PVC foam bricks

[Ray Dunakin]

While working on my hotel, I took a few minutes to test whether it would be possible to use PVC foam board to simulate brick walls. I didn't do any measuring, just eyeballed it, as I scribed the mortar lines into the PVC. I painted it with craft acrylics -- ended up going over it a couple times, so the paint job isn't real great. But for a quickie test, I think this turned out pretty well and shows some promise.



I plan to do some more experimentation with this material after I finish the hotel. I have some ideas on how to improve it, and ways to do more elaborate brickwork.

[finescalerr]

It has potential. -- Russ

[Mr Potato Head]

Nice "Eyeballing" 
MPH

[EZnKY]

Was the spalled brick intentional or one of those "successful accidents?"

[Ray Dunakin]

It was intentional, just to see if it could be done.

[JESTER]

Is this the same thing as Sintra?

PVC foam board to simulate brick walls.

[mabloodhound]

Jester,

I did a little research myself after seeing another modeler using PVC foamboard.   He referenced Sintra as being the same material which he gets from photo shops as cutoffs.   I've never tried it but now my interest is peaked.   I'm also going to look into balsa foam from the art shops.

[Carlo]

How about GatorBoard? This seems to be the Sintra with wood veneer outer skins.
I assume that Sintra is just monolithic foam all the way through, and Gatorboard has the outer skins?
Anyone confirm or deny? How hard is Sintra to scribe (sharp or dull knife, sharpened dowel, tip of probe or file)?
Carlo

[Ray Dunakin]

Yes, Sintra is a brand name for PVC foam board. I get mine from this online supplier:

http://www.foamboardsource.com/sintra-pvc-foam--sintra-pvc-board.html

Sintra/PVC foam board is the same all the way through -- no laminated material. It's harder and denser than polystyrene foam (aka "styro-foam"), and much more durable too.

Gatorboard is different. The core is polystyrene, very soft, the same stuff that's in artist's foam core board. Foam core board is laminated with paper, Gatorboard is laminated with "wood fiber veneer", whatever that means.

I've also seen foam core board that is laminated with thin styrene sheet, and sometimes this is referred to as "Gatorboard" but I don't know if that is really the correct term for it.

[JESTER]

Sintra has an outer layer of thin smooth PVC but the inner layer is somehow lighter. It's similar to a foamcore but it's all PVC. I used it on my rocket fins. I had 1/8 layers which are very brittle!! I had to sandwich some layers together which made them pretty strong.

It's easy to scribe as I scribed mine and don't recall any problems. It works great with CA Glue.

[nk]

Nice re-use of a Brita water filter Jester!

[JESTER]

Thanks! I had blinking LED lights that shined through the slits. That plastic is pretty hard to prep! I had to sand it real good and use an adhesion promoter to get the paint to stick.

Nice re-use of a Brita water filter Jester!