A guide to using Polystyrene (Styrofoam) to make wargaming scenery

[@morganwiddison]

I just have to say... I HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS LOOKING FOT THIS VIDEO. No joke. I was getting really depressed that I'd never find it, and then it fell out of the sky like an Angel!!! You are an Angel! Thank you so very, very much for posting this. I am very happy. :D

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Happy to help mate

[@legionsofminiatures4579]

For sealing polystyrene, a mix of 50:50 PVA and water, then add flour till you get this kind of plaster style paste, then a teaspoon of salt.Plain Flour and Salt. Coat that over and you get something thats completely rock solid, and doesn't crack as easily as plaster.

[@jeromemarchal1131]

doesn't the flour rot overtime ?

[@alexknudsen2759]

@@jeromemarchal1131 The salt kills the any and all bacteria that would cause it to rot. You mix a decent amount of salt inside, I always use a tablespoon

[@m.salamanca5569]

Yeah 😂

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Yeah..White stuff .. yeah .. BnQ .. yeah .. Pink stuff .. yeah .. Wickes .. yeah .. or Search for .. Space Board Eco Insultation .. yeah. Hope that helps yeah? ;o)

[@Waagghhboy]

Yeah

Awesome video, yeah.

[@qwertzisi]

I was excited about the tutorial but I find it unfortunately hard to watch with the sexist comments about the wife coming home and screaming etc. Like only men are the ones who are interested in this... too bad.

[@Kav2990]

@@qwertzisi lol

[@quickscopethepope1471]

@@qwertzisi cry

[@michaelstrauss4411]

Spent the better half of an hour looking for a guide to working with polystyrene. Could not for the life of me find safety tips. This video was exactly what I needed and more.

[@chanseselect7869]

I've heard the word yeah more in this video than I have throughout my entire 30 yes of life! However, the information sprinkled in between the yeah's was wonderful. Lol

[@rayswift5711]

I'm just starting to get into the whole terrain building scene for my next D&D one-shot and let me tell you - it is daunting. It doesn't help that everyone on the internet has different opinions and advices on what's the best way to do stuff. It's helpful that you get to the basics and consider those of us who are new to the hobby and can only use the most simple stuff to begin with. Thank you.

[@felixo5574]

on the end of a sentence im like, wait for it... wait for it... yeah

[@realmofdoors9605]

Yeah?

[@MrAvian]

@@realmofdoors9605 here we say eh, yeah

Yeah

[@PWingert1966]

@@MrAvian huh?

[@LifeOnHoth]

why is "every" norwegian starting many answers with "Neeei"? Why do the danes do the same only using "Ja men..." ?

[@weatheroakwanderer5941]

I have just started modelling, this is a really useful intro to the ins-and-outs of polystyrene.....keep up the good work that man !

[@primafacie5029]

This is 7 years old and still golden

[@lucasabraham4580]

instablaster.

[@GeneJordan]

These are great tips! I'd recommend running a vacuum while cutting these near the intake. It helps to limit the mess quite a bit. Also, for the paper mache coating with paper dipped in thin PVA, I would recommend using strips of the plainest paper towels.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Gene Jordan I do when i'm working with expanded foam mate, quite often I get one of the kids to hold the vacuum and I pretend I'm a surgeon and shout 'suction!' every so often :-D

[@landerbennewith6169]

@@TheTerrainTutor Does this still work eight years on?

[@modelsfromscratch]

A great intro to using foam - thanks. Thanks especially for the summary of sealing and gluing - really useful.

[@diaconus1423]

This man was ready to throw it all away just to help out some nerds, what a hero

[@VerbenaComfrey]

So happy to have found your channel! I'm new to the hobby, mostly using cardboard. I'm watching your back catalogue and learning so much!

[@stephendunscombe]

This is great! I'm just working on my first terrain project, and this is a really solid primer. Thank you so much for making it!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad you found it useful mate. Once PVA is completely dry, it's easily painting with most paints mate. You shouldn't need to seal the paint when it's dry but if you're desperate to, just give it a thin coat of watered down PVA mate. If you can hold on, I'm working on a set of videos covering foliage etc now mate.

