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Painting a creosoted building


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I am building a model based on the goods shed at Bedlinog, which in the early 1900s seems to have been of creosoted timber construction (from the only photo I have - several versions from different sources). It must have been reclad later as post war photos show it as white.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to create the weathered creosote colour? I am thinking in terms of a fairly light base colour with dry brushing of a darker colour - or would the reverse be better? I don't want heavily weathered creosote, but not new, as the building would have been some years old and would have had to have an extra coat from time to time. It looks quite dark in the photo, but not as dark as the RR vans and about the same shade of grey as the stone building (pennant sandstone, I was informed on an earlier thread).

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You don't say what material you are painting. I have built some sheds and huts with the exterior planked with strips of 0.8mm plywood. I have also made a few fences using the same material. I use thinned black drawing ink to produce a creosote look (when I say thinned - it's really not much more than tinted water). I have also used a "track colour" dark brown enamel, well thinned, as a stain. The nice thing is that it soaks in and leaves the wood grain clearly visible. Safe way to do this is to start with a light application, let it dry and add more if necessary. American modellers are very keen on building wooden structures with wood and I have to say it does make finishing easy. Nothing looks more like wood than....

 

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0.8mm plywood is very expensive but goes a long, long way. You can cut it with a modeller's knife or scissors - wonderful stuff.

 

Chaz

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I am building a model based on the goods shed at Bedlinog, which in the early 1900s seems to have been of creosoted timber construction (from the only photo I have - several versions from different sources). It must have been reclad later as post war photos show it as white.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to create the weathered creosote colour? I am thinking in terms of a fairly light base colour with dry brushing of a darker colour - or would the reverse be better? I don't want heavily weathered creosote, but not new, as the building would have been some years old and would have had to have an extra coat from time to time. It looks quite dark in the photo, but not as dark as the RR vans and about the same shade of grey as the stone building (pennant sandstone, I was informed on an earlier thread).

Mix Chocolate brown with black (both matt) until you get the shade you want. The more black the newer the creosote. When dry lightly dry-brush the surface with Metalcote gunmetal to bring about the silvery highlights - apply until desired effect is obtained.

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Where did you get the 0.8mm plywood from??

 

Totton Timber who are in Totton (!) just west of Southampton. They have a website...

 

http://www.tottontimber.com/birch-plywood-c-22_94_36.html

 

....that's the page with the 0.8mm ply' - first entry on the list. The price will make you flinch but a 4' x 4' sheet goes an awfully long way.

 

Chaz

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I am afraid this building is in Plasticard. I agree that your method looks good with ply.

 

I'm not saying that you can't make Plasticard look like creosoted wood, but I have never managed to make it look even half-way as convincing as stained wood. Is it too late to change materials?

 

Chaz

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Fraid It's too late to use ply, even if I could get it here. It's ready to paint.

 

Thanks for the suggestion from Meil. I'll try it. I even have some gunmetal paint somewhere, though I think it is pretty old Humbrol so i may have to look for some more when I get to the UK next month..

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Fraid It's too late to use ply, even if I could get it here. It's ready to paint.

 

 

Oh, just noticed your location.... and if as you say the building is finished and ready for paint you are going to have to do it the hard way. If I might suggest - bare wood is generally grey if it's been outside for any time. So I would start with that and then add your creosote colours.

 

Chaz

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In the absence of availability of gunmetal paint, perhaps some gentle application with a soft pencil (2Bish) would be a good alternative.  The trick with painting non-wood material to look like weathered wood is getting a subtle variation between the planks.

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Bare wood would be grey, but you don't creosote old grey, wood, you creosote new, yellow wood, so maybe start with a pale cream / yellow, and don't be too neat ( to give a little variation). Then dry brush the stain, as suggested in light coats until you get the colour you want.

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Bare wood would be grey, but you don't creosote old grey, wood, you creosote new, yellow wood, so maybe start with a pale cream / yellow, and don't be too neat ( to give a little variation). Then dry brush the stain, as suggested in light coats until you get the colour you want.

 

You are quite right about creosote on new wood but you have to think what will give a more convincing model. I would put the creosote colour over grey, any cream colour showing through would just look wrong - but the proof of the pudding...... so probably best to try out a few combinations and use the one which works best.

 

Chaz

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If the model was made out of wood I don't think I'd be able to resist using creosote. Just think how wonderful your layout would smell for a few weeks!

 

Just recently erected a small fence next to our clubroom along side the platform and we've creosoted it. Smells beautiful. We had visitors commenting on the smell and how it brings back memories!

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  • 2 months later...

I have found by trial and error that soaking new Barstucks coffee stirrers in a little water with a smashed up, empty black ink cartridge gives this effect....

 

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Whether the suggestion is useful at this stage remains doubtful, but before your next 'wooderising' it might be worth thinking about? It also makes it swell up a little bit and look rougher.

 

 

Doug

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