Buildings in stormy weather

[Monifieth Stuart]

I see some well established buildings in the background of photos. Recently I have begun to put out a few buildings created over the winter. The heavier resin ones are ok so far but the lighter scratch built foamboard ones were just blown over in the wind this week. So my first question is what do people have as a base for their villages/towns outside? And secondly how do they secure the buildings to the ground?

 

[Gavin Sowry]

I see some well established buildings in the background of photos. Recently I have begun to put out a few buildings created over the winter. The heavier resin ones are ok so far but the lighter scratch built foamboard ones were just blown over in the wind this week. So my first question is what do people have as a base for their villages/towns outside? And secondly how do they secure the buildings to the ground?

I hot glue my buildings to left over flooring tiles from our kitchen/bathroom renovations. Luckily, off cuts from funny corners and vanities etc. were just the right size.
Out in the garden, I have buried concrete paving blocks with the top exposed, levelled off even. This method allows you to quickly sweep the base before placing your building complete with the aforementioned base that adds weight to the structure. I bring my buildings inside during the winter, and when we get summer storms. All neat and tidy like. Also allows me to swap buildings out when I'm running different themes like NZR/American/ Feldbahn/Thomas/7/8ths.

 

[Madman]

Slightly off on a siding here, but I have had a couple of Pola buildings sitting outside for probably over twenty years. Other than the small details, like gutters and downspouts, the structures have survived well. This year I repainted the Old Water Mill for the first time. Three other structures have also been outside for a long time. One of them is the Aristocraft elevated switch tower. It's thirty years old. And like the Pool structures, has weathered well. It too got its first facelift this year.

 

[collectors]

If it's going outside, I would avoid the light stuff unless screwed or glued to a piece of paving slab as a base. Or a couple of tiles. Terracotta tiles can look good & cheap..

 

[JimmyB]

I bought some roofing slate, makes a good base to glue your buildings to, together with a small diorama.

 

[Monifieth Stuart]

I bought some roofing slate, makes a good base to glue your buildings to, together with a small diorama.

View attachment 299287

Oddly enough, 30 minutes ago I was moving some slates in the garden and it did cross my mind about fixing the buildings to them but they were too wee.

 

[Paul M]

Try a piece of angle (iron, aluminium or whatever) stuck in the corners of the building, protruding past the bottom, them you can stick them into the ground.

 

[dunnyrail]

Mine is a different take on Pauls, I have my line on slabs or wood. So I screw Ally Angle where the insides on to opposite sides will sit over them. Then place building, drill a small hole (2 per side) and secure with some brass or copper wire through the hole. Bend an angle on the end to assist removal, the metal wire will tarnish pretty quick to make near invisible. This method has worked for me for getting in 30 years at 3 Railways now.