[@clarehoogervorst2459]

Thank you so much for your invaluable tutorial on polystyrene and other incredibly useful tutorials. I had to build the mountain at the back of the Rorke's Drift Battlefield and I was in a mess!! We can't get proper styrofoam in South Africa, so using the real "bobbly" stuff, although slightly more compacted, was a challenge. My husband and I have just built the battlefield of Rorke's Drift which is 119cm x 2,475cm and is 1:72 scale. This is in 3 panels and is not a wargame, but a proper depiction of the battle. We have built it for Fugitive's Drift Lodge which is situated there. We are complete amateurs at modelling, (my husband builds model WWII aircraft and ships) but the reaction we got from the client was fantastic. so thank you again for all you wonderful tutorials.

[@en-garde2258]

Wonderful tutorial covers all I need to know about how to make Styrofoam mountains for an Alpine train layout.

[@bl0tt44]

thank you so much for this. i don't build your sort of thing but am a crafter heavily into recycling. you have given me great solutions and ideas to recycle polystyrene packaging and to make into stamps for printing x

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I here to help bud

[@bl0tt44]

it's going quite well as it happens! will send some pics xxx

[@davedonovan474]

ok, i have now learned as much as i needed to know regarding the medium of polystyrene. thanks so much, i have been making models for 40k for over twenty years, but still i have had no idea how to make modular terrain. now i feel much more ready to make my own, thanks once again.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

wait till you get to the blue foam vid ;-)

[@davedonovan474]

cant wait, im sure it will be a blast, as usual.

[@MZ-sr2xr]

To say that I really liked that video would be an understatement! I feel like you taught me so much more than other KZbinrs who might have better editing but they don't even come close to teaching me this much about something so interesting.

[@SBEARD12345]

Love watching the old ones again...

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I can't watch them lol

[@SBEARD12345]

You could watch them and see what you would now do different, better.. and they are fine sir.. because it is how most of us are.. in the dining room, kids running about..

[@lachlanmcneill5488]

Best intro to the medium. About to build a table and this is priceless thanks.

[@MixedRaceJace]

superbly articulated and easy to follow and I know exactly what to use whilst being on a budget for the cheaper but nonetheless just as effective results. class.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Edward Borell I'll take that as a win anyday mate!

[@dezayremily]

I can't concentrate on watching every time this guy says "yeah", I LAUGH T_T

[@davidpowell3669]

Absolutely brilliant tutorial, am just getting into terrain building and this has been a great help. Really informative and has made the prospect of making my own board so less daunting, thanks and keep up the good work

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad it helped buddy!

[@ivargu]

Marvellous tutorial. Good presentation, structure, and of course content. Precisely what I was looking for as I was looking at how to start off with polystyrene. Subscribing and going to look at more videos from you.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Ívar Gunnarsson You'll love my back to basics playlist then bud ;-)

[@GeneralLazySpoon]

Great tutorial! Thanks for this! Drinking game for the self-hating: take a drink every time he says "yeah". :)

[@Bombasticuso]

LazySpoon Utensil you stole my toughts sir xD

[@warhammerworkshop40]

Bombasticuso its spelt thought 💭

[@timothyspatz4458]

Dear god, might as well skip the shot glass and just take a sip from the bottle. Won't have time otherwise.

[@Vsor]

Thats a quick way to get into the ER

[@somethingfromnothing8428]

Im not sure if you’d either die of alcohol poisoning before the end of the video or you’d just drown

[@PaulGruendlerBeau]

Mel is in fact the man. THE MAN! Your newest subscriber-for-life thanks you for your educational channel. And it's "expanded" polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam. Of course. Yeah?

