# Best Texture Paints for Basing Miniatures Source: https://minipaintlab.com/best/best-texture-paints-basing Updated: 2026-10-06 Publisher: Mini Paint Lab. Our score is an editorial rating out of 10 (fit 35%, features 25%, build 20%, value 20%), not a customer rating. Method: https://minipaintlab.com/how-we-research#our-score Texture paint is the fastest route from bare base to finished ground. One coat straight from the pot gives you gritty earth, churned mud, or dramatic cracked desert, no PVA, no loose sand, no waiting for layers of scatter to dry. That speed makes it the default basing method for army painters with fifty infantry bases to finish before a tournament. The ranges differ in grit size, how thickly they need to be applied, whether the crackle formulas split reliably, and how well they take drybrushing and washes afterward. This guide compares the major texture paint lines, from fine sandy pastes to heavy crackle mediums, with notes on coverage per pot and the color combinations that look best on the table. ## Picks ### 1. Vallejo Diorama FX Earth Textures - Brown Earth 200 ml Our score: 8.3/10 (Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10) Vallejo Diorama FX Earth Textures in Brown Earth, a 200 ml tub of textured paste for bases and dioramas. Pros: - 200 ml tub covers far more bases than small hobby pots - Brown earth texture looks natural for most battlefield themes - Water-based paste can be tinted or painted after drying Cons: - Large tub may dry out if not sealed between uses - Thick paste can hide fine detail on sculpted bases Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B0044LDRGU ### 2. AK Interactive AK8017 Terrains Muddy Ground - 250ml Acrylic Texture Our score: 8.3/10 (Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10) AK Interactive AK8017 Terrains Muddy Ground, a 250ml acrylic texture for muddy bases, dioramas and vehicles. Pros: - Muddy texture is great for bases and caking vehicle tracks - 250ml supply covers many bases and diorama projects - Acrylic formula cleans up with water and paints easily Cons: - Wet mud look may need gloss varnish for fresh puddles - Larger jar is more than needed for small collections Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B09LHKVVB6 ### 3. Vallejo Diorama FX Ground Textures - Rough Grey Pumice 200 ml Our score: 8.0/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10) Vallejo Diorama FX Ground Textures in Rough Grey Pumice, 200 ml of coarse texture for rocky and ruined bases. Pros: - Coarse pumice texture looks like rough ground or rubble - Grey base color suits urban, ruin and rocky themes - Paints and drybrushes well once fully cured Cons: - Very rough grit can overwhelm small infantry bases - Needs painting to avoid a flat, uniform grey look Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B000PH9LNK ### 4. Games Workshop Citadel Technical Texture Paint - Stirland Mud (24ml) Our score: 7.7/10 (Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Games Workshop Citadel Technical Texture Paint Stirland Mud in 24ml, a textured paint for quick muddy bases. Pros: - Textured mud paint applies straight from the pot with a spatula - Dries with a realistic crackle-free mud texture ready to drybrush - Official Citadel basing color matches army painting guides Cons: - 24ml pot covers fewer bases than bulk texture tubs - Can shrink or crack if applied too thickly Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B01M2Z60PP ### 5. Games Workshop Citadel Technical: Agrellan Earth Our score: 7.7/10 (Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Citadel Technical Agrellan Earth in a 24ml pot, a water-based texture paint that the listing says creates realistic cracked-earth bases for miniatures. Pros: - Listing states it creates realistic cracked-earth bases straight from the pot - 24ml pot size is stated clearly, so you know how much paint you are ordering - Water-based formula, so brushes and tools clean up with water Cons: - Listing gives only three short bullets, with no color description or drying guidance - A single 24ml pot is small next to the 200ml and 250ml tubs elsewhere in this guide Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B07SW5QNNM ### 6. Citadel Games Workshop Pot de Peinture - Technical Texture Astrogranite (24ml), Gray Our score: 7.6/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Citadel Technical Texture Astrogranite, a gray water-based acrylic texture paint with coarse and fine grit that leaves a rough, grainy base surface ready for drybrushing. Pros: - Mix of coarse and fine grit forms a rough, grainy surface in a single product - Gray color gives a neutral stone-like base that the listing calls ideal for drybrushing - Non-toxic, water-based acrylic made for the bases of plastic, metal and resin miniatures Cons: - Listing is inconsistent on size: the title says 24ml while one bullet says the pot holds 12ml - One small pot holds far less texture paint than the large Vallejo and AK tubs in this guide Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B07SV3KST2 ### 7. Vallejo Diorama FX Ground Textures - Grey Sand 35 ml Our score: 7.3/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Vallejo Diorama FX Ground Textures in Grey Sand, a smaller 35 ml pot of fine sandy texture paste. Pros: - Fine sand texture suits infantry scale bases - 35 ml size is a low-risk way to test the texture - Grey tone works for urban and neutral ground themes Cons: - 35 ml runs out quickly when basing a full army - Neutral grey needs paint or wash to look natural Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B004GI1YX4 ### 8. Citadel Paint: Technical - Armageddon Dust Our score: 7.1/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 5/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) Citadel Technical Armageddon Dust, a textured basing paint that dries to a sandy, dusty desert ground. Pros: - Sandy texture is ideal for desert and wasteland themed bases - One-step application replaces glue and sand basing - Drybrushes easily to bring out grain texture Cons: - Check the pot size against the newer Citadel packaging - Pale color may not match darker earth themes Details: https://minipaintlab.com/product/B01M5DAZHZ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.