…
The trouble with using masking tape is that over the years the adhesive dries out and the tape starts to delaminate or curl. The paint will help it somewhat, but it will eventually start to fail and ruin your hard work. The electrical tape mentioned above will fail in a much shorter time. I like the texture you talk about, so add a small amount of glue to make sure it will stay.
I’m supposed to be in charge of the scenery/ structures in my club. We are the oldest one in the country-65years of fun. Hundreds of structures are stored waiting for new homes on our huge new layout (only about 1/4 done) this gives me time to really check out all the various methods and techniques used over the years. Granted, modern glues and adhesives have come light years, but some of the old tried and true materials are still very tempting to use even now. All of the cardstock pieces, even w/ just roof sections have all gone to h—. Pasted on signing and laminations have also failed. Thin wood or plywoods have curled if not sealed on all sides, many of the old Ambroid glue joints are brittle or broken.
Model structures are , I guess, almost like the real thing-- always in need of some kind of maintainance.
If you are looking for lasting models to place on the layout, use quality materials and common sense, to save some grief further down the road. I’d rather be running trains than doing work on the layout.
Getting back to the tarpaper roofs, the ones that have held up the best are the gl
i do tarpaper roofs in 0 scale using 3/4" masking tape. if i were into H0 i would use 3/8".
i lay it down in strips with the prototypical 2" lap used by all roofers, and put in a splice joint every 30’. then i paint it grimy black.
when sticking it down, i am careful as i can be to get it even and flat (just like in real life). after it is painted, it will, over a short period of time, create that wrinkling effect that all tarpaper does no matter how careful it was applied (just like the real thing), and if i want to go with a more sophisticated roof in the future, it will go over this base tarpaper (just like the real thing).
after about five years, it had a coating of dust, and instead of brushing it off, i brushed it in, and it looked even better. after seven years, it still looks real good. my roofs are unsealed plywood 1/64th thick.
I do the tissue and paint like Bob K., lay the tissue down on the roof and then paint over both with flat black paint. Start at the center, paint towards the edges and work out any wrinkles or bubbles as you go.
[#ditto][#wstupid]
I also use the tissue paper method, works for me !
If I might suggest;
Bob K, thanks for your input above. In the last year I have really become interested in the wooden laser kits and craftsman style kits. I love the results. I would be a great shame to see these fail over the years. Very interesting to get your perspective regarding the logevity of the techniques.
Hate to be a spoilsport, but I don’t think flat roofs HAVE tarpaper (roll) roofing. Not on top, anyway. It’s used only when there’s a slope. If used on a flat roof, water would leak under the seams fairly soon.
Flat roofs are built-up from several layers of roll-type roofing, alternating with tar, topped with a final layer of gravel embedded in yet another layer of tar. I think they’re called “built-up” or “composite” roofs, but may have other names.
http://www.rolleiman.com/trains/clinic1.html
3rd or 4th page in shows how I get it done…
For sloped roofs I’ve used friction tape. That was many years ago. I don’t know if they even make it any more… They used to use it to cover rubber tape in places that they now use electrical tape. I haven’t done on in a long, long, long, time.
I use acrylic craft paint (very dark gray works best) and 1/2" strips of the alleged “toliet tissue” that comes in our crew packs. Any other pro-railroaders familar with this material?
Nick
I use toilet tissue paper (plain-no designs), lay one ply of the tissue on the roof and paint over it with either weathered or grimy black. This method yields much more realistic results to me than using sandpaper (which I also tried in the past).
I too use fine sandpaper, althought I find 220 gives me a little more texture without looking like small boulders. Paint it and weather it and attach it with spray contact adhesive.
Ron
I use 600grit wet/dry auto sandpaper,3m77 spray on contact cement and polystirine(spelling) and a wash of flat black,this works fo me!
JIM