"A Paper Terrain question" Topic

I've decided to go the paper terrain route over resin or MDF, mainly for cost reasons.

I've seen some paper terrain pieces and they can look pretty nice.

What I'm unsure of is what paper/card stock should I use to print on and is card stock strong enough to keep the buildings together? Should I be using foam board or some other material instead of just using card stock?

Thanks

If you want to take the time to reinforce the card with foam board, it will make a pretty sturdy piece. It also can provide depth like with the crenelations on top of a castle wall. If the buildings are fairly small scale, the foam board is not really necessary. For buildings specifically, using 110lbs paper. The extra thickness will not throw off the tolerances by much. If it is an irregular shaped building or a small vehicle with small parts, use whatever the designer recommends. 65lbs paper usually.

YMMV, but I prefer foam board backing. I had a collection of Stoetzel's structures that are specifically designed to go on foamboard:
link

I rather liked them. In the intervening years I have gradually replaced them with full 3D buildings, but if I need a large urban area, I would not hesitate to fire up the printer again. The Modular Urban Center Kit should get you started and provides a LOT of terrain at a low cost.

Here is some in use at a convention game I ran a few years ago:
link

Good luck! Paper terrain looks good, I think, and is fun to build!

Most seem to recommend 80 to 100 pound rated paper, but I have been getting good results from 44 pound. Epson Presentation Paper (S041257). It's matte finish does not bleed with my Inkjet printer and remains stiff enough to fold and glue just fine.

As Jozis says, Paper terrain looks good and is fun to build!

You can also use matte board as a backing for the paper buildings. I use 100 or 110 pound cardstock and either glue it to matte board or foam core. Either one works fine.

An example on matte board: link

An example on foam core: link

Jim

I use 65lb (cover stock) and 110lb (card stock), the former for stuff meant to be for smaller scales w/3-10mm figures; the latter for bigger stuff.

I have some buildings meant to go on foam board, but I haven't worked myself up to do that cutting.

There are numerous strategies to reinforce the inside of cardstock structures, even with just more cardstock.

I actually keep a dimensional set of 28mm buildings (Heimdorf) for home games,and a paper set (Fahrdorf) for away games--less prone to damage and easier to lift. Perhaps worth noting that it's possible to blur the boundaries--by tiling the roof of a paper building, for example. And mine are reinforced with cardstock during construction as a matter of policy. I don't wait for them to show the need.

I've made plenty of card terrain and I go down a reasonably cheap but effective path.
I use water colour paper. Find an inexpensive A4 watercolour pad tear the pages out and print on them. The paper is tough, thick and usually has a light texture/tooth.

Yet another option:

If you plan to re-enforce your model, why not print the image on full sheet label paper and stick it to the foamcore or other backer you were planning on. This saver on needing a printer that can handle card stock or the need to find a proper adhesive.

Just use something like this for your printing:
link

Depending on your country, the foamcore will be either 5mm or 1/4" thick. Buildings are usually designed in a way that doesn't support being based on anything thicker than 250GSM paper, twice. That gives you the thickness of 2 sheets, any more and many of the more complex structues simply won't fit together. Stoelzel's Structures is one exception, as their products are mostly designed to use 5mm foamcore.

I will soon try something thicker inside some buildings that are hollow, but I don't know when..

Looks like people here really like those Stoelzel pdfs. Any other recommendations?

Thanks all

Adhesive full scale labels are great and quick.

What period of games do you intend to play and in what scale?

WW2

15mm

Regarding the excellent advice from all the above, particularly concerning card stock weight, while 110# is sturdiest, you can certainly get by with most of the lighter weights if you know the models will be backed by foam core or other firm materials.

Matte board and other light materials are rather more subject to warping, particularly if white or other water based glues are used. Foam core and MDF (for our Brethren in the UK) are less susceptible to this, though allowing walls/roofs to dry under a good heavy weight first is clearly ideal.

Printing pages directly to gummed label paper and laid over backing is admittedly a good idea, but it can go sour pretty quickly if you err even a little and let "ripples" appear in the textures. And it wouldn't work at all, I think, if mounting on foam core/etc for small bits meant to be cut out separately and added to the model. Card stock is clearly best for those.

But if you want almost all there is to say about card stock construction, Gentleman Scholar Scott Colby has written an entire booklet on the subject which you may download FREE via this link

Best of Luck!

TVAG

That is a good booklet to have as it gives a lot of tips and techniques. Plus it is free!

Jim

It depends on what you want. I use our own fold flat range it was originally designed by me for me.

Google Wargames, Vault Maneouver Group. This uses 300 gsm and done carefully this will support 28mm metal figures. It is by no means abuse proof and after 10 ýears some of the old ribbon printer stuff has worn out. So its a matter of what you want.

I have paper models printed on 160gsm paper where outside and inside layer glued together form 360+gsm (160x2 plus glue) and they have lastet 10 year now without much problems.

My newer models with fold-flat design (able to assemble and disassemble) have three layers and I have built them with 300gsm paper (resulting in 900+gsm equivalent). These modules once dried – you have to hold them in your hand to feel it :-) – feel very sturdy, solid and built for almost eternity!

Actually once you understand this fold-flat concept, you can adapt almost every paper model to this construction method.

As much as I do love resin and MDF models for other obvious qualities they have, I find paper models, built properly are a very affordable way to build as many of a model as you want.

PaperTerrain products come pre-printed so you don't have to do it yourself. Plenty of WWII products.

paperterrain.com