Some suggestions:

For all of the painting listed later I do not recommend you use GW paints or any model type paints, simply because of the cost. Go to a craft store and buy a bottle of Craft paint for a dollar or two for a 2oz or 8oz large tube or bottle and use those.

I make my terrain modular, with each board having a built in theme piece, like a giant skeleton, a meteor, a tomb, etc. If you just want a basic board, leave your board the size you want it, and use the following steps for the whole board. Themed terrain is more impressive, easier to store for size, and leaves a huge opening for creativity, as well as the ability to work on smaller boards. I also do not back my boards because they fit into a table specifically designed for them with a recessed interior, if you are placing your boards on the floor or a more rickety table, you can glue the foam backing to plywood or pegboard for strength.

Use a straight edge, a triangle for marking right angles, and a marker to mark your cuts; do not eyeball them, as it is important that ALL edges be straight and true so boards match together. I learned this the hard way when I first started.

The Basics:

• I am creating this article based on the guidelines I had for my tables;

• The table is 8 feet by 4 feet

• Each modular board will be either 2 feet by 2 feet or 2 feet by 4 feet,

• Each board will have the same thickness, 2 inch insulating foam.

With this in mind, the simple basis for my boards will be 8 foot by 4 foot sheet insulation sold in almost any hardware store. In California it is yellow foam sandwiched between two silver foil sheets, I believe in other areas this may be pink or blue. It can be purchased at any major hardware or DIY store, and a sheet costs between 15 and 30$ for 2 inch thick sheeting. It is also sold in 1”, and 3” thick sheets. I use 2 inch because it is thick enough to be sturdy on its own, but not so thick as to be cumbersome, as well as very lightweight, being less than 2 pounds, furthermore 2 inches leaves room for carving down into the foam if you wish to create terrain features such as streams, rivers, ravines or trenches to name a few. Be aware that this is not the type of foam used for most packaging, it is not lots of tiny little balls of foam, but extruded sheets that have the consistency of an apple or a pear for want of a better description. Here is a link to what I mean from a major hardware supplier here in the USA.

LOWES

And pictures of some I have:

Obviously each board is cut into the smaller modular boards for my terrain table, this can be done with a kitchen steak knife very easily, or a normal wood saw (which is what I use).

I made mine into smaller modular boards with terrain built onto them. However, the simplest way to turn these boards into playing boards is to leave them flat, and simply cover them with a proper theme, leaving all other terrain to be left as pieces to be placed on top. I have several simple schemes and how to do them below.

Grasslands/jungle:

(If you have access to and can purchase the roll out mats of pre flocked material you can simply cover the boards with this. If not here are steps for alternatives.)

• Step 1: For this theme you must create the illusion that you are not playing on a perfectly flat smooth base (which is what your boards will be). To accomplish this run down to your local hardware/DIY store and buy a large tub of spackle, a tool to spread it with, and maybe some sandpaper if you wish. Spread the spackle over the entire surface of the board, in a thin coat, but try to keep it just thick enough to cover up the silver color as well as any writing on the board. Try to be irregular in your thickness and leave a few ridges or bumps, but make an attempt to keep the spackle between the thickness of cereal box cardboard, and the height of a GW base. Let this dry overnight.

• For flocking:

• Step 2: Paint the entire board a suitable dark green using acrylic paints, a slightly watered version is fine. Let it dry

• Step 3: Cover the entire board with your chosen flock material by spreading watered down PVA/Elmore’s glue and sprinkling the flock on it. You may have to repeat this, and I suggest you do small 1x1 foot areas at a time. When the glue has completely dried coat the entire board with either very watered down glue or a spray sealer/glue. As a note I have had very poor luck with using a spray adhesive under flock, it simply does not get enough purchase for durability for me.

• For a sand texture:

(you might get away with skipping the spackle on this one, but I like the board to have slight irregularities.)

• Step 2: Spread PVA glue down and cover the entire board with sprinkled sand of your chosen size. I buy mine for about 2$ at the local nursery, and one bag covers an entire 8x4 foot board.

• Step 3: Paint the entire board with a suitable green color, and when that dries drybrush it with a lighter green.

City Boards:

These are the easiest to create and the fastest.

• Step 1: Determine the road system on your boards. This is easiest if you simply create a 3 inch boarder around the edges of all your boards, this guarantees that all edges match up no matter how you place your boards. I like my roads smooth, so simply paint my roads a suitable color.

• Step 2: Optional: Create sidewalks by placing a 1-2 inch wide strip of cardboard, balsa wood, basewood, or any suitable material that will create a slightly raised smooth area.

• Step 3: Cover the interior portions of the board with sand as explained above, paint black and drybrush grey/white to taste.

Desert Boards:

• There are two easy ways to create a desert board, one is more expensive but looks a bit better and more realistic.

• The easy and cheap way is to simply cover the board with sand and paint to taste as explained above under city boards.

• The second way creates a more varied board, that looks closer to the hard packed deserts like the Mojave, Sonora, etc.

• Step 1: For this theme you must create the illusion that you are not playing on a perfectly flat smooth base (which is what your boards will be). To accomplish this run down to your local hardware/DIY store and buy a large tub of spackle, a tool to spread it with, and maybe some sandpaper if you wish. Spread the spackle over the entire surface of the board, in a thin coat, but try to keep it just thick enough to cover up the silver color as well as any writing on the board. Try to be irregular in your thickness and leave a few ridges or bumps, but make an attempt to keep the spackle between the thickness of cereal box cardboard, and the height of a GW base. Let this dry overnight.

• Step 2: Spray the entire board with Fleckstone brand stone spray. Choose a suitable desert color, like Santa Fe sand, or Canyon rock. It is ok if this coat has thicker and thinner spots of coverage, and try to use several coats in successive order rather than one thick coat. I was able to cover my entire 8x4 board with just over one can, although a thinner coat could use just one.

• Step 3: Wash the entire board with a very watery dark reddish brown color. This gives it more irregularities, color shades, and the dark baked desert look you want.

I hope you have fun with your boards, and if there is some interest I will post more articles about specific modular terrain I have.

Completed desert scheme, three, 2 foot by 4 foot boards together, with both modular terrain and built into the boards terrain.

Completed jungle/grasslands boards, six, 2 foot by 2 foot boards, each with a built in theme and modular terrain on top.

See ya!