Large Scale Central

New Stone Arch Bridge

Track and Trestles
#1

I have always liked the stone arch bridge, I have a 36" long area that needed a double track
and decided a stone arch bridge would be ideal. I built a steel steel system and covered with magic sculpt, the pictures are placing the bridge in the area to be located.
![](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/denray/Stone Bridge 2.jpg)

Bridge has been set into place waiting for the cement to be placed.

![](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/denray/bridge 5.jpg)

First batch of cement placed, around 5-6 oclock in the evening

![](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/denray/bridge 7.jpg)

The second nite of cement placed again waiting 16 hours or so to be textured.

![](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/denray/bridge 6.jpg)

#2

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/denray/Finished Stone Bridge.jpg)

Cement all finished waiting for a few days of curing so I can paint it
Dennis

#3

wow looks great

#4

Nice job and excellent sculpting on the bridge facade!

#5

Beautiful work… :slight_smile:

#6

Thats looks awesome!

#7

Great looking bridge Dennis. What type of cement are you using and how long do you wait until you start sculpting the surrounding area to look like rocks?

Chuck

#8

Amazing detail work.

#9

SWEET!

#10

Thank You for all the compliments.

Chuck I use just bagged mortar mix. I have used regular a type S, Type S is a little stickyer
and sets up a little quicker. Basically about 1-2 hours earlier, I usually will mix 3 - 4 60lbs bags of mortar mix, and place that in the evening, now in the summer I will texture it the next morning usually around 7-8, in the spring and fall I usually wait untill around noon, because of the cooler temperatures makes the cement dry slower.
A couple of our GRR club members have started using cement with great looking results, and really surprised at how easy and the little time it takes to get really great results. It takes me a couple hours to mix and place and clean up. And then take 30-60 minutes to texture the next day.
My main texture tool is a brick tuck tool, and then a welding chipping hammer, I use a chipping hammer if it has gotten a little dry, with great results. With a chipping hammer it breaks off small bits of cement giving it a real rock looking affects. The tuck tool works great when the cement is not quite as cured, it gives the sharp edges and creates the lines and creavices in the cement.
When mixing cement and rocks/stones, the texturing process prevents it from looking like stones being held together with mortar, I try to make most of the cement either out past the rock surfaces or behind the surfaces, mostly with thick edges to prevent the tapered mortar joint looking.
Hope this makes sense
Dennis

#11

They wouldn’t be Foot Prints, in the bottom left corner of the last photo, would they?

#12

I have a lot of respect for those that do this level of detail outdoors. Looks great!

Do you have experience on how long the painted concrete holds color? I’ve tried staining some and the stain faded away within a year in bright sun.

#13

Jon I have cement that has been painted for 7 years, it needs a little touch up on the high lighting colors. I use acrylic house paint, stays mostly pretty good. I know it fades some, all paint will in the sun. I do not use cement dyes, too many varibles and it really fades in the sun
Thanks for all the compliments
Dennis

#14

Thanks Dennis.