Using real soil for substrate

[Stug]

Hi everyone. I want to use real soil as a substrate for my World War II tiles. I have just been near a farm and took a few samples of agricultural soil. I have break and put a part of it in my oven for 45 minutes at 170 Farenheit. It’s the lowest temperature I could get.

Am I doing it right? What should I do next?

Here is a part of what I got.

[Deleted User]

I want to try this as well since I’ve seen a lot of diorama modellers make very realistic stuff with actual materials.

Next thing you could do is problem break it down into powder form and sift large pieces out? I’d imagine it would be better to turn the chunks into powder before baking to make sure moisture in the center and any critters in there are dead. As far as I know sifting and baking are the only two steps required.

[Geof Downton]

I would break it up and either grind it with a pestle and mortar and/or, if it’s fairy crumbly, push it through a metal sieve. Depending how fine I want it to end up, I may use multiple sieves with decreasing mesh sizes. Geology supply shops will sell graded sieves, but they will be expensive – I use cheap or old kitchen items.

One who puts on his armour should not boast like one who takes it off.
Ahab, King of Israel; 1 Kings 20:11

[kyoteblue]

Why not?

[MartinR]

The trouble with soil is that as it dries it can very easily just turn into dusty powder, which may or may not be what you want.

I use builders sand because the granules are Irregular in size and shape, but being crushed rock, there is no chance of it turning into powder.

"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" - Helmuth von Moltke

[Not Connard Sage]

Sounds messy. What are you planning on using to fix it, because I have visions of a muddy soup?

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[Stug]

I am following the advice of a guy who does awesome and very realistic World War II terrain. He told me to go search for soil on a farm, to break it down, dry it, break it down again until it becomes likes a powder. That’s what I want to do.

Here is a photo of his terrain.

Here is a video of another technique with tile grout I have just discovered and want to try.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eE9bX-3NTcA

[Deleted User]

I’d really love to have a game board like that but then I’ll have to paint my minis to be equally realistic 🙁

[Stug]

Finally, I have bought polyfilla, a sieve and something to crush clay into dust. It will be a long work.

For me, I like when a wargaming terrain looks realistic. I have played only two games in the past but I must say that building terrain is also a lot of fun.

[Deleted User]

I have all the equipments, but no soil.

[Stug]

Deleted User wrote:

I have all the equipments, but no soil.

Go near a farm and take a soil sample. It took me 15 minutes yesterday.

[Javier Fernandez Abascal]

It looks good, I look forward to seeing the final results

[Author]

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