How do you fasten your masonite backdrop? Please tell me your method. I have 1x2 inch vertical risers that I must fasten my backdrop to, but I don’t know how.
i use 3/4" #4 flat head phillips screws through the masonite after drilling a hole and counter sinking it so the screw head is flush or slightly below the masonite. then use wood filler or joint compound to cover the screw slot. my layout is around the walls type so i had to fasten the supports to the benchwork before putting it into place. i used drywall screws for that.
How thick is you masonite backdrop?
On my current layout I have masonite up on one side that’s bent through a corner. Two screws in each end keep the ends in place and tension keeps it tight against the wall. On some past layouts where I had the masonite (or whatever other backdrop material) held in place with velcro strips. This way it could be positioned as I liked.
Hi!
Drywall or Deck Screws!!! My entire 11x15 dual level layout is built with them and they are a gift to the MR community. With two cordless drills (one for drilling 1/8 pilot hole, the other for screwing), you can’t do much better. They are “easy in”, and “easy out”.
Mobilman44
My entire layout is assembled with drywall screws, from the ceiling on down!
The Masonite is 1/8" and secured with a 3/4’" screw, counter sunk and covered with drywall mud. It is sanded smooth before painting, a primer and then a “blue sky”, and I haven’t had any problems.
I think it’s the only way to go!!
A word of warning about masonite. You need to be concernced about humidity changes as it will absorb moisture and expand quite a bit. This can cause it to buckle and become very wavy which would be a disaster for a backdrop. I had this happen when I used it for fascia so it wasn’t as hard to deal with. If you use it, I would seal it on all sides with an oil based primer and take steps to control the humidity in your building.
Electro:
I use drywall screws and I countersink the hole so the screw head is slightly below the surface of the backdrop. Then I put vinyl spackling over the screwhead and sand it smooth once it sets up. You’ll never see the screw head again.
My masonite is 1/8" thick, so I can bend it easily around corners. But you can only go down to about a 9" radius on masonite without taking very special measures to get a tighter bend. Rather than fiddle with the masonite – if I need a tight bend, I use vinyl flooring, and just turn it around backwards to expose the smooth gray back. Vinyl flooring works very well when you need to make really tight bends around corners, down to a radius of just an inch or two.
And if you go to a flooring store, they often have scraps they’ll sell you for really cheap!
I used the method Joe Fugate describes also. If I could add one thing to the mix, that is after the ‘joints’ have been taped over, finished off and sanded smooth, don’t be in too big a rush to start the painting process. I would advocate letting the backdrop go through a heat/cold, low/higher humidity cycle to be sure the backdrop is not going to develop cracks and these joints.
Don’t ask how I know this… [:D]
Now, if your room is perfectly climate controlled you may be able to forget this step. Also, if your choice of paint is simply a flat blue color, then even if it does happen it’s fairly easy to fix with more blue paint. On the other hand, if your blue sky feathers down to almost white at the bottom with a sprinkling of clouds over that, it’s going to almost impossible to repair without it being obvious. It’ll all depends on how particular you are about the looks of the backdrop.
Living in the part of the world that you do you may not have the humidity problems we have here in the southeastern U.S., so this may be a non-starter for you. Backdrops can add tremendously to a layout, but I think they should be constructed and painted with as much care as any other part of the layout, else they may detract more than they add.
JaRRell
I used #6 countersunk wood screws to attach my masonite backdrops to 1x2 framing. I can’t recall if I used 3/4" or 1/2".
I am sure dry wall screws would work fine but as I discovered to my dismay, there was no way to drive them flush without using a counter-sink drill bit like I can into soft pine. So, the self-tapping drywall screws were not any more useful then regular wood screws. I ended up going out and buying the appropriate bits for about $10 for a set of 4.
The ends of my parallel backdrops are 1.5" apart. I was going to use PVC pipe to create rounded edges but after seeing Joe’s video I am going to see about using vinyl flooring to do those ends. I still need masonite along the main length to provide strength to what is a free standing frame.
A picture of my backdrop can be seen as part of the image of my drop-leaf staging track:
note: There will be a another backdrop blocking the view from the “front” of the layout to the “staging” area. I will put that up after I finish the main backdrops to ease painting.
Chris
I agree with Jarrell on this one…I’ve got some refinishing to do…
As for attaching the masonite: nail gun loaded with brads. Works like a charm. No distortion of the material, Very quick, no countersinking and very easy to fill and finish. Mark the position of the studs carefully and don’t let anyone stand behind the back drop (if you have a freestanding back drop) while nailing. The misses go right on through. I attached a large backdrop section (several sheets) in less than an hour using this method.
Guy
Hi ChrisNH,
Are you at WRJ?