[@maddnd9721]

Great. Yeah I found it hard to get a nice coat over PVA with acrylics but I suppose I just need to add more coats. I am glad you're a PVA pusher, as I pretty much thought it was God's grace of wargame terrain and crafting needs. I'll be keeping up with your channel and backtracking a bit also. Cheers.

[@gkspain1]

Hi Mel, just googled, who invented polystyrene, came up with Eduard Simon, lovely video, thanks for sharing.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

The man! the legend!

[@FunkyRhymez]

Most informative video, glad i stumbled upon it. answered every question i thought about, pertaining to Polystyrene. Two Thumbs up!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Jake Whebbe Glad it helped bud

[@dougsundseth6904]

A couple of other tools that I've found useful: * Woodworker's rasp - Pretty much a cheese grater with a handle. This will rapidly shape foam moderately precisely. But it's about the messiest thing you can do without fluids. Make sure you're running a shop vacuum constantly when using this. * Bandsaw - Best tool I've ever used for making straight-ish cuts in foam. You can tilt the head to cut on a consistent bevel and you can feed the foam as fast as you like. The cuts are consistent and very smooth. Of course it will cut off fingers almost as fast as it will cut off bits of foam, so know what you're doing before you even think about turning it on -- it's hungry for your blood. 8-)

[@talybama]

I never even thought about using a rasp! thanks for the tip!

[@sagomez81]

Excellent video. Really informative, loved seeing the difference between expanded polystyrene and the polystyrene foam! Thank you so much!

[@Wortiger]

These videos are simply the best. I have built terrain for some years but still pick up some good tips from them.

[@Dalekfans]

Thank you so much! I have a diorama for an underground hangar I have to build for my design project. I now have a pretty good idea on how to go about it and what to use to create the rock faces.

[@jairoukagiri2488]

Brilliant guide chap! I noticed some comments ask where to get the thin sheets and that's exactly why I went looking for the DIY. I get them with electronics, small furniture and the like (packing-holding material), was looking for exactly the process to seal up those foam-beads, on to the farm fields next! :D

[@paulsharphouse6436]

Just brilliant, thank you for your time, enthusiasm and great advice

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad you're finding them useful mate

[@SorbeckDanicua]

I'm extremely happy I found your channel. All of the others are much too exquisite and advanced for me because, quite frankly, I don't know a thing about building terrain. Thank you so much for making videos for guys like me on the basic level; it gives me hope that I actually can make decent terrain!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad you like it mate, I try to pitch the tutorials for beginners and then look to build on the skills as we go along, glad it's working!

[@chrisking1334]

Back in the day of very tightened purse strings, I hand-made a hot-wire cutter using an old, unloved junior hacksaw and some fusewire. I taped a sock around the handle for insulation, wound the wire taut across where the blade would've gone, then simply heated the wire over a gas ring. Surprisingly effective if you happen to be broke and desperate!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Chris King I did something similar when I first started mate, couldn't be without my pro-tools now though mate

[@davespratt9533]

I'm looking at differing materials and techniques for modelling railway scenery, this video is very helpful giving pro's and con's to widely available materials which primarily could be up-cycled from cut off/redundant building materials or packaging, cheers.

[@skillfulmmd]

Thanks for getting this out mate looking to make some terrain for my D&D game!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

No worries mate

[@meaganbush2772]

This was an absolutely excellent video! Thanks!

[@ButWhyLiliana]

Great vid. You're very informative! Covering both types of foam plus all sorts of different tools was amazing, and very helpful for someone about to enter the terrain building scene.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Kris Simons (xXAnfalasXx) Glad you found it helpful buddy :-)

[@miguelsalami]

Excellent info YEA ❤

[@clonewarsfan777]

Fantastic tutorial exactly what I was looking for

[@Elric54]

We need basics vids like this. Constructive feedback: You say "yeah" a lot, which you probably know by now. But this tutorial was great, thank you!

