Ground Cover (Dirt)

[Dennis Bourey]

Hi Guy's what do you use for dirt? mixture's ? I look at dirt in my back yard and it's to rich and dark looking. not like any of the layout's I seen here and on net. Thanks Dennis

[deemery]

I use 2 things:  (1) NEBrownstone "Super Dirt".  (2) stuff I screened from a bag of paver base.  The latter is a bit darker grey, the "Super Dirt" is more of a beige color.  I also have a big bucket of 'decomposed granite' that I got from alongside I-93 :-)


dave

[Dennis Bourey]

Dave, 93? You talking about were they are doing all the construction where we have those big rock crusher's? Hmmmmmm lol they didn't shoot you lol ?

[deemery]

I got that dirt about 30 years ago, when we lived in Derry NH and I drove 93 to work every day.  That's some well-traveled stuff, it went from Derry to Vancouver BC to Reston VA and now to Dover NH.


The problem with getting dirt from the highway, at least in northern climates, is that it'll have a lot of salt in it.



dave

[Dennis Bourey]

You are 100% right... Were neighbors almost

[S&S RR]

Dennis


This is a big topic for Fine Scale Model Railroaders.  The dirt I use for my roads and yards comes from a clay pit in Northern Michigan.  It is the only place in Michigan where I have found dirt that is fine enough texture for HO scale. The texture is the key.  The color can be changed with soft pastel chalks.  For fill I use fine Lake Michigan beach sand but I need to add finer sand over the top of it to make it look right. The fine sand that I use I make even finer with a mortar and Pestle before applying it over my beach sand fill.

[Dennis Bourey]

Absolutely John, It's a big topic. That's why I ask the best modeler's I know. Honestly I can not find anything here in New Hampshire like a dirt pit or road side shopping So I must wing it and come up with something the best I can. Dennis

[Oldguy]

I just use dirt.  I dug some up last fall, put it though a thrift shop blender and it comes out more like dust.  It is super fine, perhaps a bit too fine.
Granted, the dirt was trucked in, most likely from a borrow pit near the Missouri River.

[deemery]

Do I remember correctly, that George Sellios obtained dirt from a baseball diamond?  (Would make sense, George was quite the ball player...)


dave

[sdrees]

I look for any type of construction site to get my dirt.  The dirt used on baseball diamonds is a very fine clay material and is the best stuff , but I haven't been able to use it, because I can't find any.  You need to be careful if you use a silt as it has mica in it which are all those shiny particles you will see in it.  So the dirt I get from a construction site, I will sift it thru several sieves, the last one a nylon stocking which will give you a very fine particles.  I will keep some of the dirt on a larger sieves and also use to add texture to my ground cover

[Dennis Bourey]

Dave, I read it's a mixture. 50% topsoil and maybe 50% brick dust. Nobody should be around at the Concord high school ? Thank you Steve.....Dennis
Dave I found this stuff.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/True-Pitch-Flex-A-Clay-Softball-and-Baseball-Field-Clay-1-Bag/53736937

[hairball]

I use lake Ontario beach sand as the base to cover the surface of the plywood board .  Gives a great surface for the foams to stick to.    After that I use the fine ground coloured foams from Woodland Scenics along with their spray glue.  I also like their Foliage bags and use them to create vines on walls.

Because I am working in O scale the beach sand can get a little big so you have to sift it.  The really finely powdered sifted material turns dark brown like mud and doesn't look right.

mike lynch ..........HAIRBALL

[ReadingBob]

I look for any type of construction site to get my dirt.  The dirt used on baseball diamonds is a very fine clay material and is the best stuff , but I haven't been able to use it, because I can't find any.  You need to be careful if you use a silt as it has mica in it which are all those shiny particles you will see in it.  So the dirt I get from a construction site, I will sift it thru several sieves, the last one a nylon stocking which will give you a very fine particles.  I will keep some of the dirt on a larger sieves and also use to add texture to my ground cover

I have a bucket of dirt I scarfed from a mound just outside of a little league baseball diamond which I'm pretty sure is the same stuff.  I bake it to dry it out and kill any little critters that might be in there and then sift it like you describe.  A lot of effort but a bucket goes a long way.    

[Dennis Bourey]

Thank you Bob and Mike........Dennis

[Lynnb]

The baseball diamond dirt can actually be purchased in a 50 lb bag at most lumber stores. I bought a bag last year near winter and because it was frozen I put it in a big deep frying pan and onto the BBQ , made it nice and dry and then onto the sifter and panty hose over cup container. Different grades for different areas.