Good day all!

Any suggestions on materials to use to construct buildings which will live their little lives out doors? Similar to Garden Railroads.

Anyone tackle this and have suggestions on where to start?

Thanks!

Don't tell me you are going to build a 1/16 diorama of the battle of kursk in your backyard? if yes then I guess for anything not to deteriorate unless it is concrete, and you do it like the real thing.

I would suggest white resin... it is basically impervious to the elements, and picks up details quite well when cast into a mold.

The real kicker will be to keep your paintwork from fading... I have a quirky hobby of collecting yard gnomes (mostly made of Resin or concrete)... while they hold up well structurally, I have to repaint them every two or three years. I have even tried sealing them in UV resistant spray to no avail.

If you decide to go the white resin method, I recommend Smooth-On over Alumilite... it is wonderful stuff, and about 30% less costly. Let me know if you can't find it locally... I sell 32oz kits for $23.00. Alumilite is usually around $34 for the same amount.

My I suggest reïnforced concrete bunker with an epoxy resin added to the concrete mix. Then perhaps???

Or granite slabs...

Kris

Waterproofed plywood with a solid coat of paint - remember - real houses fade and deteroirate too.

Shingels for roof would keep the rest of the structure protected.

Otherwise, how long do you expect the things to last ?

i would like to see pic's of the finnished project...a real life back yard diorama

Thank you to each one of you!!!

Here is my agenda for my question. I belong to a 1/16 Armor club and we have been given space at a local museum to build a 1/16 battle diorama. The catch is that the space is out of doors but very well protected from wind. (See our website for site pictures: http://www.texasarmor.com/Texas_Armor_Association/RC_Battlefield.html)

We are currently in the planning phase. Looking at all materials to use from buildings to trees to grass (real & fake). Boils down to costs...

For the structure, we wish to make them mobile. For we give demo's around our area and wish to take them with us. We don't need a lot of buildings but we do wish to have a small village in the center.

A few buildings might be made to allow us to crash our tanks through.

Again, thank each one of you for your kind words of wisdom and keep them coming!