With all the layout threads going, I have questions about fascia and the colors you have chosen for your bench work and fascia. What materials have you used for your fascia along your layout? What about the color? Why did you chose the color you did? What about bench work? Same color questions. What color did you paint it or did you paint it? Why did you chose the color you did? Thanks in advance for the info. Hopefully I will be able to put it to good use soon.
I simply used masonite as it bends easy. It is already a dark brown color which is ok but I do intend to paint it one day. Not sure what color. My plan is to eventually lower the vallance a little and darken the drapes below the facia. I run DCC so there are few toggles.
One should always paint the fascia a complementary color that is MUCH darker. For example, a tan desert scene should be very dark brown. A forest can be painted a very dark green. You shouldn't use black, however, since the contrast to the layout colors will bring attention to the area. Remember, the fascia isn't supposed to be there, so don't bring attention to it... :tb-biggrin:
I agree with Tony, a black fascia just doesn't look right to me. For my fascia, I'm using 1/8" masonite painted "hunter green". I think this color of green will go with the upper level forest area as well as the lower level desert area that I plan to model. Below the fascia, I'll have a black cloth hanging, like what John has in his pic 2 posts up. In this picture, the green fascia is close to the forest color in the picture hanging on the backdrop above the train. Mike
I used a dark green and then black matterial for the skirting.. Along the one wall I put show cases below and under the yard I used cantilever type bench work so I left it open.. Kind of looks like it just floats there..
All the exposed wood of the bench work of the JJJ&E has also been painted black. The wood was painted before all seven modules of the layout were joined together,
I use semi-gloss black Masonite. Used to use flat black, but it showed scuffs too easily. Prior to that I used a dark forest green. I disagree with the statement "never use black." I find that under the right lighting (that's important, you must have bright lighting for this to work), the layout and details really pop out with black fascia. I think overall, though, any dark color complementary to the layout's dominant scenery color is good. Light colors don't work for me.
My fascia panels are made of lauan ply. Curved edges are sanded smooth with 2" sanding drum chucked in a drill. Paint is semi gloss latex. Color choice? Mis-tinted paint on sale at Walmart - $4 for the gallon. Some of you may remember a recent shelf layout series in Model Railroader magazine that showed a fire engine red fascia. Not my first choice in color, but also not my decision to make either. Some modelers want the fascia to go unnoticed, others want it to harmonize with trim work in the home (See Chubb's Sunset Valley or Heideger's Ohio Southern). Whatever your intended purpose for fascia, use what works for you.
Here is the bench work of the JJJ&E. The fascia is painted satin black and the rest of the wood of the bench work is painted a flat black. The bench work is composed of seven individual modules. The back drop is Vinyl Roof Flashing that in this photo still has to be painted. The room is 20x12'. The foam was just cemented in place in this photo and the particle board and bricks will keep the foam in place till the Liquid Nails sets.
Put me down for black on black also. Both fascias and the ceiling are black. When I get to them the curtains underneath will also be black. I want all the focus on the model space. KB
Guys, ALL the fascias in this thread look great, which just goes to prove, like everything in this great hobby of ours, it comes down to personal choice.
I'll go along with black, to me it seems to focus the eye on the scenery, if you go into a nightclub or such everything except the stage area is often black or a dark colour, so that when the house lights are out all you see is the illuminated stage, or in our case the finished part of the layout. The best fascia, whatever the colour is the one you don't notice.
I use semi gloss black which I get by spraying a matt black onto black styrene sheet that I have roughed up slightly with some wet / dry sandpaper The finish I get wears well and doesn't reflect light > which almost makes it disappear. Agree with the general idea that a good fascia & valance is one that you don't notice I think black frames any layout really well and black cloth / paint etc is readily available I only have my valance in place so far but my fascia will be the same > charcoal coloured carpet tiles will go down on the layout room floor once I've finished my scenery Steve
That's a nice run of pix. Thanks, guys! I think it will come down to your lighting and your scenery; you do want to make the fascia unobtrusive relative to it all. After you've got your lighting and some scenery in, take some photos and Photoshop in the color choices for the fascia. The editing programs that come with electronic cameras should also be good enough for this task.
Just as a side note, museums surround their permanent exhibits with black walls. This allows an onlooker to focus on the exhibit without distractions.
I agree! Some good looking railroads shown on here everyone. I will be using masonite for my fascia as well. My plan right now is to paint it using the same color that was used on the room walls, which is a dark tan color. I think this will complement the scenery nicely and also cause the fascia to "disappear" when the room lights are off and only the railroad is illuminated. I also plan on painting any exposed benchwork--such as the dropdown gate and the helix cyliner--using the same color. I think this is a good way to tell the eye what it should be looking at and what it should not be looking at. Someone also mentioned using a satin/eggshell finish for the fascia, and to me this seems to be a VERY important detail that should not be overlooked. The fascia on a model railroad will be bumped and rubbed quite often and these scuffs will show up on a flat finish. Jamie
