As my buildings and my layout get more developed I have started to wonder about bases for the buildings. I have some bricks buried in the ground that are being used as bases for 2 buildings, I don’t think I will be letting all my buildings sit out all year due to the inferno that is Peoria AZ, a record 50 days over 110* this year. I am hoping to get some good discussion on this as I really want to see what everyone else does and how they handle this.

1. Do you use a base for your building on your layout?

2. What do you use for a base if you do use one?

3. Is the base attached to the building or is the base set in the ground?

4. If the base is permanent on the ground, Do you have a way to solidly attach the building to the base or does it just set on the base.

Topic #2 what do you use to model roads on your layout, I have seen carpet squares, concrete, rolled roofing and asphalt and wonder what the more modern railroad era modelers use to simulate roads. Looking forward to what all y’all have to say, suggest about on these topics. Thanks, Pete

Edited to clarify a sentence for my thought process behind the question

Hi Pete,

I’ve always used a plexiglass base for my buildings. They are attached to the buildings with screws. I usually bring them in for the winter. I also use plexiglass for their roofs, covering them with wooden shingles.

Cheers,

Matt

I use 1/2" Hardy tile backer. Even here in the wet Pacific Northwest it will last at least five years. I cut it with an angle grinder with a diamond cutoff blade. Just level the ground and lay it right on it. I usually will dust it with some paint at that point for whatever I want it to look like. Cut it oversize and it will minimize and dirt splashing up on the building(s) from rain. If you want it to look like dirt, that is simple too. Get some liquid concrete cement bonder. I mostly use some kind of sand spread on the board and then drizzle the bonder over it. Or, put a coat of bonder on the tile backer and then sprinkle the sand on it. One of those squeeze condiment dispensers work great to apply it. Another way is to use a polymer sand. The kind used when laying pavers. It has an adhesive in it. Just spread it and lightly spray with water to activate.

I only have a few buildings outside, but here is what I do…

1. Do you use a base for your building on your layout? YES

2. What do you use for a base if you do use one? VARIES Two Pola buildings sit on 10MM coroplast painted grey. Two more are on paver blocks and one large wood building is on a custom concrete floor/foundation that I designed and poured.

3. Is the base attached to the building or is the base set in the ground? VARIES The two in chloroplast just sit on the ground, the two on pavers are set into the ground and the custom floor/base is deep in the ground.

4. If the base is permanent on the ground, Do you have a way to solidly attach the building to the base or does it just set on the base. NO ATTACHMENT. I’ve never had one move due to wind.

Topic #2 what do you use to model roads on your layout, I have seen carpet squares, concrete, rolled roofing and asphalt and wonder what the more modern railroad era modelers use to simulate roads. WE DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ ROADS! I have one very short road at one industry, which is simply the same stone dust I use for ballast.

All of my buildings are relatively heavy, the lightest being an Aristo switch tower. My biggest complaint is dirt splash from rain, but that rinses off fairly easily with the hose.

Good topic. I have been just setting them on a floor tile so they are level and keeps the weeds out. I’m sure there are better ways and look forward to other’s advice.

Pete:

1. Do you use a base for your building on your layout? Yes. It helps to keep them level and prevents rot.

2. What do you use for a base if you do use one? We use HardieBacker, too, but we just snap and score it. In the flood / bake cycle of weather out here, we’ve seen no degradation over 3+ years on, but not in, the ground. Of note, they bases “float” on about 3-6" of gravel, so maybe this drainage improves longevity.

3. Is the base attached to the building or is the base set in the ground? No. Things shift and need occasional leveling.

4. If the base is permanent on the ground, Do you have a way to solidly attach the building to the base or does it just set on the base. Buildings only come in for tropical storms and hurricanes, neither of which are a problem for you! A 6’ vinyl fence surrounds our yard, which deadens any lesser winds. The exception will be our sugar mill, which is fixed to the base. 2"x4" brace each corner, and we used deck screws to hold them in place. (Straight cuts would’ve made this easier…There will be another time, Jig Saw!).

