I have tried every popular scenery base method (insulation foam, chicken wire, newspaper, etc). They all have advantages and disadvantages, and I guess it comes down to personal preference. Because some of the methods can cost quite a bit of money, and because scenery takes up a good bit of space and is usually thrown away when a new layout is built, I prefer a method that is relatively cheap when used in large quantities.

This article may evolve over time, but I will describe my current preferred method for building a scenery base for generic landscapes. I start off by sacrificing (or recycling) a cardboard box or two, slicing them into 1-inch wide strips. The width of the strips really just depends on the area to be covered. If the scenic base is rather narrow, I may cut 3/4" or 1/2" strips. A utility knife or a pair of scissors is all that is needed here. The strips do not have to be perfectly straight because they will not be seen when all is done. They simply provide structural integrity for the scenic base, while being very flexible to shape into whatever form you prefer. To obtain good strength and support for the next layer of material, strips are woven together. The strips are glued to each other and to the benchwork using a small glue gun. These can be had for just a few dollars at your local art supply store.

The following three photos show the kinds of shapes that can be made with the strips. It is fun work and goes incredibly quick because the glue sets within seconds. If you don't like a particular section, you can cut it out and reglue it, or you can build another shape on top of what you just did. You can see a bit of that in the first photo when you look inside the tunnel on the right.

Once I'm happy with the overall shape (I usually let it sit overnight to review what I did the previous day), it is time to cover the cardboard strips with something more solid to keep the remaining scenery material from falling through. I used to use Woodland Scenics plaster cloth (shown here on the right), which works great, but at about $8 per roll can be quite expensive if you have large areas to cover. A ten-foot roll may sound like a lot, but it goes quick. The plaster cloth provides a finer mesh layer, but it cannot be the final finished layer - you still have to put something else on top of it.

So, one day I realized that all I needed was something that keeps the next layer in place while it dries. So, I came up with the idea of gluing newspaper directly on top of the cardboard strips (I'm sure somebody else dreamed this up years ago, but it was a new idea for me). I use the same glue gun, which, again, makes quick work of this step. I cut the newspaper in strips of arbitrary size and glue them in place. I don't worry about overlapping, but I do make sure that there are no more holes in the scenery base. In large contiguous areas I may even use a whole page. The next photo shows a layer of newspaper glued in place on my latest layout.

We are getting there. You can see from the photo above that you can get a good idea of what the final landscape is going to look like. The final layer will represent the top-of-the-earth. My favorite material by far is Sculptamold. I have been using it for years and cannot imagine a better product. For the longest time I used it as per the directions, simply mixing it with water and spreading it over the landscape form by hand. When it dries, it is rock-hard. You can drill into it. The natural "lumpiness" makes for great generic rock surfaces.

However, I recently was reading the November 2005 issue of Model Railroader magazine where an article by Lou Sassi covers a technique he calls "ground goop". Following his article, here's what I use:

1. one part Sculptamold (Walthers)
2. one part Vermiculite (technical info)
3. one part latex paint (earth-tone)
4. 3/4 part white glue
5. enough water to keep the mixture moist

I used a small spatula to spread the "goop" on the newspaper base I described above. It goes on really easily, and it stays workable for hours. While it is still wet, I sprinkle Woodland Scenics green ground foam on top to simulate grass. The big advantage I see is that the ground surface is already painted. Even if a piece should break off down the road, it will still be painted the same color as the surface. Using the spatula I was able to get real close to already-scenicked track. This is what it looks like. The color is dependent on the paint color used in the mixture.

All that remains is to place it on the newspaper layer and then cover it with ground foam. While the "goop" is wet, it is easy to insert rocks in the material. This makes it look like they are embedded in the soil.