Basic Ground Cover

Despite rather cold weather in Denmark for the season the colour of the landscape is changing. At least on my small 1/19 scale layout. I have begun to cover the white foam surface with a layer of disposable kitchen rags soaked in white glue. 

The right end of the layout dressed in kitchen rags and paint. I think it will help make the layout look a little less unfinished.

I have picked up the method of using kitchen rags from a Danish model railway club working on a large H0 layout with a Danish theme. They have a nice blog in Danish, where they share the daily life of building, maintaning and running a large layout. Soaked in glue the kitchen rags are flexible and easily follow the contours of the foam landscape (hardly a surprise, as most of my layout is basically flat).

Two pieces of kitchen rag being cut to fit. The material takes pencil lines fine and cuts easily with scissors. Being absorbant the rags consumes considerable amounts of glue.

Before I cover the foam foundation with rags I roughly smooth out the worst edges of cork underlay and foam board, used to raise the track, with a knife. Where needed I apply a little filler. I then place a dry rag over the area and marks out the boundaries with a pencil. I cut the rag with a pair of sicssors and check for fit on the area to be covered. The area is then covered with diluted white glue and the rag placed on top. More glue is spread over the rag with a brush making sure the rag is flooded with thinned glue. The area is left to dry.

Once the glue is set, the kitchen rags turns into a rather hard surface that I hope will make a good foundation for my work on the next stage of scenic work. As my kitchen rags had several rather harsh colours a coat of paint was definately needed before proceeding. I used an acrylic paint with a colour named 'Warm Clay'. Until I get to do further scenic work, the colour will help the layout looking a little less unfinished. 

Rags in white and light blue glued down and in the process of drying. The hole edged by scrap pieces of foam board is the permanent location for the brick shed. The hole enables me to connect wires for lighting with ease,