As for roads, sorry, we just imagine them for the time being!

Eric

Stone covered tar paper works for me for roads.

I’ve seen a number of bases made of Sintra-type sheet (expanded foam PVC sheet) by Bruce Chandler. For sidewalks he scribed in the “joints” of the concrete. Since it’s PVC, it’s fine for laying in the dirt; it can be easily cemented to PVC, styrene and ABS; and it takes paint very well.

Jon Radder said:

Topic #2 what do you use to model roads on your layout, I have seen carpet squares, concrete, rolled roofing and asphalt and wonder what the more modern railroad era modelers use to simulate roads. WE DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ ROADS! I have one very short road at one industry, which is simply the same stone dust I use for ballast.

All of my buildings are relatively heavy, the lightest being an Aristo switch tower. My biggest complaint is dirt splash from rain, but that rinses off fairly easily with the hose.

Jon, I was thinking of your RR, and lot of other steam era layouts when I put the line about modern Era layouts. I know you guys like your dirt roads! LOL Thanks for the other suggestions

Pete Lassen said:

Jon Radder said:

Topic #2 what do you use to model roads on your layout, I have seen carpet squares, concrete, rolled roofing and asphalt and wonder what the more modern railroad era modelers use to simulate roads. WE DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ ROADS! I have one very short road at one industry, which is simply the same stone dust I use for ballast.

All of my buildings are relatively heavy, the lightest being an Aristo switch tower. My biggest complaint is dirt splash from rain, but that rinses off fairly easily with the hose.

Jon, I was thinking of your RR, and lot of other steam era layouts when I put the line about modern Era layouts. I know you guys like your dirt roads! LOL Thanks for the other suggestions

Thanks Pete - I’m guilty of not reading the entire question (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)Some of the most realistic modern country roads I’ve seen are made using some type of small grit (bigger than sand, but smaller than crushed stone) mixed into driveway sealer to simulate an asphalt or oil & chip road. I think in climates with a hard freeze this would require a lot of maintenance. AND I lied; I have a few whimsical buildings at on spot in the railraod that I use cut roofing shingles for the roadway and parking lots.

That’s an idea, I work with a company that wholesales abrasives for sand blasting, and they have a black copper slag abrasive I could probably mix with the polymeric sand to get a decent color and it would stay in place. I will look into that, along with some asphalt sealer too. Not a lie, just forgot about them for a moment. Thanks Jon

Pete Lassen said:

1. Do you use a base for your building on your layout? Yes

2. What do you use for a base if you do use one? 12X12 concrete pads mostly

3. Is the base attached to the building or is the base set in the ground? Not attached…

4. If the base is permanent on the ground, Do you have a way to solidly attach the building to the base or

does it just set on the base. Buildings not attached, but we place bricks/large broken pieces of concrete

inside the buildings to hold them in place…

Topic #2 what do you use to model roads on your layout. Roads are modeled with different sizes of concrete pads…

My layout is indoors. Still…

1. Do you use a base for your building on your layout? Yes

2. What do you use for a base if you do use one? Wood. Usually 1 x something, sometimes 1/4 inch something (cardboard for the old Bachmann ‘kits.’ The base is larger than the building in at least one dimension, that becomes a porch or sidewalk.

3. Is the base attached to the building or is the base set in the ground? Not usually. Access for interior details.

4. If the base is permanent on the ground, Do you have a way to solidly attach the building to the base or does it just set on the base. Bachmann bases are part of the ‘kits.’ Others just sit there.

Topic #2 what do you use to model roads on your layout, I have seen carpet squares, concrete, rolled roofing and asphalt and wonder what the more modern railroad era modelers use to simulate roads. Looking forward to what all y’all have to say, suggest about on these topics. Slot car track. Decided trains need not be the only moving things on the layout. For parking lots and very short streets I use a sort of artists pressboard, comes in different colors.