A Quick Backdrop Question...

[Lighthorseman]

My trainroom is purely dedicated to the layout. No guest beds, computers, storage or anything else. Is there any particular reason that I should NOT paint my backdrop right onto the wall? Seems a whole lot easier than having to attach something to an already nicely finished, prepped wall.

Comments?

 

[NScale]

I done this some years back. When came time to move, I needed to paint the walls before I sold the house. Had trouble covering over. Lots of sanding and putting sealer on the walls before I ever got it to where I couldn't see it bleeding back though the new paint.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Yep, that was my experience too. However, the repainting was less work than constructing a backdrop.

 

[shamus]

Hi Steve,
You might be better off using Hardboard around the rear of the layout for your backscene. Mine is 2'-6" tall and is on 2" by 1" timber drops every 5 feet. Get hold of white faced hardboard makes life easy for putting backdrops to it.


shamus

 

[rsn48]

I used a commercial backdrop over hardboard. The hardboard is attached directly the wall with screws inset a tad with sanded plastic wood over.

I figured no matter what I did, the walls would have to be repaired and painted. I decided filling lots of small holes and sanding them and painting them was just about as easy as any other solution I could come up with.

 

[Lighthorseman]

A Clarification...

Perhaps I should have pointed this out. The next time I move...will involve two guys with shovels. ("Alas, poor Steve - I knew him well.")
This is THE house. Moving to one better would necessitate a half-million that I don't happen to have, nor expect to have.

My one and only concern would be with having to repaint a backdrop. I'm assuming that there would be almost no difference between trying to repaint a wall and a hardboard backdrop...would there?

 

[belg]

Hey Steve do you live in NJ too, the prices here are rediculous for houses. Don't go taking that dirt nap any time soon OK? If I was facing your situation I would paint the backdrop on the walls and if it had to be covered over sometime use KILZ primer and that will cover pretty much everything! Don't forget to show us some progress photos.

Pat

 

[Matthyro]

If the wall is as good as you say Steve I say go ahead and paint it or stick a background scene on it, whichever suits your needs. The only difficulty you may have to repaint it is reaching over your scenery.

 

[Russ Bellinis]

One advantage to using a hardboard backdrop as opposed to painting directly on the walls is that you could "cove" the corners to get a seamless backdrop curving around the layout with no corners to hide.

 

[Lighthorseman]

The Rumination Doth Continue...

Originally posted by Matthyro
...The only difficulty you may have to repaint it is reaching over your scenery.

Precisely my line of thought, Sir. That's why I want to paint before anything is even semi-permanently anchored to the walls. Also, as you say, repainting could be tough. This, however, is not a problem fixed by a separately installed backdrop...as far as I can tell.

 

[belg]

Steve your correct in your thought that the backdrop would be no closer than the wall to repaint.

 

[Lighthorseman]

Pat - Thanks for the primer info. I know that if I ever do have to repaint, it'll be a pain no matter what. I'm hoping to avoid that whole senario.

Russ - The coved corner idea sounds great, but I'm unsure if I'm talented enough to pull something like that off. I guess we'll see.

Thanks to everyone for the input!

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Reading the above posts made me remember that when I painted my walls for a backdrop I wanted coved corners. I used a type of cardboard or illustration board I picked up at a craft store. My layout was high to make it easier to duck under (it was around the walls in a 10 x 12 room) I would guess the board was about 2 x 3 or 4. I sprayed the 2' edges with a spray adhesive by 3M. Just a band about 3" wide. I then held it against the two walls which formed the corner for a couple minutes. This provided a nicely coved corner. I used spackle to feather the edge of the board to the wall surface. This worked well for the two to three years before I moved. I should mention this was in a rented apartment. When i moved the hardest part was removing the spackle. Also some of the paper from the sheetrock pulled off when I removed the coved boards. So the spackle job I was faced with after removing the layout was formidable. Nonetheless, in two days the apartment was good as new, and the coved corners had made me happy for over two years, so I didn't feel too bad about it.