The club I belong to cuts 1/8" masonite into 2x8 ft panels. We then attach 1x3 to the back with glue and counter sink screws from the front at the 2,4 &6 ft marks. Also 1x2s at the ends. We then spackle over the screws and sand them. As we are company sponsored we have had to move from time to time so we have developed a way of not having to completely destroy our back drop when we move. Our first backdrops were painted directly on the building walls - we learned after that. To hang the backdrop we attach supporting structure from the back and join the abuting pieces with “splice plates” from the back. We have mainly painted them using a technique of using a can of “sky” blue and a can of white. You paint the blue at the top and work down to the lower edge with the white, blending (and “smearing”) as we go. We then come back and put in the horizon features, mountains, trees etc.
I’m trying to post photos - no luck - be back later
I’m back.
Basic backdrop - details to follow. The train is being pulled by 2 NY&A units - the lead one has the new paint scheme. 
Backdrop with trees and more detail on the mountains etc: 
I was able to post url’s - how do you embed the photo on the page?
March 29: I got the pictures to embed. They embeded at the top and then I had to move the img to where I wanted it. Is there an easier way to do this? I also linked the pictures to the large version so if you click on the image you can view its larger size.
RutlandRay
Those are some nice backdrops!
I live on the opposite side of NH from WRJ… but its a great place where I have taken some wonderful photos. I am considering modeling it… or at least the bit from there to Newport VT.
To embed the image I use the images button to reference images I have stored on my website. It just puts a “img” tag around my image link.
Chris
Thanks Chris
Still having problems - I only get a box with an x inside. I’ll keep trying.
RutlandRay
It may have to do with how flickr stores and serves images.
I did this with one of your images above.
Chris
Has anyone tried using a flexible caulk on joints between masonite backdrop sections? Taping and mudding drywall joints is not my favorite job, and repairing cracks in them is even lower on my list. I’m about 9-12 months from starting my layout, so I may do a test section of backdrop in the basement. If I get get going while still in the dry (heating) season, I will leave about 1/8" to 1/4" gap between panels, caulk and smooth the joint, and then paint it with the backdrop. What I don’t know is whether the caulk will “bulge out” if the masonite expands as humidity increases this summer, and if it does, how noticable it will be. Has anyone tried this?
Living in northern IL, humidity isn’t as bad as southern states (we only run our AC when temp/humidity is high), but my basement is just 3 yrs old so I may still be getting some moisture from the concrete. We do not have a dehumidifier. The concrete walls will be painted but otherwise unfinished, so I’m thinking both sides of backdrops on those walls should be painted to help seal the masonite. I may also look into using vinyl flooring instead of masonite, but I assume it would need more supports (possibly fewer joints though, and as Joe Fugate pointed out, no problem with tight bends at corners). Any advice would be appreciated.
I am just finishing up my backdrop and I am delighted with results. It is about 36’ long with three 90 degree bends. For the corners I used 1/8" hardboard (masonite) ripped to 29 1/2" so this would give me 2’ above grade after installation. On the ends of 1/8" corner pieces I laminated another piece of 1/8" thick strip about 4" wide to bring it up to 1/4 inch thick. I then used 1/4" Hardboard for the straight pieces. I could then laminate the two sheets together by laminating a piece of hardboard behind them. I cut a 25" x 3 1/2"out of the bottom of the corner pieces where the bend is so the curved part goes over the top of the 1"x 4" benchtop while the ends go down to the bottom of the 1"x 4". And finally to answer the question about mounting, I used 10-32 machine screws with washers and tee nuts. The layout is not portable but will be movable as I used machine screws and tee nuts anywhere it needs to come apart. The left over hardboard will be used for the spline roadbed.
I have small L braces (about 1" high) that attach at the bottom of the backdrop and anchor it to the plywood base. Then I attach the extruded foam sub-roadbed over that covering them up completly. It’s pretty easy to bend the backdrop around corners.
Hi CNinFE,
We used latex caulk on a part of our backdrop where it had to be joined at 90 degrees. It was applied and smoothed and then painted to blend in with the rest of the backdrop. From most viewing angles it looks good. I guess that part of the question is - does it hold up? Yes, it has been in place over a year. We still have to touch up the mountains and trees to match with the ones on the nearby backdrop. We start projects and sometimes get distracted before we finish. We also have to “plant” a few more trees on the hill in the background.
shows a section of our backdrop by the engine facilities - the joint and caulked section is above the left side of the roundhouse.
RutlandRay
Here is how NOT to do it. I used liquid nails directly on the drywall wall and stuck it right to it. When the weather changed the masonite buckled. Fortunately I had not started to paint the backdrop.