Giving Your Models a Stucco Exterior

1. Giving Your Models a Stucco Exterior Kevin Looff March 7, 2009

2. Introduction • Today we will examine how to give model railroad structures the appearance of a stucco exterior. • We will discuss a little of the use of stucco on the prototype and why we would want stucco exteriors on our railroad structures. • We will then discuss several of the methods that modelers have used to obtain this appearance and give some examples of how this can be done. • We will finish by looking in more detail of one particular method.

3. What is Stucco? Stucco today is a mix of Portland Cement, sand, and water. In days past, stucco was a mixture of lime, sand, and water. It is applied over lath attached to frame structures in multiple coats, or directly over masonry structures. Basic ingredients of stucco, mortar, and plaster are all the same, but used in different proportions. Often, older blueprints will list plaster exterior instead of stucco.

4. Stucco is typically applied over the lath in three coats. Lath used to be wood slats that allowed the stucco to ooze through. Today, wire mesh is often used. • The scratch coat adheres to the lath and gives the next coats something to hold on to.

5. The brown coat is a smooth coat that goes over the scratch coat. • The texture coat is the final coat that can be used to give a structure a particular look.

6. There are many different ways to apply a texture coat from very smooth to very rough.

7. Now that we know what stucco is and how it is applied, why would we want stucco exteriors on our models? We model the southwestern United States where stucco is very common.

8. We might want to make a brick building look a little different. Stucco was often used over the top of deteriorating masonry during remodeling.

9. Different architectural styles use stucco Mission, Mission Revival, and Mediterranean

10. Different architectural styles use stucco Tudor Revival Art Deco

11. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Textured Sheet Product (Paper, Sand Paper, Mat board, Vinyl, or Plastic) Fine Sand and Adhesive Texture Paints Drywall Compound Bondo (used in auto body repair) Durham’s Water Putty Acrylic paint medium with sand

12. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Watercolor Paper Sand & Adhesive Durham’s Texture Paint Acrylic Med.

13. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Watercolor Paper Sand & Adhesive Texture Paint Acrylic Med. Durham’s Same pieces now all painted the same color to show differences in texture

14. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior • Watercolor Art Paper • Not as commonly used. Fine texture lends itself for N scale. • Can be purchased at art supply stores in a tablet. • Needs to be cut to fit over base structure. Seams and joints can be difficult to blend or hide. • Best for large flat surfaces. Difficult to work around recessed areas and pop outs.

15. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Watercolor Art Paper

16. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior • Fine Sand and Adhesive • Not as commonly used, but can be applied quickly. • Can be purchased at art supply stores in a small 1lb bag. This sand is used for sand art in bottles and comes in many colors. • Spray adhesive on base and sprinkle sand on adhesive. • Difficult to have fine control and can be very messy.

17. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Fine Sand and Spray Adhesive

18. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior • Texture Paint • Relatively new technique. • Can be purchased at art supply or hardware stores in a spray can. • Spray texture paint on base material and let dry. Paint desired color if texture paint color is not the final structure color • Difficult to have control on application. May be too coarse for smaller scales (HO and N).

19. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Texture Paint

20. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior • Durham’s Water Putty • The most commonly used material for modeling stucco. • Can be purchased at hardware or home improvement stores in 1 lb or 6 lb. containers. • Fine Plaster Powder that is mixed with water. Dries a buff color. • Very durable, but not flexible.

21. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Durham’s Water Putty

22. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior • Acrylic Medium with Fine Sand • My preferred method for modeling stucco. • Can be purchased at art supply stores (Michael’s and similar). • Heavy bodied paste that contains very fine sand. • Very flexible and durable. • Easy to apply. Many different textures are possible. • No mixing required. Good working time.

23. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Acrylic Medium with Fine Sand

24. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Artist’s Knife – Multiple shapes Paint Brushes Hobby Knife Spray Bottles Painters Tape Tools Used to Apply and Texture

25. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior The artist knife can be used to create a variety of textures. There is no wrong texture pattern though always remember what scale you are working in.

26. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Why do I like using this method? Material is easy to work with. No measuring or mixing required. Plenty of working time. Easy clean up. Warm water and occasionally some mild soap is all that is needed. Fixing mistakes or removing excess is easily accomplished using hobby knife. Easily covers modeling features such as recessed areas, pop outs, arches, around exposed beams. Easy to create a variety of textures. Flexible. Will not break or chip with handling. Final appearance of model is very convincing.

27. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior • Ways of Using Acrylic Texture Gel • Adding a realistic stucco exterior to match a prototypical structure. • Mission, Mission Revival, Mediterranean • Tudor Revival • Art Deco • Altering a brick building • Completely changing the appearance • Chipped stucco exposing brick underneath • Cover brick separating windows • Altering a lap siding building.

28. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Ways of Using Acrylic Texture Gel Over a Brick Structure Tear an irregular piece of painter’s tape and apply to a brick wall. Cover the brick wall with stucco trying to leave it thin over the tape. Allow to dry and then use a hobby knife to help remove the tape.

29. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Ways of Using Acrylic Texture Gel Over a Brick Structure Use painter’s tape to mark a base on a brick wall and cover with texture gel. Apply texture gel to bricks separating windows.

30. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior Examples of Stucco

31. Modeler’s Methods for Achieving a Stucco Exterior QUESTIONS?