5
PAINTING YOUR PRODUCT
We would strongly advise you to finish the product with paint or wood stain to make
them as appealing as possible. The parts should be primed (2 coats) and painted
before final assembly. Spray paint can also be used to get a very smooth finish. Oil
or water-based paint can be used and specialised paints like chalk paint can be used
to give unique finishes.
Generally, it is highly advisable to paint/spray before gluing. You may not be able to
get to the inside of the structure after it is glued together. Covering all the parts that
must not be painted or sprayed with the same colour can be a tedious process. Pre-
painting will avoid this process.
Please ensure that no paint clog a sleeve where a lug must fit in later. The
tolerances are often so tight that too thick a layer of paint may cause problems. It is
our experiences that a small foam roller instead of a brush, will produce a better
finish and far less clogging of sleeves.
Applying a base or undercoat normally makes life easier afterwards. Two coats of
primer are advisable because the MDF absorbs a lot of paint. Using a single colour
for the undercoat of all parts works quite well from personal experience. You can
choose the paint of your preference, whether it is oil or water based. Cleaning
brushes and rollers are just so much easier if you use a water base paint. A chalk
paste can give a unique finish to walls and give a weathered look if so desired. If you
prefer to protect the paint work of your structure you can always apply a clear spray
coat.
LET’S GET STARTED WITH THE ASSEMBLY
You can start by gluing the nubs at the bottom of the four walls (B), (C), (D) and (E)
into the slots of the floor (A). All that is needed for a proper sturdy assembly is some
glue where any two parts touch each other. The lugs that fit into the slots stop any
movement, but the glue holds all the parts together. The walls must therefore have
glue at the bottom and the sides where the walls touch each other (only a little bit of
glue is required). Gently press down on the walls to ensure a snug fit. Ensure that all
the walls are plumb and square before the glue fully sets. Allow the glue to set
before you proceed.
Next you can glue the nubs of the serving counter (G) and the small canopy (H) into
the slots in the front wall (B). Lastly there is the roof (F) that fits over the front wall
and rests on the other three walls. We leave it to you to decide whether you want to
glue the roof to the walls or just leave it loose (easy access at a later stage to fit
lights, add artwork, etc.).
FINISHING & BRANDING
We leave the finishing to your imagination and your taste. Do whatever you think will
transform this completed as an integral part of your race track diorama.