EVA ASPHALT SURFACES

Here 'ya go Goobs and buddies.

When I worked on the road base I made enough to finish out the other main roads planned for the rest of my small layout. That way I won't need to re-invent the wheel to make the roads look related. For me it takes quite a lot of experimentation to get the right colors for anything that needs to be neutral like the gray/black for the road. I definitely have the specific paint set aside if I need to do more but I'd rather start with EXACT matches. Smaller roads can vary in color and it's not a problem.

Artistry

Hi Rick,

So real ! Love it ! Your layout is a real "Great Railroad Model".

Thanks for sharing.

Greetings,

Filip

Hi Filip

Greetings to you and thanks for your gracious comment. It's late here and I'm still messing around getting the right pictures in place! Must be early in the morning in France.

Be well my friend,

Rick

Top!

As everything on your layout - top!! Every detail, the atmosphere, the color composition - very very good!

Rick, superb as usual!!!

Makes me want to stop what I’m doing ad make some roads and parking lots!  Thanks for sharing!

Nick

Just brilliant, Rick!

Just brilliant, Rick!

Wow!

Beautiful work, Rick!  Very realistic!

There is no better model roads than RICK SUTTON'S'

Thank yo so very much Rick, for taking the time to post your wonderful photos of your fabulous roads.

I have been studying roads for a long time trying just about every method possible.  Yours are the best model roads Iv'e seen in any scale.  I make the best road I can.  Then I look at yours' and start all over a......gain'   again, and again............

As you are aware, The O Gauge/O Scale forums members are now trying to replicate your roads in the 1:48 scale.   Thanks to you, and your excellent tutorials we are all becoming better modelers... Thanks again Rick'...      

Your Work is Alway Superb!!

In addition to the coloring and texture that you have achieved, the fact that your roads have a crown addresses one of my nit picking concerns. I have often seen great artistry in creating roads but the flatness of the common road creation process detracts from their realism (at least for me).

Thanks everyone!

Can you see me blushing from there?

I really do appreciate all the comments, makes this old guy feel real good.

About the crown.......I'm with you Bud, especially as the crown is probably the easiest part of the whole process!

The best supplier of EVA foam

The best supplier I have found is on Ebay.

2mm

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26-x39-x-2mm-660mm-x-990-6mm-1pc-Large-EVA-Foam-Sheet-7-colors-available/121669471013?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

1mm is also handy to have around for ramping and stepping the crowning down from a middle piece of 2mm.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1mm-foam-sheets-in-6-x-9-size-14-sheets/121995597463?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

WOW

Rick,

Your road work is perfect. It looks exactly the part, with the right color, weathering and all.

If I modeled an area that had modern asphalt paving, I'd be picking your brain on how to get these same results!

Thanks Lee

EVA foam is also useful as an underlayment for concrete pads. I think they had some of those in the "way back".

Kathy Millatt has a great video on that usage.

Certainly an Option

Looks really good!

I have used spackle in the past with good results but it does require sanding to get the surface smooth.  So, the use of 2mm foam is certainly an option on the current layout I am building. 

Use adhesive pin-striping for wooden derby car kits for my traffic lines.  So it will be interesting to see how well it works on foam.

Joe  

Same foam as...?

Is that the same type of foam as what is used for meat trays in the grocery store?  That is black foam and kind of looks like freshly laid asphalt.

Rick, are California roads really that bad?  Here in Michigan our roads are claimed to be the worst ( a lie that the Democrats like to use to raise taxes)

Very nice work!  The residential road I walk on everyday has lots of cracks and some patches like you have done and even though it is asphalt it is no longer black but just like the colors you used.

Robert

I used black 2mm EVA foam for

I used black 2mm EVA foam for a concrete road. Turned out meh I guess for first time.

Phil

Hi Joe and Robert and thanks

Joe, Not sure about adhesive lines sticking to it. Maybe. I paint 3-4 coats (it really soaks it up) of acrylic gray paint mixture of Blick Off White and Liquitex Ivory black. Mix it so it is a medium light gray. If you think it is too light it will be just right. It is easy to darken as you go along but almost impossible to lighten. I spent a lot of time to find this combination as often acrylic black will have a touch of blue in it that will show up when you mix white with it and it really makes photos look odd.

Robert, California definitely has excellent roads but the further out in the weeds you get the rougher they can be. I model an agricultural area so there is a wide range of asphalt. Now, with that said, I admit that I model in 

spackle

I used spackle for years until I saw the foam method listed in the first post. I changed from spackle about one year into this layout. The picture shows spackle areas still in use.

Phil

Great to hear from you. Have you moved yet?

Concrete. Is that paint on EVA or did you screed a thin layer of hydrocal over it before paint?

Actually looks OK but having seen your work in person I know that you can take it up a step.

 This is just a small concrete loading area but you can get a feel for hydrocal over EVA and very careful color selection. I have the same problems with concrete as I do with asphalt in getting the color right without weird tints appearing. I was happy with this little pad. Looks like I used some Mig paint I was testing out but I really don't remember.

Who would think that something as simple as GRAY would be such a bitch?

All those cracks

Rick how did you get all those cracks in the roads?

Cracks

I draw them on using a VERY light touch. Then I take a very small sable brush and run some highly diluted Raw Umber oil paint on top of the ink lines.

 I've found that the quality of materials makes a big difference in work like this. For me Turpenoid, mineral spirits, Home Depot turpentine  etc. etc. just don't cut it. Gotta be Grumbacher Turpentine....Blicks, local art store or Michaels with 40% coupon. The "S" pen is the one I used.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I drove and actually walked the roads in my semi-rural area and the cracks have a definite pattern to them. Some are random looking but the majority follow the center line and there are section cracks that run from the center line to the edge of the road at 90 degrees....not across the entire roadbed but staggered by lane. This happens due to the way asphalt paving is layer down. Talking two lane roads here.

Thanks Rick!

That looks fantastic!

Hi Rick Concrete. Is that

Hi Rick

Yes thin screen of hydrocal then lightly sanded painted. What I did find with cracks is. if you lightly press down you can make the hydrocal crack in hairlines cracks, which should up with washes when weathering.

Phil

RR Ties

Rick,

Excellent roads and informative tutorial, as all of your posts are, and most inspiring, too.  I've been using your method with 2mm foam (although not up to your standards, yet), and also foam core board with the paper backing removed.  Both methods sure look a lot better (to me) than using, say, styrene....

But (and not to hijack your thread), the next to last picture on page 2 - the railroad ties - do you have a tutorial someplace that describes your methods to achieve that wonderful look of beat up, old, discolored, weather beaten ties?  That is also a look I am after, and I am getting closer by using a base coat of light gray color acrylic paint, followed by washes of "water mixable oil paints" (sure seems like a contradictory term, right?).  I'm really interesting to moving to the next level, like your ties...

Thanks,

Al Carter