[@briantrend9950]

outstanding video! thanks dude. I make surfboards and its ironic if that's the right English word but that good dense insulation foam is obviously more expensive than the EPS but ironically nearly as expensive as proper polyurethane surfboard foam blanks .A moulded blown blank of Polyurethane Foam in UK costs around £65 and its moulded into a basic rocker shaped surfboard (but bigger) you still have to shape your work of art board. The insulation foam is in sheets which have to be glued together thicker than a surfboard shape, and then still wire cut with the super large wire cutter, come to about £40, quite expensive, then you still have to glue them together and insert a wooden ply stringer in the middle of the board for strength. After that you've still got to protect the foam so you would use something like speckle or pollycell fine plaster the type used for repairing walls prepping before painting . This gives a good firm harden protective surface, so the epoxy resin resin doesn't eat the foam.So try speckle or pollycell in a thin coat on your foams but don't use the powdered pollycell use the speckle paste premix one. and for the difference in £25 I'd rather purchase the £65 polyurethane blank because ironically the ordinary polyester resin is half the price of the eps epoxy resin . so the most expensive foam but cheaper polyester resin compatible /compared to eps foam coated with pollycell paste and expensive epoxy resin which can destroy unprotected uncoated foam. SURFS UP GREMIES COWABUNGA GAMERS BANZAAIIII!! thanks for the great video!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I'm just here to help buddy:-)

[@supersonic79]

I once had a fracture along the ball line... painful. Haha. Good video 👍🏻

[@Noel_Whitmore]

Brilliant tutorial and summary dude

[@Sonic32084]

Great video mate. Nice to see it broken down into easy steps and made easy. Down to TP tomorrow for some pink foam! Haha. Keep up the great work!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Hope it helps buddy!

[@Sonic32084]

TheTerrainTutor it has helped immensely, thanks! I have a question about obtaining foam. I’ve been looking at local builders merchants and most of them only have Celotex or Kingston foam board insulation. Both brands have the silver foil backing. Is it possible to remove the foil without damaging the foam too much? Is it worth just buying the proper modelling stuff and if so who’s your preferred supplier? Thanks TT!

[@thenovicedm7966]

Very detailed presentation. Appreciated. I've recently begun to delve into the terrain building hobby for my RPG games. I testing using mold building and cheaper versions (like Styrofoam) methods. I already had tools (hotwire tools /glue gun, etc) so it's good to see how to use them. Thanks for the clear explaination of the various types of material.

[@Goffic]

Brilliant. You have a great teaching technique, so accessible. Thanks.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Goffic Glad you found it useful mate ;-)

[@maximilianovazquez8433]

Just the kind of video I was looking for! Thanks!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Max Vázquez Glad it helped mate

[@pixl3l]

I almost only use an exato knife to cut this type of stuff, really sharp and cheap. Now of to look at your other stuff, as I just found this one searching for terrain stuff on youtube :)

[@melbose5042]

We have the same knife in the UK but it's called a stanley. I just find that the cuts are too clean with a smooth blade hence preferring the serrated edge of my trusted steak knife but both work well mate.

[@rakanal.2925]

Thanks man great tutorial even after 7 years

[@seankinsella2143]

Still cant get enough of your tutorials dude :D

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Excellent mate

[@glaxnor7]

Hey Mel, really enjoyed the video. I was watching it whilst I painted some miniatures and you made me remember how easy polystyrene terrain was to make. I went and found some in a cupboard and had two gateways finished before the end of your video! :-) Cheers for the advice. Keep posting. Great work!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

glaxnor7 Excellent mate, post the pics to my facebook page

[@manbearpiglett-4110]

Okay that bit at the end was what I needed, "battleproofing". Cheers buddy, earned a like! Only tip for the video, a cardboard sign up with each thing you're talking about would let folks jump to what they need, otherwise great stuff, but possibly contemplating this fun thing called...."smiling"!!! :D Have fun with it! Enjoyable video nonetheless

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Noted!

