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Comments
Regarding the web-site...that's a great idea and I thought of doing the same thing a time or two. I should get with you when I'm ready to pull the trigger on it to get some pointers.
Terry
My Scotia and O’Neills builds are in the completed section.
Terry
(figure 1.) Note pencil marks at end of doors if positioned open.
I decided to carefully cut the resin casting and make a new loading dock with the extra length I need (figure 2.) I am also putting in a set of stairs in the back leading from the back door I installed down to the loading dock. The stair landing will attach to the loading dock so I had to make the new dock a bit wider as well as longer. I made the new dock out of 3/4 inch styrafoam (figure 3.)
(figure 2.) Loading dock separated from the foundation.
(figure 3.) New loading dock from 3/4 inch styrafoam. Note the wider as well as longer dimension. I decided to sink the completed dock down into the foam diorama base to the appropriate height as per original. I am planning some areas of elevation change around the dock so this allows me to carve away the foam diorama base up to the dock anywhere and the finished foam of the dock will be exposed creating the effect of the dock concrete being quite thick top to bottom.
Here is a technique I developed to weather foam board to look like deteriorated and worn concrete. I carefully paint, in my case it was Floquil Concrete, the edges of the foam board. The petroleum distillates begin to effectively eat away at the foam board creating a very convincing deteriorated concrete look (figure 4.)
(figure 4.) Portion of foam board with Floquil Concrete lightly painted on and allowed to eat away at the foam. The coat of paint should be done very lightly to control the amount of dissolving. I paint some areas and leave other surfaces without it to give the apperance that some of the smooth surface is retained.
Here is a different side of the same foam board with preliminary coloring done.
Finished top surface of the new loading dock. This was first colored with various colors of craft paint in mostly grays and earth tones followed by chalk and AI weathering until the right amount of grunge was obtained.
Carl, Actually developed it by accident when trying to paint foam with the "oil" based paint. I started painting a piece and of course ruined it when the paint ate right into it. But I liked the texture it left. I then started experimenting with very light applications, it became a nice technique. Best used when you are going to see a good bit of the vertical surface and edges. I think it would be too rough and worn for a horizontal surface.
Thanks Bryan. Just one of those play around until you get the look you want kind of projects.
What's cool is the dock concrete foam board is still 3/4 inch deep and sits in a cut out. I had to shim the bottom to the correct elevation with the resin foundation piece. But as I carve out the foam up next to the loading dock it will continue to expose the concrete. I just consulted my terrain expert, Alan Hubbard, to get schooled on building varying elevation of the terrain. Got a really cool idea on this and can't wait to get started.
Ken
Appreciate that Tom, and I was happy with how it turned out. I got a good match to the resin "concrete" foundation.
I prepared my clapboard wall as previously described. I then applied a very thin coat of clear crackle paint. Once this was dry I applied a coat of white crackle paint. As this paint dries it checks and cracks just like old heavy weathered paint. I then take my #11 blade a pick and scrape off the paint as I wish. More paint removed the more weathered it appears. Here's an almost finished wall utilizing this technique:
I experimented of course before working up the actual walls with the following tips for anyone wishing to try this:
I firstly applied the white crackle directly to the clapboard and it was a bit hard to get it to flake off the way I wanted. The clear first coat prevents the top coat from sticking as much and the white flaked off nicely. On my first try I applied the white top coat and just let it dry and the leading edge of the clapboard was of course covered in paint and when scrapping this off it fuzzed the wood too much for my liking. So, I then tried painting the white on a small area followed immediately with a swipe of my thumb or finger which removed all the paint from the leading edge leaving paint in the lower parts. Worked perfectly.