I’m putting together an Alexander Scale Models PRR Flag stop for a friend of mine and hope to get it completed before Christmas. (Or, at least that’s the plan.)
I’ve put the the “rolled roof” on with the brown 400-grit sandpaper strips that come with the kit. The assembly instructions have suggestions about what to paint this and that. However, I don’t see it mention anything about painting the roof?
My question for the panel of experts: Were all rolled roofs generally a slate black or faded black color? Most of the ones I’ve seen have been this way but…I had to ask the question anyhow.
Tom, if it’s true roll roofing, I recall seeing it in black, red, green, blue, and grey at least, and there may have been others - it’s very similar to asphalt shingles in appearance.
And it’s going to fade and change over the years from exposure to the elements. The fading will not be uniform, either, so the roof can wind up being several shades of black or other color…
Seems to me that if you’re using 400 grit sandpaper for roofing, it’s not so much rolled roofing as tar-and-gravel. 1/400 of an inch times 87.1 comes out to be about a quarter of an inch. And that’s about the size of said gravel. The roof on this beautiful little kit is pretty sloped, so I don’t see it has having had a tar-and-gravel roof. So, i’d dump the sandpaper.
That said, i haven’t modeled rolled roofing, so I’m not sure what material would be a good choice. I know people have used typing paper–hopefully, someone can provide more info on a good material. As to color, I would expect black to have been the most common, but after awhile, the black would have turned to “dark grey” or such. You might get on over to the Pennsy Yahoo group and ask them what the right roof color might be.
Dr. Wayne’s roofs are looking pretty good. You wouldn’t go wrong copying his.
And that aerial shot, Doc, is REALLY fetching. Kind of reminds me of the Mineral Point and Northern. Great work!
Have heard of tissue paper cut into strips being used for rolled roofing. Could paint the roof, use the paint as adhesive, it would soak through unevenly, looking weathered. Also, could glue on with white glue, then use a wash to color as desired.
Haven’t tried either, just what I have seen mentioned.