[@SimpleHumanInNY]

Good tutorial, thank you from USA 🇺🇸

[@steveminla]

I have to say I really enjoyed this video too! Very well done. In my case, I'm feeling partial to the heat gun...great textures! Thanks

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cool mate, give it a go and see what you can come up with. Let me know how you get on.

[@meganosborne6005]

This video makes me think I can have a go without spending a fortune on equipment, great stuff!

[@weatheroakwanderer5941]

Brill vid ! Just what we newcomer modellers need to help us.........and a face mask safety reminder too, some materials are more dangerous than people often think.........keep up the good work that man !

[@tiboripavic7736]

Dear Terrain Tutor - I can't believe anyone would give you a "thumbsdown" on your awesome and humorous presentation!?! Your tutorial was quite excellent with some very clever and useful tips. I like the heatgun effect a lot. Very cool how you can even make a divit into the "styrofoam" as we casually call the material here, on the other side of the pond. Your techiques with the toothpicks is also very ingenious. Can't wait to order my hot wire tool and a heat gun! First class, mate! I have a lot of terrain building in the months ahead. Thank you. Currently working on a very authentic WW2 wargame - hopefully will publish by Autumn 2015. The real name is still secret, but the codename for it now is "Schwerpunkt" - the intitials for the real name is "PP" and and is based on a reworking of the old TSR game, Tractics, as the core model. The technical background and my 25 years of military experience (with the help of my co-designer/consultant) are going into this game which is intensely researched, but wholly transparent to the user! The goal is for very authentic results and properly applied tactics and reconnaissance, and is operationally correct for those who care about such things as historical honesty. I'm doing a lot to streamline the original game by reorganizing, rewriting and adding some unique, but highly evolved rules, and most of all, the gaming aids, that will speed up play enormously - the bane of the original game. I'm also looking at a possible smartphone App that will speed up some of the laborious die roll modifiers and limit referencing charts and tables. This promises to be a very exciting product without all the "gaminess" of recent popular skirmish games on the market, which shall remain nameless. Lots of new surprises and enhancement are integrated. Don't know if you're into WW2 gaming but I can be contacted if you're interested at . . . [e-mail] - Tibor

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Tibor Ipavic ah mate, that's youtube for you lol. Sounds like an awesome project, you should get over to the terrainiacs group :-)

[@edberam4074]

The number of times you say Yeah is hard to get used to. Just trying to make you aware.

[@fatmahussein238]

Am glad I found this video it was exactly what I needed thank you

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad it helped

[@maddnd9721]

I was really shocked you didn't have more views but then I realized this video is new. I have been back into wargames now for a few months, used to do it when I was teen, and I was all over youtube just for some quick tips...long story short(er) I'd have saved some time if I found this. Cheers mate, a worthy watch. Before I watched this I tried the paper mache seal just before I watched this. Q1: how to seal the paint? Q2: Advice on painting over PVA? Legend mate. Cheers!

[@isolatedthinker6871]

I've bookmarked this page for a drinking game I have in mind.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Isolated Thinker yeah, think of your liver first!

[@martynyoung4518]

Thanks great tips and tricks doing my first war board and helped me so much ... Yeah

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+martyn young Glad it helped bud

[@EdwardHowton]

My parents used this stuff when I was a kid to make tombstone decorations for Halloween. We discovered that there was a kind of automobile paint in aerosol that would eat away at it to give it a worn look. The more paint, the more it ate away to make deep grooves. I'm not sure if it's a specific brand or color, though. It's been about 20 years...

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+EdwardHowton All spray paints dissolve it mate, it's the propellant they use, although you can get foam safe sprays that don't use solvents as propellants

[@EdwardHowton]

TheTerrainTutor Thank you very much for that information! I really like the effect spraypaint has on foam, but now I know to paint the stuff with a brush instead of a can if I ever try my hand at it.

[@neail5466]

really great and enough descriptive, thank-you very much

[@joshuachamberlain6544]

Thanks so much for this mate. Couldnt get my outcrops to stick. didnt think to use sticks to pin them!

