Wood Look Bases for less than $2.00

So your prized build is finished and you want a base.  If it is 1/72 scale or 5 inches or less, there is an easy and inexpensive way to do your bases. If you have a table saw and some craft paint and want a wood background for your model, then go to to a Big Box hardware store's flooring department and look at their fake wood flooring samples. Most are under a dollar or two. The good ones are made of bamboo and finished to look like something else.  The cheaper ones are particle board and covered with some form of wood like top. They have edges which are made to lock into the next piece.  You will have to saw that off with your table saw. On the particle board ones, use a craft acrylic paint that matches or compliments the top and paint the for edges being careful not to paint the tops. Below is my first attempt where I learned how not to cut and paint these!

This is what the backs of the samples look like.

Cut slowly to avoid damaging the top layer with the wood grain finish.

The size of the samples will limit the size models you can use on these.  But another plus besides price is since they are not real wood with real grain, so if you want to apply a wet ground cover like Celluclay or paper mache' the thin base will not warp.

-Bob Walls