Lightweight Spackle

[BCR751]

In last week's Weekend Update, I asked about using spackle to fill gaps between foam pieces when using it to build scenery.  Someone mentioned "lightweight spackle".  I've searched locally and the only product I can find is regular vinyl spackle made by DAP.  In fact, no one at any of the hardware stores has ever heard of lightweight spackle.  Would someone who uses the stuff please provide a brand name and/or manufacturer?

Doug

[Mark W]

http://www.dap.com/product_details.aspx?BrandID=136&SubcatID=23

[Ian MacMillan]

HD
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Phenopatch-1-Qt-Premium-Grade-Patch-N-Paint-Lightweight-Spackling-01611/100094504#
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Onetime-8-oz-Lightweight-Spackling-0542HD/202314762#

Lowes
http://www.lowes.com/pd_117026-74265-80011_0__?productId=3009453&Ntt=spackle&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dspackle&facetInfo=

3M
http://www.scotchblue.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotch-BlueBrand/Scotch-Blue/Products/Catalog/?N=4336+3294306841+3294529207&rt=rud


I generally use the DAP stuff that Mark posted. I find it at my local TruValue and ACE Hardware stores.

If anyone at your local stores have never heard of lightweight spackle...you may wanna try someplace else!

[rsn48]

Tim I tried to google for a local store and came up with American Walmarts, you might want to just pop down to Walmart and see if they carry it here.

Ian, sometimes what is carried in the States doesn't make it up here in our local Home Depots and what have you, smaller market in Canada.  The entire population of Canada is less the California's population.

[Ian MacMillan]

Ian, sometimes what is carried in the States doesn't make it up here in our local Home Depots and what have you, smaller market in Canada.  The entire population of Canada is less the California's population.

I'm aware of that, which is why I picked Links from big box stores instead of smaller market stores like TruValu, etc. Any Canadian HD can order any SKU that HD USA or HD Mexico carries and have it shipped to store at no cost.  I believe Lowes CA is the same way.

Here are the Canadian normally stocked SKU's if you dont wish to wait for it to be shipped from a US distribution center.

1000110566
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/lepageltsupgtreglt-supgt-polytm-instafil-980ml/973120

[Scottl]

+1, that is my go to product.  Comes in convenient tubes too.

[wazzou]

Another popular brand is Red Devil.

[BCR751]

Thanks for posting that link, Mark.  I'll print that off and take it down to our local home improvement store (which isn't Home Depot, Lowes, Tru-Valu, or ACE) and see if they can order it.  Our local store is RONA, the Canadian "medium box" store, and all they had was the regular DAP vinyl spackle. Also, thanks for posting the rest of those links.  They be helpful at some point.

And, just for educational purposes, the nearest "big box" home improvement place is an 8-hour drive from here.  Not something you want to do in winter conditions.  I sometimes envy you guys that can just pop down to one of those stores and grab what you need.  Then I come back to reality and remember that if I lived as far from town as I do here, and I was in the big city, it would take me at least an hour to get there.  Here, it takes me six minutes .

Doug

[dougnelson]

This is the BEST product for model rr terrain, covering foam, texturing, and even roads.  It is very easy to use and you can texture with various items, or smooth with a wet sponge for roads.  I am surprised that it is not more universally used for terrain.

Forget messy plaster.

Doug.

[jimmo]

This is the BEST product for model rr terrain, covering foam, texturing, and even roads.  It is very easy to use and you can texture with various items, or smooth with a wet sponge for roads.  I am surprised that it is not more universally used for terrain.

Forget messy plaster.

Doug.

+1.

I discovered lightweight spackle by first by trying out the Woodland Scenics product, Flex Paste. I liked the way it worked and all the above mentioned attributes. For covering large areas I thought that the price was kind of prohibitive at close to (and sometimes over) $20 for a 16oz container of it. A friend had given me a partially used container of lightweight spackle he didn't need anymore. When I opened it up, it smelled exactly like the expensive Flex Paste, so I tried using it and discovered that it was pretty much the same thing. The big difference was the cost. An equivalent size (16oz) is about a quarter or less of the cost.

I pre-color my spackle so I never have to touch up little white spots in the scenery, even after some rework. The ground on my layout has a little "give" which is good if your placing a vehicle on an uneven surface, you can push it down a little into the dried foam. I also found I could make tire tracks on a dried dirt road with a special (wheelie-bob) tool I made with a pair of HO-scale wheels, axle and a handle.

Planting structures is a simple matter of a properly prepared location, a decent structure foundation. A thin coat of lightweight spackle acts as an adhesive and is easy to work in and around the foundation to make the building look like it was built there instead of "plunked down."

I've even used cake-decorating techniques to apply it to some areas where access is limited by putting some thinned spackle into a squeeze container, such as a sandwich bag with a small hole clipped in one corner. This also works pretty well with filling in around rock castings and foam chunks.

I don't miss plaster at all.

[wazzou]

I use it to mortar some brick structures too, when I choose not to use flour.

[rsn48]

Doug my bad, thought I was talking to Tim Horton; hope you find your light  weight spackle.

[kelleywpns]

I use it to mortar some brick structures too, when I choose not to use flour.

Bryan

Can you describe the process for using the lightweight spackle for creating mortar?  I'm currently at the stage if finishing up around 8 brick structures right now ... just waiting for the weathering, mortar and detailing.  I was going to attempt to use thinned grey/white hobby paint, so I'm curious about this method.

thanks

Mike

[wazzou]

Bryan

Can you describe the process for using the lightweight spackle for creating mortar?  I'm currently at the stage if finishing up around 8 brick structures right now ... just waiting for the weathering, mortar and detailing.  I was going to attempt to use thinned grey/white hobby paint, so I'm curious about this method.

thanks

Mike

I just use a variety of stainless steel oil paint palette knives to scrape up some lightweight spackle on the bottom edge of the knife and smear it onto the brick, wiping off the excess with the knife in downward motions, softly enough so as not to scrape paint off.  I try to be mindful of window openings and remove any in those areas with toothpicks.  Work in small areas until you're satisfied that for the most part that the mortar lines are filled, use your finger in a T-shirt or Micro Fiber cloth to wipe the faces of the bricks clean.
Move on to other areas until complete.  I'd experiment with an unseen area or some scrap until you are comfortable with the process.

[Big Train]

Do you have a Home Hardware in town? They have a lightweight spackle under their house brand "Beauti-Tone":

http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Paint-Décor/Painting-Supplies/Patching-Filler-Prod/Patching-Products/Walls/950mL-Wall-Patch-Spackling-Compound-with-Pink-to-White-Dry-Indicator/_/N-2pqfZ67l/Ne-67n/Ntk-All_EN/R-I1625401?Ntt=spackling

Look for it in the paint section. Home Hardware's nomenclature calls it Featherweight Spackling (p/n 1625-400). And has an indicator that changes from pink to white when cured.

Hope this helps