[@TessaTestarossa]

Really enjoyed this! Thumbs up :)

[@melbose5042]

Cheers mate

[@e-4airman124]

great job Mel!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers bud

[@Penguinhorde]

Very helpful, ta muchly. One of my neighbours threw out a 10 x 10 inch cube of polystyrene, which I immediately yoinked. Now I'm all revved up to attack it with a knife :)

[@rafaelortiz327]

The figures as well !such as holiday villages!

[@bbrigman9382]

Can I use Mod Podge in the same way as PVA glue?

[@itzmalkauil]

this is what i was looking for. thanks so much!!. now i can make my own dioramas.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

itzmalkauil Awesome sauce mate!

[@samwilsoncg]

Thanks for the in-depth video!

[@scotthall-watson6332]

Great. Exactly what I was looking for!

[@jamiewarne9066]

You Easily Access Help with terrain tutor videos. They certainly keep me enthused for more projects than I can possibly get around to.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I love the stuff, the only downside is the drying time. Hope you find the rest of my vids useful mate.

[@sngscratcher]

Excellent, detailed video. Thanks for posting, bro! Cheers.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

***** No worries mate, glad it's helpful ;-)

[@Ysidro5]

thanks for the detailed information. I am glad i needn't wreck my material before finding out what does not work. ... and i like your accent :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Ysidro5 Glad it helped matey

[@MissChelle]

Thank you so much, this was a very informative video. ❤️🇦🇺

[@bambori85]

Awesome video! Great job, bro!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+bambori85 Cheers mate

[@itsalectime]

This is such a great video man! So interesting and informative! Some great ideas here that I’ll definitely use 😃

[@aleksandrsvlasenko7241]

A really great tutorial indeed! I am looking forward to using styrofoam in modding my Mechwarrior paper models.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Excellent mate, let me know how you get on with that

[@boothy918]

Fantastic video*! Your content is always brill and you give a lot of detail. Youve helped me alot with starting scenery :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers buddy

[@patkriss8856]

ive been looking for something like this for about 5 hurs now thanks:) need to knw how to seal

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Pat Kriss check the back to basics playlist

[@NewForestDragonflies]

Brilliant tutorial, thanks it answered all my questions

[@jaylentroughton1255]

Cut pipe insulation and glue it on then kinda pick bits off to create like a ridge of dirt on the ground or make a huge tower by using one and putting six around it for support Boom! foam!

[@phillipwhite5178]

This has been super helpful!

[@LeSadW666]

Terrain tutor I love you!!! I also love Papa Smurf! You guys know who I'm on about! :D

[@TheTerrainTutor]

LeSadW666 Cheers buddy

[@tommiewilliams1383]

Thank you for the tutorial. Very informative👍👍

[@frxstudios2420]

I was here mostly for the differences between EXP and EPS foam, yeh? In particular how the hot wire tool carves through each one, yeh? Thanks though, your vid was pretty informative, yeh? I've Upvoted and Subscribed, yeh? Keep up the good work man.

[@ravells]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Ravi Shankar No worries, glad you found it helpful

[@stevenbradley6243]

TheTerrainTutor Wow! This is a great tutorial with a whole lot of love for the hobby and tons of good advice. Thanks a lot mate, you did great work here! All Thumbs up :-)

[@kairus1]

I'm recommending your video to people , great channel

[@TheTerrainTutor]

kairus1 Thanks buddy :-)

[@Author184]

When he brought out the Hot Wire Cutter, I was like Tim Taylor would be proud. More Power argh argh argh

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Author184 Power tools for the win mate!

[@cwj138]

Was looking for a way to seal some terrain pieces I am making, I just brushed petrol onto the blocks of packing styrofoam and it gives a really nice organic varied shape. Think I will go for water, pva and a little bit of matt emulsion paint.

[@cwj138]

Nevermind I used too much petrol and now I just have a bunch of napalm. Going to try and use it like I would sprue goo.