I poured the Woodland Scenics Realistic Water to a depth of about 3/16" of an inch in a pond that is about 90 sq. inches. Some parts of the pond are relatively dry and hard(ish), and others are still sticky. Overall the pond is still cloudy. Has anyone else gone through similar experiences with this stuff? I'm worried this won't cure properly and that I'll have to start all over again. Does the milky-white cloudiness disappear eventually? How long did that take? It's curing in an air-conditioned house about 69 degrees. I poured it three days ago and it's still not dry and clear!
I have never used that particular product, but I am familiar with them generically. They do take time, and your depth and breadth, plus ambient humidity, may take a couple of days, possibly into a third. If it is a mix to two liquids, as is the epoxy I use, the mix must be thorough...I mean three to five minutes of continuous and vigorous stirring. A less thorough mix will never harden. Patience, Grasshopper.
It's a one-part liquid. No mixing. And I'm going into a third day today. Guess I'll just wait and see what happens.
The thicker the pour, the longer it must cure. I believe a rule of thumb has been to make them one eighth inch or less.
At 72 degrees just a couple of days with the recommended 1/8" pour. You can make any number of 1/8" pours, let dry in between. After four days you should be able to drive a car on it. I noticed you poured it on a bit thick. It will appear cloudy because of the extra. However, Realistic Water will NEVER be clear like epoxies. It will retain some cloudiness just like realistic water. If you want crystal clear water you've used the wrong product. Jim
gat, That is a cured pour of 1/8". You've already gone over that criteria. I've tried all water products and I like Realistic Water the best. Jim
I have gotten thin layers of very clear water from it. But, with the extra thickness of your pour, it may take a while. I THINK it was RW for which I saw the hint to use a hairdryer to help the bubbles clear faster. Do a search (was here on TB, few years ago) before trying, just in case it was for some other water product.
The product specifically states not to use heating elements to help cure it faster. Guess I'll just wait a week or so to see if it dries clear.
When thoroughly cured, yes. It starts out looking cloudy. Make thinner pours to help speed that process.
I did a pour once where part of it was to a depth of 1/4". Bottom was irregular and I wasn't thinking. That took 6 months to dry clear. So the moral is never pour too thick.
When I tried Realistic Water it took about 2 weeks to cure completely and I had to endure the smell the whole time. The stink drove me to use Envirotex for the rest of my water elements. Brian
Bryan, I've used Realistic Water since it first came out. I've never noticed a smell. Maybe I don't smell too good! Are you possibly thinking about the EZ-Water that has to be melted and poured and does have a slight smell? Just wondering. As for the 2 week cure time. Living in Gig Harbor that cure time is a reasonable assumption except in August. (I'm from Seattle) Jim
Well you made me think for a while but yup, it was Realistic Water. It smelled like my kids breath after he ate a jumbo sized tootsie roll then pinned me to the floor and breathed on me. :sweat: Real cheap semi digested waxy chocolate substitute (not the good stuff) mixed up with teenaged skunky dragon breath. Sorry, too descriptive?? As for the cure time, for sure the humidity could have been a factor. Around here if you want a potato chip to crunch you'd better eat it within 15 minutes of opening the bag. ha ha. Brian \
It cured! Some of it shrunk, and I have two crack-like indentations in the pond. Time for another poor!
Good to hear. No more than 1/8" this time. Fill your cracks first. It all blends in in the end. Cracks, by the way, happen when too much is poured and room heat is inconsistent. If you can turn the heat up in your train room to 72 you will have best results. Many of us schedule our 'water' pouring, no matter which product, for a time when outside daily temps are near 80. Jim
The pond is on a portable N scale layout, and the layout is indoors in a 74 degree temperature-controlled room.
Gatr, Here is my pond. It is about 3/8" deep. Looks much deeper. About 3 or 4 pours if I remember correctly. Took about two weeks to cure. Jim
