Bondo

One of my aesthetic goals for The Hills Line was to create a seamless fascia. While that serves absolutely no purpose towards the design or operational intent of the layout, it does help create a more pleasing appearance to others, regardless of their familiarity with the prototype.

I originally used joint compound to fill the seams, especially between the fascia proper and the building extensions facing the aisle. Over time the material shrunk and create a very visible divide between the two portions.

Fortunately I was directed to use Bondo, the polyester auto-body filler, to correct my initial attempt. Their glazing and spot filler formula works just as well on laminate plywood as it does on ’77 Chevelles, creating a seamless appearance.

I started with the biggest offender on the layout, the Johnson County DHS Parking Garage in Iowa City. Several layers were applied to fill the seam, allowing each to dry before lightly sanding. I made sure to keep a vacuum handy to pick up any loose particles.

Once dry I repainted the panels with my fascia color of choice, Behr Paint’s Wild Rice. Several coats were required to completely cover the red hue of the dried Bondo.

The improvement is significant. No longer can you see any indication of a separate section of fascia. It’s almost like the two parts are bonded together. Pun intended.