There are many different types and styles of pavement used in countries. It is therefore essential to research what pavement is applicable for the period and geographic region of your modelling subject.

I have provided a few examples of types of pavement.

• Packed earth with an edging from stone or wooden logs, sometimes split and sometimes whole.

• Wooden paved type with slit logs laid crossways or in some cases long ways held in place by a log driven into the ground vertical along the edges at intervals, used in East European country still to this day.

• Raised wooden slatted pavement similar to those found in Westerns.

• Narrow paths paved with single flagstones and edged with rough kerbstones, use in Greek and Roman times. Still in use today in parts of the Middle East.

• Early European style with an edging stone next to the building and then stone sets laid in a pattern which can be herringbone or in rows then a kerbstone. These are usually only 2ft-6in to 3ft wide, very Victorian in period.

• Wider pavement with flagstones and edging made from local stone usually in the mid 1800's, these can be from 3ft up to 30ft wide.

• Tarmac and concrete edged pavements of the modern pavements.

This is a brief outline and does not cover all types and styles, but might give you a basis for further research.

The pavement I am going to build is the typical Western European style used from the 18^th Century to the present day. However, parts of Europe have their own style of narrow pavements that are normally found in small villages. These are based on the Roman style but using more modern materials.

Mark out an area on the baseboard of your diorama and measure it up. You need the length and width. 

Then find among your scrap pieces of sprue a piece that fits roughly to the dimensions. Try to find a piece that has at least one end rounded to form a corner.

If you are making a section that continues around the corner you will need a second straight piece of the same width.

Place the sprue on the modelling board and trim to shape but do not glue it down. Fill in any large gaps with straight pieces of scrap sprue and glue in place. Then take a sheet of plastic card 30th thick and cut a strip about 22mm wide along the longest side. Cut into around ten separate pavement sections approximately 17mm wide.

Glue the first pavement flag onto the corner section overlapping the rounded part of the sprue. Then turn the next flag 90 degrees and glue along side the first. You should now have a stagger along the front edge. Repeat this until you have used each of your pavement sections. Depending on how wide you make your pavement you may need 3 or 4 strips to fill it in.

Now cut each separate flag to fill in the gaps at the rear of the last set of flags. Do not worry if they overlap the back edge. 

Leave the pavement to dry at least two or three days, Now trim the rounded edge on the first flag and all along the front edge. Next measure the total height of the paved area and cut two strips from 40th plastic card. Starting at the corner end glue and bend the first strip along the front edge of the sprue. You will most likely need clamps to hold it in place, again leave to set hard, Then starting at the same corner glue the second strip on the front face of the first. This is to form the kerbstones. Leave to harden off at least a week.

Now round off the top edge of kerbstones to give a stone edge profile. When satisfied mark off vertical lines every 3ft in scale up and over the top of the kerbstone and scribe in.

Trim off any overlapping sections at the rear of the pavement and for a little time and effort you have your own pavement. The same procedure can be adopted for any of the styles or types in the first part of the article.

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Text and Images Copyright © 2001 by Ian Sadler
Page Created 06 April, 2001
Last Updated 18 May, 2001

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