I personally have never tried it but I know it’s been done for years. What are your thoughts pro & con on using real dirt for ground cover?
I use it all the time.
But, to me, if you aren’t using the dirt from your prototype’s location, you’re wasting you time, because it likely isn’t the right color.
(I actually have a supply of Carolina red dirt and beach sand for this purpose. I may need to make another trip back for more sometime soon!)
Works well for O scale; for anything smaller, you’re fudging if you use anything with a grain larger than, say, dust.
I used real dirt on a club layout (HO scale) and my home layout (HO scale); but not straight dirt. I mixed a concoction sometimes called Ground Goop consisting of dirt, casting plaster, gerbil bedding, finely ground bark, sand, drywall compound, acrylic paint, white glue, and water. If it was a watery mix, I poured it on, but if thicker I spread it with a putty knife and small paint brush. I sprinkled on ground foam and other scenery materials while the ground goop was still wet, and it adhered.
A lot of people have recommended putting dirt into a microwave oven to sanitize it, but I have never done that with the Arizona dirt. Once it’s dry, nothing is going to grow in or on it.
I use ral dirt and Beach sand , but I also mix up some other items into it for specific areas depending on the scene .
I use real sand from my daughter’s sandbox. (No, I’m not stealing her playthings. She’s 18. My wife is just sentimental about the sandbox.) It looks very good in HO.
If you’re going to use it right around the tracks, like as ballast, then it’s a good idea to pass a strong magnet over it to pick up any metal flakes. Otherwise, your engines will do that for you.
If you were an HO scale person looking at “real” dirt remember that every little particle would look 87 times larger than it looks to us when looking at the same stuff. The main advantage is color rather than texture. I’d be leary of importing small beasties into the layout room with yard dirt. I bought a bag of potting soil for cactus that I put through strainers to remove larger chunks. It is the right color but again the texture is not really scale.
Dave Nelson
Thanks for the input, as far as the dirt being out of scale so to speak as long as you sift it enough that shouldn’t be a problem. I do know you shouldn’t put it in the microwave for several reasons but mainly for the possible iron content would destroy your the microwave and get your wife really pissed off at you.
My biggest concern is that I have heard it doesn’t take white glue and water mix very well. It just turns to mud.
I like the suggestion of play sand; I have used black craft sand from Michael’s and AC Moore for cinder ballast in my engine serving terminal. I put it right next to two different brand of ballast and you are hard pressed to see the difference.
Thanks again for the input always appreciated.
Every modeler I know uses real dirt. I use a pottery glaze sifting screen to get the fine dust for the correct scale in HO. Two methods for application:
-
For solid ground cover that doesn’t look dusty - put the dirt down on the surface and get it exactly as you want it. Spray with alcohol and then with glue mist. Don’t spray directly at the dirt. This will turn to mud, but will look good after it has dried.
-
For the "dusty " look - Apply a layer of glue mix driectly on the surface and then sift dirt on the area until you see dry dirt sitting on the surface. After the glue has set (overnight) Gently brush away the loose dirt and you will see a dusty dirt surface that is glued down. Even, thin applications look the best using this method.
I use various pigments and mixes to adjust the color/shade of the dirt to look right.
Guy
Hi,
It never ceases to amaze me as to the color variations of soil (and rock) in the US. Some of the reds and yellows almost seem “artificial” if they were put directly on a layout - and yet they are the real thing.
I’ve brought back a lot of dirt/rock from trips, and soil or sand first goes thru a screenwire sifter, and then onto a foil covered pizza pan and into the oven for a period of time.
On a side note, as a kid with a large Lionel layout, I used to use old coffee grounds for ground cover in yards and industry sidings. Of course it was baked for quite a long time, and is probably too big for serious HO use, but it was fine for the Lionel.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Hey Mobilman,
I did the same thing! I learned about coffee grounds by reading a book I checked out from the public library; The Boy’s Book of Model Railroading. This was circa 1963/64. I don’t recall the author, but I think he wrote a whole series of “Boy’s Books.” I had a large Lionel layout in the basement of my parents’ house - it continually smelled of damp Folger’s!
Another great improvement was insertion of stained balsa wood ties between the metal ties of the tubular sectional track. I made them the same width as the metal ties, so there were six balsa wood ties for each section of track. And ballast?..parakeet gravel, mixed with wheat paste, and sprayed with water.
I think with the used coffee grounds and the wheat paste, I was way ahead of my time - the word “organic” was far from a household word or a clever marketing label.
And for the original poster:
I use equal parts of sifted real dirt and patching plaster mixed with water to a runny consistency. Once it dries, it has a very believable texture ( and color). I’ve found this application to be especially effective for creek bottoms.
chicochip
And the UK, if Sherlock Holmes is to be believed:
“You have come up from the south-west, I see.”
“Yes, from Horsham.”
“That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe-caps is quite distinctive.”
(The Five Orange Pips.)
Dave Nelson
Elementary, my dear Watson!
I give it a big “PRO” and few cons. I found it devilish hard to grow anything in fake dirt, not to mention the expense. When I bought my house it came with a rather large plot of dirt (free!) and I used it as a base for the scenery on my railroad. So far it has held up very well with no sign of deterioration, and it supports a wide variety of scenic materials.
Touche
But once it dries, it looks exactly like loose dirt again.
Try it and see.
I used old pantyhose to sift garden soil from my vegetable garden. I then mixed it with Plaster of Paris powder and rolled it flat into my yard, including between the rails that were already placed. I then sprayed it with a alcohol and water. It turned out quite well, but I do see that the grains are still quite large when they are close to the camera lens.