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Hello everyone:

For the first time in many moons, I will be painting various surfaces so that they resemble poured concrete.  These will include:

  • Bridge abutments

  • Subway platforms

  • Sidewalks/promenades

In the above, I'm thinking that both the colors -- and textures -- might vary from one application to the other, as they do in real life.  

I know I could easily do a Google search for paints that would work well, but I'm more interested in hearing everyone's real-life experiences and preferences concerning what they like best.  If you have photos of how it all turned out, so much the better.

I searched a few old forum threads on this subject, but some of the recommended solutions (e.g., Polly Scale Old Concrete 30318) are no longer available.  Links to currently available products would also be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts,

Steven J. Serenska

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Some 5 or more years ago I purchased a bottle of "Aged Concrete", but the table on that bottle is now gone. It was a water based paint, and I knew that the small bottle would not be enough to paint all the concrete station platforms I was making. I painted a wide, flat stick of balsa wood with 3 coats of the Aged Concrete, then took it to our local True Value hardware store. They used their "color analyzer" machine, then mixed me a quart of the stuff, in latex paint. Worked out fine.

All you need to do is find a color that you like, then have it analyzed, and a quart mixed for you. 

Here are 2 colors I use that capture the color of aged concrete:

Folk Art Acrylic Craft Paint #936 Barnwood

Rustoleum Khaki Camouflage Spray Paint

The colors above viewed on a computer monitor are not accurate.   The Barnwood has a little more tan tone to it and the Khaki Camo is a lot less tan.

The concrete sills and trim were done with the Folk Art Barnwood:

IMG_1836

The granite block was sprayed with Rustoleum Khaki Camo and then stippled with black craft paint:

IMG_1841

Bob

 

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RRDOC posted:

The colors above viewed on a computer monitor are not accurate.   The Barnwood has a little more tan tone to it and the Khaki Camo is a lot less tan.

The concrete sills and trim were done with the Folk Art Barnwood:

IMG_1836

The granite block was sprayed with Rustoleum Khaki Camo and then stippled with black craft paint:

IMG_1841

Bob

 

Which of these would you recommend for concrete curb around black top?

Is there a color that represents old wood?

Most concrete other than fresh poured has multiple subtle shades to it. Similar to Bob's Khaki and black stipple I use a light tan water base which is allowed to dry for a couple of days then a wash made with about ten parts water and 1 part black acrylic, wipe on then wipe off. You can make it darker by applying successive coats of wash.

cafe1crop [1)

Pete

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Last edited by Norton
BobbyD posted:
RRDOC posted:

The colors above viewed on a computer monitor are not accurate.   The Barnwood has a little more tan tone to it and the Khaki Camo is a lot less tan.

The concrete sills and trim were done with the Folk Art Barnwood:

IMG_1836

The granite block was sprayed with Rustoleum Khaki Camo and then stippled with black craft paint:

IMG_1841

Bob

 

Which of these would you recommend for concrete curb around black top?

Is there a color that represents old wood?

I like the Khaki camo for curbs.   It has more of an aged look.  IIRC in his book, Dennis Brennan recommended a spray of light grey automotive primer followed by a light misting of the Khaki camo to get some color variation.

BTW, I highly recommend Dennis' book for learning scenery techniques.  

Bob

Everybody has their own recipe for concrete. Here's mine:

First paint the surface with cheap hobby acrylic -- some shade between middle-gray and black. The darker, the "older" the look. Don't make it too uniform--I agree that old concrete always has variability in color.

Second, lightly dust with Rustolium Desert Bisque. This is a textured paint--don't over do it. Also, this stuff (like many spray paints) will soften foam. This can be bad or good. I sometimes do it on purpose to get an old, eroded look.

concretewalls 6walls 8walls 9

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RRDOC posted:

I like the Khaki camo for curbs.   It has more of an aged look.  IIRC in his book, Dennis Brennan recommended a spray of light grey automotive primer followed by a light misting of the Khaki camo to get some color variation.

BTW, I highly recommend Dennis' book for learning scenery techniques.  

Bob

Thank you for the ideas. Have that book and will pull it out.

I'm like you....I've got a LOT of 'concrete' to paint on my city (et al) scenery, and I'll probably use the Camo-Khaki by R/O....just because I'm cheap thrifty when it comes to ho-hum colors like.....concrete.  Gray primers are OK, too, for variety/aging....IMHO, of course.  Ditto cheap thrifty crafty acrylics....like the Barn Wood suggestion above.

