US Orders Only: $9.95 Flat Rate
Elizabeth, CO 80107, US
Structure Detailing FAQ's
Please reach us at sales@evergreenhilldesigns.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Nailing
A building develops its character by nailing the individual external boards to the internal wall studs. It only takes a few minutes to nail the boards to build this character.
Nailed is performed by placing a scale ruler along one board of scribed wood. For every two scale feet (assuming framing of 24” on center), we nailed the board with the point of a very sharp pencil or awl. The nailingprocess primarily marks the board with a sharp point and leaves a slight depression.
After this, a straight edge was placed at the bottom of the scribed wood, and an architect’s triangle was butted up against it on the top of the scribed wood with one leg at a 90⁰ angle to the scribed boards. Line the angle with one of the previously made nail marks and nail the other boards. Ensure the nailing is not in a perfectly straight line, as no one's nails are perfectly straight. Also, ensure you nail around windows and doors, even if they are not at 24”. Remember you are simulating the nailing into the building framing, so wherever there is internal framing, there would be a nail securing the external boards…
A stain or a wash can help define the nail marks to enhance the nailing.
NOTE: Do not punch a hole in the wood or make the hole too large. You are making nail marks that are maybe 0.25” in diameter at most. Practice on a scrap piece of wood before doing this on your model.
Replaced Boards in the Wood Walls
This is an optional step that you would perform after staining/painting the model. This step paints or stains some of the individual boards on your model, making them stand out as if they were recently replaced. Using a brush, paint/stain some individual boards, causing them to get darker and showing a sharp contrast to the lighter boards.
This step should only be attempted after thoroughly practicing the process on a piece of scrap, as this can ultimately damage your model. This technique involves wiping on a coat or two of your dirty/used Dio-Sol or Thinner on the surface of the completed, painted, and weathered model. Remember that you are applying a thinner; too much will damage your model. Again…PRACTICE FIRST on scrap wood. What this technique will provide is that it will alleviate too much of sharp contrast between the boards, unless you are waning that just replaced and painted look on the individual boards. It will also tone down your paint job to look old and weathered.
Wood Dry-rot
Take a look at some old wooden buildings near you. Notice that some lower boards are broken away or have a rough surface. This could be caused by dry rot in an actual building. Dry-rot is typically located along the ground or near areas where water may collect, such as near a faucet, under eves, or by gutters. To achieve this look, rough up the lower boards in spots by gently passing your modeling knife repeatedly along the boards parallel with the scribed lines. Do not overdo this unless you want to show a building that is in bad disrepair.
Broken Wood Boards
Using your modeling knife, cut out a section of a board at the board joints or along their edges. If your building does not have an interior or framing, add a 2x4 stud or two inside next to a window or door or any location where someone can see inside the building. This will provide the illusion that your building is complete with interior framing.
Wood Knots
Knots in wood are achieved by putting the point of your modeling knife into a board where you want a knot and gently twisting as you would a hand drill. Do not overdo this. When done, add some gain detail around the knot to make it stand out more. Using your modeling knife pass the point along the board parallel with the board until you get to the knot, then go around the knot. When you reach the other side of the knot, continue your parallel line and fade out. Continue this above and below the knot, fading the grains out the farther you get away from the knot. NOTE: This technique is difficult to see in HO and N Scale and may not be worthwhile.
Mud and Dirt Splatter
Mud and dirt splash from the ground after rain or snow darkens or stains the lower portions of a building. This is especially prevalent when the ground around the building is dirt or when the building is next to a dirt road. Remember not to apply the splash on walls next to a grassy area or paving.
Roofs and Bird Droppings
Take a look at the buildings around where you live. Notice the evidence that birds have been there from the whitish or off-white colored bird droppings on the roof peaks, ledges, or even streaked down the side of the walls in extreme cases. A few properly placed off-white or whitish-colored drops on your kit will show that people and birds are in your layout. If you only want to give the appearance of bird life, do not overdo the droppings. Finally, if you can find a couple of birds in your scale sitting, add them to the building’s roof line or a ledge.
A Broken Window
Using your hobby knife, scratch the window to indicate a cracked window or cut the window material to reveal a broken window. Remember that cracked windows can be found in many buildings and are never fixed. However, completely broken-out windows are more for abandoned buildings, sheds, or outbuildings. Remember to use this trick on only a few buildings. Let your viewers find the cracks and broken windows.
