Adding Concrete Lines with Model Railroad Paints

When it comes to designing and finishing the buildings on a model railroad layout, attention to detail, a steady hand and a bit of patience can take your structures from average to outstanding. If you’re committed to putting in the time and energy to create realistic buildings, you’ll notice a big difference in the way viewers interact with your layout.

Using model railroad paints and chalks and other weathering and painting techniques, you can add details to your structures that help give your layout a new layer of realism and depth. In this lesson, we show you how to use model railroad paints and a very fine brush to add concrete lines to a building to make it appear more realistic.

How to add concrete lines with model railroad paints

One of the best ways to make the structures on your layout appear more realistic and take your layout from good to exceptional is by adding those little details that hold the viewer’s attention. There are many techniques, tools and model railroad paints you can utilize to detail your structures.

To help you figure out the best way to add a simple detail to a building, NMRA Master Modeler Gerry Leone shows you how to use model railroad paints to add concrete lines to the windows and ledges of a building. You’ll learn the expert tips necessary to find the appropriate model railroad paints for a realistic concrete line, as well as the proper technique for a solid brush stroke on a small surface.

Gerry demonstrates the form for applying model railroad paints with a very fine brush. He also teaches you how to get even more detailed with model railroad paints by changing the angle at which you approach the wall. With these expert techniques for using model railroad paints to add detail to the buildings on your layout, you’ll be able to captivate your viewers!