Track color

Got Wood?
Your ROUTED TRACK Home!
Share Your Designs, Building Techniques & Finished Layouts!

Track color

Postby frank9129 » Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:19 pm

I know this is preference of the track owner.
Right now I have a routed oval track. It is painted Gray. I use it out of doors quite a bit, sometimes in the sun.
Is there any benefit to a black track? Will the sun cause any damage?
Thanks for the input.
User avatar
frank9129
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:18 pm
Location: Annapolis, Maryland

Re: Track color

Postby SpeedyNH » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:16 pm

from a surface perspective, for what it's worth, black will get warmer in the sun but the carbon fill will resist UV/Ozone much better and last longer, same as any plastic. it's kind of relative, what looks better (grey) vs. how long (many, many days before damage) that it might stay in the sun (black).
me? I'd see how long the grey lasts. I bet it'd be quite a while, and it won't get so hot that the tape lifts. just my take.
speedy
SpeedyNH
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 429
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:04 pm
Location: Cow Hampshire

Re: Track color

Postby frank9129 » Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:55 pm

Speedy,
I decided on the gray of my original track. It was a special mix by Lowes for Rocky Anderson who made my track.
I had some sample gray so I started painting the underside to protect it. Next time I resurface Crab Alley Speedway I'll paint the bottom.
So far I have only had to resurface it due to a spill. Parents, you can't train them to read. "NO FOOD OR DRINK NEAR THE TRACK"! The kids are no problem.
Thanks for the input.
User avatar
frank9129
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:18 pm
Location: Annapolis, Maryland

Re: Track color

Postby RichD » Fri Aug 25, 2017 6:14 am

Asphalt is only black when it is newly laid, that eventually fades to a gray, or in the case of very old material, nearly white in color. Because the asphalt is composed of tar and crushed stone it has a speckled appearance when viewed close up. The color of the stone will effect the color of the asphalt. Most people use a gray paint, however if you buy paint off the shelf it usually has a bluish tinge because a straight gray is not a decorator color. If you want a gray that does not have a blue tinge you will probably have to get it custom mixed. Another option is speckled paint, Krylon has a speckled paint that comes in spray cans and there used to be a brush on paint called River Rock.
Darker colors absorb heat and lighter colors reflect them, so a black track will get hotter if it is in direct sunlight. When your track is not in use it would probably be best to cover it, no matter what color it is painted.
User avatar
RichD
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 1885
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:41 am
Location: East Haven, CT

Re: Track color

Postby SpeedyNH » Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:10 pm

thanks Frank. I agree.
SpeedyNH
HRW SlotCar Veteran!
 
Posts: 429
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:04 pm
Location: Cow Hampshire

Re: Track color

Postby chappy » Sat Aug 26, 2017 6:55 am

Couldnt agree more Rich. If you google some track photos and look at the track pics you can see very little black left in the original asphalt. Just look at a normal,highway and about the only time it really looks black is after a rain.
Bob
User avatar
chappy
Minister of Slot Racing
 
Posts: 2926
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2012 5:22 pm
Location: Ontario Canada


Return to The Lumber Yard



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests

cron