N scale TILE GROUT BALLAST Step by step tutorial procedure best practices

[@roady1710]

Kind of looks like you threw up on it..... To each his own

[@N_scale]

Barfallast

[@roady1710]

@@N_scale 👍

[@vincenthuying98]

Dear Montana & Wyoming, maybe I missed something, didn’t hear what kind of tile grout you used. Where the sanded grout maybe too small, the non sanded grout version should be excellent for modeling ballast in N scale. By the way, most tile grouts nowadays aren’t necessarily a cement based product, to make sure the grout is water tight, most manufacturers switched to polymer based glues. Advantage of those grouts is that they are non alkalic, on the contrary cement based grouts are and may interfere with either electrical connection, or can induce increased patina build on the rails. Love the results! Great vid. Cheerio

[@N_scale]

@@vincenthuying98 it’s like powder. I do a sealing brush on layer at end Our club loves it looks so much better

[@duncanwilson3672]

A high speed curve next to a nuclear reactor ! What could possibly go wrong ? 😅

[@N_scale]

What has gone wrong? Buried nuclear waste in the backyard. A giant glowing poodle. And you’re forgetting. The war of the worlds vs the tank army beside that.

[@lyndonfoster1090]

Wonderful. I too have struggled with the size and price of store bought ballast. I will try. Thank you for a very cool video.

[@N_scale]

Glad it was helpful

[@williamluther7251]

got a question, im loving the grout technique , do i need to glue my track down? after the grout or does the vibration eventually break it up, im greener than a blaade of grass in the spring time at this

[@N_scale]

Glue your Kato to your board 1st Hot glue for easy to remove Permanent layouts Lepage pl300 for modular moving layouts Then spray the glue with 50/50 iso alcohol and water. Then brush on a mod podge 1:10 water with a paint brush. Then clean your track It ain’t coming off, if it is add more glue and water (another round)

[@Kenika]

Very interesting. How permanent is the glue in the grout? Can it be removed with soap and water, in case the tracks would be taken up later on? Happy New Year.

[@N_scale]

I have taken up a section of track that wasn’t running correctly (kink in track) The grout is very strong holding it’s not like woodland scenics ballast. It is literally rocks. The track I removed did break in some spots on areas where unijoiners are. In the past if I was removing atlas flex track from cork and ballast it also would kink and bend if glued down with liquid nails etc and not be reusable for the most part either. Think about it like this. This tile grout, if it just flaked off when you washed your tile it wouldn’t be very good.

[@genejablonski9909]

Have you done this by applying the grout first and ten the water? I'd rather not glue the grout to the tops of my ties since I'm not using cement ties.

[@N_scale]

Yes correct, dust it on first, spray it next. And you just use a paintbrush to take it off your ties, same as regular ballasting

[@KenN.OXN.805]

Thank you. I won’t be using Kato unitrack, but I always wondered how I would get just a thin layer of balast if I were to use unitrack.

[@N_scale]

In theory you could use grout on any other track and cork Just make sure thin layers

[@andrewway3404]

Great video, thanks for sharing this.

[@N_scale]

Thanks I am very happy with the method after a lot of trial and error And the track doesn’t get glue on it like the other way. (If the grout is brushed away before spraying)

[@michaelhollman9470]

Brilliant idea! Thanks!

[@N_scale]

@@michaelhollman9470 no prob not sure why I didn’t see this

[@garystrutt2078]

Is it sanded grout?

[@N_scale]

Yep pretty sure don’t have bags anymore it’s in a pail