But, since you asked, I'll add a couple more from the relatively new kid on the block...Tru-Color...

TCP-006  Concrete

TCP-172  Weathered Concrete

TCP-801  Flat Concrete

I haven't used any of the above, mind you.  But the difference between 006 and 801 escapes the casual mind (i.e., most of my cranial output).  I mean, could it be there is to follow the release of 801 a couple more variants.....like 'Curved' or 'Bumpy' Concrete????  Or, perhaps, 'Polished' Concrete???  

And, oh yes,  I just noticed that Testor's is coming out with two new acrylic colors...

4875  Flat Aged Concrete

4876  Flat Concrete

Hmmmmm.....there it is, again...."Flat"!!   I don't think of concrete's appearance typically as anything BUT flat.    But, then again, my opthamologist warned me that the cataract operation(s) would change my color perceptions. 

Which is why I think cheap thrifty when it comes to colors like 'Concrete', leaving the hyperanalyisis to the pickers of nit and otherwise challenged.

Hey, they don't call me Lucas Gudinov for nothing!

dkdkrd posted:

But, since you asked, I'll add a couple more from the relatively new kid on the block...Tru-Color...

TCP-006  Concrete

TCP-172  Weathered Concrete

TCP-801  Flat Concrete

I haven't used any of the above, mind you.  But the difference between 006 and 801 escapes the casual mind (i.e., most of my cranial output).  I mean, could it be there is to follow the release of 801 a couple more variants.....like 'Curved' or 'Bumpy' Concrete????  Or, perhaps, 'Polished' Concrete???  

 

Maybe it's semi gloss? Like the shiny concrete floors in factories, auto dealerships, etc.?

Steven:

My method is a little different but it allows you to control the final 'color' of the concrete as you stated.

Whether it is wood or plastic I start off by sanding with 80-100 grit paper to roughen the surface (if you use textured paint as the last coat you can skip this step).

Next comes flat black paint - about 80% coverage

Next comes red oxide paint - about 80% coverage

Then satin/flat dark gray  - almost 100% coverage

The coat will give you the concrete shade you want. I use - satin or flat

Light gray or white, or Desert Bisque textured. You can also experiment with the other top coats cited above.

I find that the three base coats gives me an excellent starting base for the final top coat. You end up with reds, and dark grays. This gives the top coat some subtle color shades when you are done.

Coal Gas Processing Building 007

IMG_7934

Kettle Furnace 013

HO Scale Loading Dock 014 [2)

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I wanted to thank everyone for these excellent suggestions and ideas.  Rather than reply with a bunch of posts, I'll address everyone in this one long reply:

  • HOT WATER -- As noted in the original post, Polly Scale Old Concrete 30318 was discontinued several years ago and is no longer available, even on the used market.  Did the staff at True Value happen to write the color codes on the can they made up for you?  If so, I'm sure a number of people reading this thread would like to know it.

  • RRDOC -- Your results look great.  When you say that you "stippled" the Rustoleum Khaki Camo with black craft paint, what technique did you use to do this?  Did you take a fine brush, dip it in the black paint, and then sort of stab the Khaki Camo?  Did you spatter it?  Some other way?  It looks great.

    Your suggestion to use Brennan's book is a good one.  I own it and I didn't even check.  D'oh!

  • DKDKRD -- You and I are birds of a feather: Cheep, cheep, cheep.   : )

  • AVANTI and MODEL STRUCTURES -- You guys both proposed the same technique, you are just using different materials.  I'm going to give this a try, particularly for the larger concrete areas we'll be creating (e.g., a large promenade outside a Lionel #116 City Station).


For everyone else I didn't mention by name, your stuff looks great.  When I get to bridge abutments, particular, I'll give some of them a try (i.e., like GENE MAAG's Rust-oleum stone texture paint idea).

Thanks again.  Please everyone, feel free to add more.

Steven J. Serenska

 

  • RRDOC -- Your results look great.  When you say that you "stippled" the Rustoleum Khaki Camo with black craft paint, what technique did you use to do this?  Did you take a fine brush, dip it in the black paint, and then sort of stab the Khaki Camo?  Did you spatter it?  Some other way?  It looks great.


I used a stiff  5/16" diameter flat-bottomed stenciling brush.  Just barely dip it in the paint and dab it on newspaper or a rag until nearly all the paint is gone and stab away on the wall.

Bob

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