You ever try to make scale stucco mix, but no matter what grit material you use, it always looks too big? Yup! Even that super fine dust grade Silica Sand, when mixed with paint comes off looking like pachinko balls glued to the sides of your buildings. So how do you pull it off successfully? With Diatomaceous Earth (DE). You know, the stuff used in some swimming pool filters or even some Aquarium Filters. It's a white powder made from silica replacing the calcium in the bones of Diatoms over time, and since the sizes are random, it is porus, and the particles are super small, it's the perfect material to add to your paint. This is a Z Scale house I painted with DE mixed into regular latex house paint: When you shine light on the finish, it casts scale shadows just like a real stucco. In this closup, you can kind of see the texture the DE leaves in the paint. Remember that this model is about as tall as a quarter, to put the size into perspective: What I really like about using DE is the fact that the particle sizes are all a little different, adding to it's realistic apperance, and the nice random shadowing visible in photo's. In this shot, where a couple of the particles ar a little too big for Z Scale, you can better see the shadows cast on the side of the house from those bigger particles: So how do I use it? Well, first let's talk safety. According to MSDS sheets, DE is non toxic, and generally inert, with exception to inhalation. It is classified as a silica dust, and to avoid prolonged breathing of the powder. I have used DE in my swimming pool filter for years, and always just turn my head while pouring it in the pool until the dist settles. For hobby use, you may want to wear a dust mask. I like to mix it with regular Latex house paint, using enough DE to get a thick soupy mix. I usually apply 2 coats, with a cheap hobby brush, using a swirling motion, just like the real "Mud" is applied on homes today. Latex paint dries very fast, so you can usually paint the complete model, and are can continue by applying the second coat right over where you first started as the paint applied first should be dry before the model was finished with teh first coat. A trick you can use is to mix up a batch with white paint, and when you are ready to use some, pour a little in a bottle cap, and add a little colored craft/hobby tole paints to get the color you want for that model. I have a bottle of mix that is 2 years old, and still works fine. I just shake it up before use. Enjoy! -Robert