Doors and Windows
Open a few doors and windows on your buildings unless it's cold on your layout. This helps give the impression that someone is home. Also, with an open door, make sure that if you can see inside, there is something to look at, like a chair or table by the door or window or maybe a rug by the front door. Do not forget a carpet outside the front or back door to wipe your muddy shoes before entering the building.
Do not forget curtains, blinds, drapes, or shutters on windows. These can be simple colored paper or fabric..
Weeds Around Buildings and Structures
Weeds pile up and grow next to buildings and structures. Look outside your house, see where they grow, and place them around your structures. The weeds can be purchased commercially from several hobby manufacturers or make your own. Remember that weeds look different depending on the location you model. Some are bright green, dark green, and light brown when they dry out later in the summer. Some even have yellow, purple, or whatever color flowers on them. The flowers can be made by applying paint to the weed material. I stress again, do not overdo it. If you look at a field of weeds, you can see the hint of color from the flowers (unless you are making sunflowers or fields of lavender). Tall grasses can be made from the bristles of old paintbrushes. Local Arts and Crafts stores near you might sell dried flowers for arrangements. Parts of these dried flowers can be used to model weeds on your layout.
Stuff Around Buildings
We are all guilty of it. Collecting stuff and having it sit around the house or building. The stuff could be old cars, parts of cars, oil drums, leftover lumber from some past project, piles of weeds or even weeds next to the buildings, that old rusty refrigerator or stove you replaced, cans, bottles, and newspapers. You get the point. Walk around your house and town and see what we leave on the ground. If you want the appearance that people live on your layout, put “Stuff” out to weather and rust .
Roofs
As we generally look down on our layouts from above, make sure that you pay attention to the roofs. Roofs age and leak over the years, indicated by patch repairs to tar paper, metal roofs, and shingles that look newer than the surrounding areas. Also, maybe the neighbor kids threw something on the roof like a ball. How about a television (TV) antenna? Cable TV may not have been around when your model was built, but maybe a TV antenna was..
Signs on Buildings
Many companies offer decals or cardstock signs, or you can make your own. Take a look at photos of buildings from the era you model. Notice the signs. They were everywhere and in every condition to “just put up” to “been there for years and can barely read the sign.”.
Out Buildings and Support Buildings/Structures.
Out Buildings and Support Buildings/Structures help fill in the voids between your main buildings and structures. These include garages next to houses, sheds, outhouses, pump houses, dog houses, and fences.
By adding these to an existing main building or structure, that area becomes a scene where the visitor can look at the area, not just a simple building.
Figures, Animals and Vehicles
These items help to provide life to your building or structure. How often do you find a Gas Station or Garage without people, maybe a dog or cat, and a car in for repair or being worked on? Never! Perhaps the car is up on jack stands with one or two wheels removed. You could have the mechanic under the car with just their legs sticking out. If you have a vehicle with a detailed engine compartment, raise or remove the hood. If you remove the hood, place it on some saw horses so it is not just lying on the ground. Ensure the engine is dirty, as many model vehicles have shiny chrome engines. Don’t forget to open a vehicle door or trunk if possible
Fence and gates
Fences establish accent boundaries for homes, keep animals and livestock in, and keep people out. Each fence is different and, depending on the funds or materials available, vastly differs from location to location. They can be wood, rocks, wire, metal poles, or whatever. You do not have to have a complete fence for your building, but just a partial to give the impression of a larger fenced area. Do not forget a gate next to the house or to allow vehicles in.
Make the fence look old with a few broken or even new pickets or slats, and maybe the barbed or wire fence is only partially attached to the posts. Finally, do not forget the weeds that grow up around and next to the fence, along with maybe a Keep Out sign and trash and tumbleweeds that collect at the bottom of the fence, thanks to the wind.
Your next trip to the store….
Next time you shop in the store, look at the items for sale. Not for what they were originally made for, but for what you can use to detail your buildings and structures
This is just a sample of things you can do add details to your buildings or structures. Take a look at books on the time period you model and look past the building and structures. What else is in the photographs? The same applies to walking and looking around your house and town. Look past the buildings and structures to see what makes the areas look “lived in” or show the presence or people and animals…