"Reinforcing card stock buildings to withstand mangling..." Topic

I've finished two pieces of a card stock castle, from Fat Dragon Games' Borderland Keep. I used peel-and-stick vinyl floor tiles to cut custom, structural, skeletal pieces. I then secured the vinyl tile pieces with Hot Glue, to give everything solid structural strength. The details are in my blog page, here. Cheers!

I just back them with foam core. That seems to work well enough.

You could also use cereal box card board. cheaper then foam core and probably just as strong. Attach it with PVA glue.

Balsa wood. Stronger than you think.

I've used polystyrene sheets for small buildings (6mm). Nearly indestructible. I've used cereal boxes too for larger buildings, reasonably strong but not nearly as strong as foamcore or matte board.

You guys must play pretty rough. :) I've found that if I just treat my cardstock buildings with the same care that I treat my nicely painted armies, they will survive for many years with little or no damage. Terrain just doesn't seem to get the same respect that the figures do. But I guess that is sort of historically accurate, isn't it? :)

All good comments, Gentlemen. Thank you.

I chose the peel-and-stick floor tiles for several reasons: ease of use; I had them left over from another project; heft; durability; and it just seemed like a fun project to try. It is just another tool to add to the chest; even if you never use that specialized tool, it is nice to have it available, just in case. Cheers!

I back Scott's larger Paper Terrain buildings with thin cereal box. A quick coat of Dullcote and they are tough as nails! And I am rough on my terrain!

I back Scott's larger Paper Terrain buildings with thin cereal box.

I highly recommend Kellogg's Raisin Bran.

I'm sort of with ScottWashburn.

At the same time, in 28mm, I usually use foam core "tables" with flat roofs or anything I'm expecting figures to actually stand on. Make a couple of right angles of foam core (Say, about 3/4" on a side) and use those to support the roof and it will support almost any figure. If you are planning on putting a platoon of old metal GW gians on the roof, a couple of beams made of foam core will make it very strong. And your foam core goes further this way, if you're worried about budget.

The heft of vinyl tiles is great, but if you've got to carry a bunch to a game, it makes it hard. The key for me is strength + lightness. Generally: the lighter it is, the less likely one item is to damage another in transport or storage.

I use balsa or bass cut to fit.

I like the vinyl floor tile suggestion (I'm using coffee stirring sticks at the moment). What are you using to cut the tiles? The attempts I've had in the past have been a bit resistent to cutting with a craft knife.

Arabianknight,

I use Cutco Super Shears (extremely heavy duty, you can cut a US penny in half without damaging, or dulling them, but they run around $80 USD+ per pair -- last pair you will ever buy, though). Utility/kitchen scissors are plentiful, and you can get them inexpensively, at nearly every grocery store, for under $15. USD

I mark the tiles on the paper backing, with a ballpoint pen, then cut, as needed. I started out cutting them with a razor knife, but it required 4-8 strokes, and the snap-off blades dulled quickly; it also took its toll on the self-healing cutting mat -- they don't last forever! The scissors will cut as straight as you guide them. For this job, 'close' is sufficient, as I am not going for precision cutting (Hot Glue covers the gaps, firming the whole).

For additional ideas, and techniques for using peel-and-stick vinyl floor tiles with card stock, take a look at my blog page on basing 2-D terrain tiles. Cheers!

Most craft stores have a picture frame department. They often give out bundles of picture mat board scraps free. The matting is very strong, but easy to cut with a razor knife. It can be glued with common white glue (Elmer's).

I bought a pair of LARGE scissors at WalMart. Although not as strong as the Super Shears above they get the job done. For straight cuts I use a cutting board on vinyl tiles and that works great too, not sure the cutting place would approve if the knew though…

I also agree with Scott. Every time I post something somebody always comments that it looks flimsy, and yet I have terrain pieces that are over twenty years old because I store and handle them with the same care I have for my miniatures.

When I used to make things from card, I reinforced them inside with a triangle of card on each corner. I also ran pieces of card from one wall to the opposite wall, to stop them from bowing outwards. This was usually enough. With bigger constructions, I used bits of cardboard boxes inside instead. I suppose foamboard would work just as well but I don't like how quickly it blunts knives so I've never really taken to it.

I use thin steel glued together with Araldite. I used to weld the joints but found the paper didn't like the heat.

Another 'agree with Scott', here.

I just ran across a few bankers boxes of old, assembled GW Epic scale and Warhammer Fantasy cardstock buildings during the current cleanup at the house and found them undamaged after fifteen years and three moves.

Except for the one I had smooshed and not repaired at the time.

The typical cardstock building is about as strong relative to us as our buildings would be to giants 56 or 300 times our size, I betcha.

foggybottom, you contradict yourself: "The typical cardstock building is about as strong relative to us as our buildings would be to giants 56 or 300 times our size, I betcha." That is precisely why I reinforce my buildings. They are delicate, and they are very easily damaged.

I am glad your models have fared so well, for so long, but mine have not. Until now. Cheers!