I'm doing a diorama with a street scene and I'm not sure how to glue the buildings down. Is the very small surface (the width of the walls) enough contact or do I need to add something to make them stick more firmly?
With fitting buildings to a layout I try to set them in a hole in the base board, not unlike the foundations found on full size buildings. This also means that you might avoid the issues of any gaps between the bottom edge of the wall and the ground.
If you are putting the buildings onto a surface (as opposed to in a hole) then the type of adhesive will depend on what the building and the base for your diorama are made from, particularly if the latter is made from polystyrene as the solvent-based types will eat into it.
Your best bet might be PVA as it's reasonably OK as a general purpose adhesive, and if you can get one of the thicker ones, or use something like one of the gap fillers (decorator's caulk) then that will also take care of any gaps.
Thanks. I usually use No More Nails so will probably stay with that. Unfortunately the base is level so I can't have the building in a hole.
Another vote for PVA, in the past I've accidentally knocked a building, if you use a strong glue like nomorenails then you will damage the building and then have to remove it to repair, causing more damage. PVA will hold it in place but a knock will dislodge it rather than damaging the building. It also helps if you want to move buildings from one layout to a new one...
Re the flat surface, build a little ledge using 1 or 2mm card round the base and then disguise with scenic material. There is only one thing worse than gaps below buildings and that is corners in the sky backscenes!!
Actually Hobby's suggestion about the card is a good one.
On Latham's Brewery all the buildings sat on the top of the MDF base boards tops, but as the track is sat on top of a cork underlay (about 3 mm thick) and much of that was covered in (card) cobbles the bottoms of the walls ended up about 5 or 6mm below 'ground' level.
I'd also agree that whilst No More Nails is a very strong adhesive (I used it last when laying the wooden floors to stick the planks to the joists) but as Hobby said it might be too strong in this case.
I tend to lay a layer of 2mm card on the flat surface where I will be placing buildings and then cut out a slot for each building so they "bed" into the ground.
Quote from: danny on October 29, 2015, 23:51
Thanks. I usually use No More Nails so will probably stay with that. Unfortunately the base is level so I can't have the building in a hole.
Danny, if you have a flat base then nothing is lost! If you are using static grass or laying paving stones around your building then those scenic techniques will cover up the gap where the building meets the baseboard. Otherwise, if you have not taken things too far then a sheet of 3mm foamboard covering the areas where buildings are sited makes a good base for scenery and, as others have already mentioned, you can trace around where the building will go and cut a hole out to accept the building and plonk (technical term) it in. PVA is probably as good as anything to glue your buildings to the base as it gives you time to position the item. Hope that helps.
You have to (probably) take into consideration the weight of your building. Most of mine are made of card and are stuck down with PVA (and they sit in slight recesses to hide the gap). The station buildings are "Skaledale" (I think) and are held down with bolts through the baseboard - I drilled and tapped holes into the walls. The engine shed is also held down with bolts - in case it needs to be lifted...
I am using Bachmann Scenecraft and Hornsby International cast buildings on my layouts. I glue 1/2
Gluing triangular gussets into the corners of the buildings would give a bit more surface area for gluing and possibly help stiffen the buildings.
If you want the buildings to be removable you could use Neodymium "super" magnets - e.g. thin disc-shaped ones.
Setting buildings into the baseboard surface, even by just the thickness of thin card or plasticard paving helps avoid the look of the building sitting on top of the baseboard. If the building is to be removed on occasion then the gap can be filled with suitably coloured Plasticine.
May I offer the idea of another substance for glueing your buildings down. Matt Medium similar to conventional PVA but does not dry so hard or brittle so will "give" a little, also as it's name suggests it drys clear and quite "matt" and is safe with card, wood and plastic.
Hope this helps.
John.