An EFD Product for simulating road surfaces/tarmacadam

Whilst out at the Sydney Model Railway Exhibition today, I caught up with a chap from EFD Simply Glues. EFD have a great range of glues/solvents/styrene/plasters/craft supplies for the railway modeller, but the one item that caught my eye was his "Road Base'. An acyllic based tarmacadam (or bitumen if you're an Aussie!) for paving roads, platform tops etc. This has been in the Australian market for some time now, but I have just found it again !



This product is quite easy to use. All you need to do is spread it out evenly at about 1mm thickness over your surface area with a small spatula. The tone of grey/blacks can be changed simply by adding a small amount of black oxide to darken or white acryllic paint to lighten. The yellow jar on the right (above pic), has been coloured using acryllic paint. The tarmac takes approximately 24 hours to cure, leaving a very nice surface, ready for marking lines or what ever. Simple !

Below is a close-up of the tones capable and the finished texture.



I am considering using this product for around the engine shed, railway yard on my layout.

More info : www.simplyglues.com.au

Oh yes, usual disclaimer that I have no association with the owner, just an inspired modeller !

Cheers, Gary.

Is it suitable for most gauges or only 4mm?  I normally use fine grade belt sander rolls, colour it with varying shades of grey emulsion
(the small match pots not a ruddy great 2.5L cans!)

I'd like to see a more representative example.  That shown is not a good advert for the product.

I've used wet and dry too Mike - knife blades don't last long :shock:

 My other method is to use 0.40" plastic sheet.  I spray on grey primer aerosol from a great height so that the particles are nearly dry when they hit the plastic - this gives a rough texture.  I follow up with black aerosol also from a great height.  Alternate grey and black until the desired effect is achieved.

John

As you say Gary I think it would look very good around the engine shed area:thumbs

Hi John,

I realise that the 2nd pic is not really a sales pitch, it was just the demo run for us modellers who attended, just to see how easy it is to apply. I have seen it used on some of the layouts that attended this years show and past shows and I would give it the thumbs up. Beauty about it is that you do not have horrible joins in the plastic sheeting or wet & dry paper every 12-14". If I remember, at the next exhibition I attend, I'll photograph a section of road on a layout that has used this.

Cheers, Gary.