I am planning an edge of town scene on my HO scale railroad that will have a propane dealer and 2 other small structures. I am at a loss at what to use for roads. Any help or suggestions woud be great. Thank you, Ray W.
I like Durhams Water Putty, which I tried at the suggestion of Bob Grech.
It’s a powder, and is available from hardware stores. It mixes with water, and forms a runny paste that you can spread. I add a bit of vinegar to slow the setting process and give me more time to work with it.
I mix up a batch in a large yogurt container, and then I fill a small yogurt container half-full of water. (My wife likes yogurt, so we have these around.) I use a 2-inch foam brush to spread the mixture over the road. Then, as it sets, I keep the brush wet and smooth the surface repeatedly. I end up with something not glassy-smooth, but more like a road surface. It sets very hard.
It’s naturally a light tan color. I usually use a thin wash of gray acrylic paint to color it. I use several coats of the thin wash. This gives a coloring that’s almost, but not quite, uniform.
Being a runny liquid, I can edge it right up to the rails for grade crossings, or right to the side of a building for a driveway.
DAP makes drywall material that you can use to make roads. One can scribe lines to represent cracks in the road. You can paint the road with acrylic paints and then weather the road with powdered chalks. Additionally, consider making a dirt road or gravel road will real dirt. Get dirt from your yard or elsewhere that has the color that you like. Let it dry completely and then sift it into some kind of a container such as an old margarine tub. Use a spoon and sprinkle it on your road. Use some of Woodland Scenes fine ballast material for gravel. Wet the area with a spray bottle of water with a few drops of Dawn dishwashing soap. The use Woodland Scenics or a 50% solution of Elmers glue and water. Some ground foam will finish off the area.