Best Basing Materials for Miniatures
Updated How we research
The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with PVA Glue, Tufts and Grass
The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with PVA glue, tufts and grass, an all-in-one kit for finishing bases.
War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone - 180ml Tub - Wargame Miniature Basing Material
War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone in a 180ml tub, real slate pieces for rocky wargame miniature bases.
A great paint job on a plain black base is an unfinished model. Basing grounds your miniature in a place: a cracked desert, a mossy forest floor, shattered urban rubble, or the deck of a spaceship. The materials that get you there range from simple sand and ballast to texture pastes, cork chunks for rock formations, static grass, tufts, leaf litter, and water effects. Some painters buy complete themed kits, others build a library of individual scatter materials that lasts for years. This guide compares the basing supplies that offer the best coverage, realism, and value, and suggests simple combinations that turn a flat plastic disc into a diorama-quality base in one evening.
The short version
We compared 8 picks. Our scores range from 6.8 to 8.2 out of 10.
- Best overall:The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with PVA Glue, Tufts and Grass. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.2/10.
- Also great value:War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone - 180ml Tub - Wargame Miniature Basing Material. Value score of 8/10, overall 7.8/10.
- Solid build:Woodland Scenics Fine Natural Talus (Rock Debris). Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 7.5/10.
- Feature-rich:WWScenics Modelling Cork Rubble, 50g Bag - Wargame Scenery & Basing Material. Features score of 7/10, overall 7.6/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with PVA Glue, Tufts and Grass8.2/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone - 180ml Tub - Wargame Miniature Basing Material7.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.WWScenics Modelling Cork Rubble, 50g Bag - Wargame Scenery & Basing Material7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Woodland Scenics Fine Natural Talus (Rock Debris)7.5/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.War World Gaming Rocky Alpine Miniature Basing Kit7.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.War World Gaming Fantasy Battle Miniature Basing Kit7.3/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.Kromlech Slate Basing Kit7.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Warmtree Miniature Basing Material, Rock Terrain Kit for Diorama Models6.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with PVA glue, tufts and grass, an all-in-one kit for finishing bases.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + PVA glue included, so you can start basing immediately
- + Tufts and grass give quick natural greenery on bases
- + Designed to match Army Painter's other Battlefields products
- - Limited material variety compared with larger basing kits
- - Grass colors may need blending with your army theme
#2War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone in a 180ml tub, real slate pieces for rocky wargame miniature bases.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Real slate gives natural rock texture that drybrushes well
- + 180ml tub supplies enough slate for many bases
- + Breaks into smaller pieces for infantry or larger for monsters
- - Slate edges can be sharp and need gentle handling
- - Heavier than cork, adding weight to large bases
#3WWScenics modelling cork rubble in a 50g bag, lightweight cork pieces for wargame scenery and basing.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Cork is light and easy to break into rocks and rubble
- + Great for ruined city bases and rocky outcrops
- + 50g of cork covers plenty of bases due to its low weight
- - Porous cork needs sealing or priming before painting
- - Soft texture lacks the crisp edges of real stone
#4Woodland Scenics Fine Natural Talus rock debris, a small real rock scatter for miniature bases and terrain.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Fine rock debris adds scale-appropriate rubble to bases
- + Natural stone color looks realistic even before painting
- + Well-known model railroad brand with consistent products
- - Check the pack size before comparing value to other packs
- - Fine talus needs glue flooding to hold securely
#5War World Gaming Rocky Alpine miniature basing kit, a themed set for mountain and rocky terrain bases.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Alpine theme gives cohesive rocky, highland style bases
- + Suits mountain dwarves, highland troops and cold climates
- + Themed kit makes a whole army match quickly
- - Specific theme will not suit desert or urban armies
- - Bases themselves may not be included in this kit
#6War World Gaming Fantasy Battle miniature basing kit, a mix of materials for classic fantasy wargame bases.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Fantasy battlefield theme suits most medieval style armies
- + Mixed materials build varied, natural looking bases
- + One kit covers units, characters and monsters
- - Contents are not itemized, so check what you receive
- - PVA glue is sold separately for attaching basing materials
#7Kromlech Slate Basing Kit, slate pieces from a wargaming brand for rocky and ruined miniature bases.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 5/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Hobby-graded slate pieces sized for miniature bases
- + Gives rugged cliffs and ledges for dynamic poses
- + Kromlech is a known name in wargaming accessories
- - Check the amount of slate included before ordering
- - Natural slate needs sealing to prevent flaking
#8Warmtree Miniature Basing Material is a rock and sand gravel terrain kit for diorama models, with large, medium and small pieces to mix.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 8/10
- + Large, medium and small sand gravel sizes can be mixed, which helps give bases a more varied ground texture.
- + Realistic styled rock is listed for scales including 1:35, 1:48 and 1:87, covering many wargaming figure sizes.
- + Priced low for a multi-grade kit, and the listing says it uses environmentally friendly materials.
- - Rock and gravel only, so grass, tufts and basing glue need to be bought separately.
- - The listing does not state the weight or volume of the kit, and Warmtree is a lesser known brand.
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Limited material variety compared with larger basing kits (The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with...)
- Slate edges can be sharp and need gentle handling (War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone - 180ml...)
- Porous cork needs sealing or priming before painting (WWScenics Modelling Cork Rubble, 50g Bag -...)
- Check the pack size before comparing value to other packs (Woodland Scenics Fine Natural Talus (Rock...)
- Specific theme will not suit desert or urban armies (War World Gaming Rocky Alpine Miniature...)
- Contents are not itemized, so check what you receive (War World Gaming Fantasy Battle Miniature...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among basing materials for miniatures?
The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with PVA Glue, Tufts and Grass is our top overall pick. The Army Painter Battlefields Basing Set with PVA glue, tufts and grass, an all-in-one kit for finishing bases. It earns our score of 8.2/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone - 180ml Tub - Wargame Miniature Basing Material is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. War World Scenics Natural Slate Stone in a 180ml tub, real slate pieces for rocky wargame miniature bases.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Mini Paint Lab independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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