Hey all, I'm building the base of my layout out of foam. I plan to use ground goop: (http://www.building-your-model-railroad.com/ground-cover-1.html) as the final surface in most areas, but I'd like to fill in the seams before I progress. What is the best off-the-shelf, sandable product I could use to accomplish this? I'm hoping to stop by Home Depot tomorrow. Also, I'm going to paint the entire base a light tan after a fill in the gaps -- should I use something other than latex-based paints? Thanks
Ground goop. If you don't like that idea, you will be stuck with plaster or with wood putty, the kind you mix with water as a dry powder and slather into place. Some would use Sculptamold, or if you aren't keen to save weight, mix gravel or sand with some portland cement, dam the open ends, and pour in a plug.
The most problematic areas are seams in the detailed rocks I have carved. I have heard spackle might be good for this?
I've used lightweight spackle for filling foam seams. It did the job for me. Dried quickly and easy cleanup. I also painted everything with brown latex paint before I started adding grass/trees/etc. Again, it did the job of covering the pink foam, and I had no issues with it.
I like to use Great Stuff Gaps and Cracks to both glue foam sheets together and to fill gaps. Afterwards I carve it with a steak knife:
Sculptamold. Looks like rocks when dry, carvable, moldable, it's very versatile. Check out the link below for what it can be used for. Let's hear it for Sculptamold!
Dose scupltamold paint, pigment, and stick to hydrocal very well. I bought mine for filling in large and small cracks as well. kenny