How to Base Miniatures: Flocking, Texture, and Materials
By WizKids Store | Published: 2026-10-13
Category: Guias Práticos
A practical order of operations for basing miniatures, from prepping the base and applying texture paste to flocking and sealing, with the mistakes that ruin a base.
Quick answer
Base miniatures by working in layers, not all at once: clean and level the base, glue down any large debris, apply texture paste or sand, paint it, add flocking last, then seal. For pre-primed figures like Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures, keep the base texture thin so it does not swallow the figure's feet. If you only do one thing, seal the finished base so flocking and sand stay put during play.
Match the base material to how the miniature gets used
Basing is not just decoration; it changes how a figure sits on the table and how it survives handling. A display piece can carry tall grass, resin puddles, and loose gravel. A miniature that gets moved across a battle mat every session needs a flatter, more locked-down surface so it does not catch on terrain or shed material into your storage box. Decide the use case before you buy anything, because that choice determines whether you reach for texture paste, sand, flocking, or a mix.
- Display or shelf piece: heavier texture, taller flocking, and decorative bits are fine.
- Regular play piece: keep the profile low, seal thoroughly, and avoid fragile protruding elements.
- Pre-primed figures: a thin texture layer preserves the molded detail and the figure's stance.
Texture paste, sand, and flocking do different jobs
Miniature base texture paste gives you a spreadable, controllable ground that dries with visible grit and holds paint well. Sand is cheaper and gives a finer, more uniform grain, but it needs gluing and sealing or it flakes. Flocking adds the fuzzy green or brown layer that reads as grass or moss, and it belongs near the end of the process because paint and wash will mat it down. Beginners often try to get the final look in one coat; layering a paste or sand ground first, then painting it, then adding flocking, produces a base that looks intentional rather than muddy.
Scale and base size decide how much texture is too much
A 25mm base fills up fast. A few grains of coarse gravel can look like boulders next to a halfling, while the same gravel reads as pebbles under a large monster. If you are basing D&D miniatures, check the base size the figure ships on and treat that as your working area, not the model's height. Larger creatures give you room for a scene; small and medium figures reward restraint. When a product listing does not state a base size, measure the base you have rather than assuming a standard, and test-fit the figure before committing to texture.
Basing steps in order
- 1. Prep and level the base: Scrub the base with warm soapy water and let it dry completely, then check that the figure sits flat. If the base is warped or the feet do not contact it, fix that now with a little gap-filling glue before any texture goes down. Checkpoint: the figure should stand without wobbling before you add a single grain of material.
- 2. Glue down large debris first: Place rocks, cork chunks, or resin bits before paste or sand. Thin cyanoacrylate or PVA works; PVA gives you more repositioning time. Anything buried after the texture layer will look like it is floating on top. Mistake to avoid: adding rocks last, which makes them sit proud of the ground instead of in it.
- 3. Apply texture paste or sand in a thin layer: Spread miniature base texture paste with an old brush or a toothpick, working around the feet rather than over them. For sand, brush on thinned PVA, dip the base, and tap off the excess. One thin coat is easier to control than one thick one. Checkpoint: you should still see the base edge and the figure's feet clearly.
- 4. Let it cure fully, then paint the ground: Drying time varies by product and humidity, so follow the label and give it longer than you think it needs. Paint the textured ground with a base color, then drybrush a lighter tone across the high points to bring out the grain. Mistake to avoid: painting too soon, which lifts the paste and leaves bare patches.
- 5. Add flocking last: Apply thinned PVA only where you want grass, then sprinkle flocking over it and press gently. Shake off the excess onto a sheet of paper so you can pour it back into the container. Checkpoint: flocking should sit on top of the painted ground, not mixed into it.
- 6. Seal the finished base: Brush or spray a matte varnish over the base once everything is dry. This locks sand and flocking in place and protects the paint from handling. Test the sealer on a scrap base first if you have not used it before. Mistake to avoid: skipping the seal, which is the most common reason basing material sheds during play.
Products that work well for basing practice
- D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Female Halfling Fighter: D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Female Halfling Fighter comes primed and ready to paint out of the box, with deep cuts for easier painting. A small, single-figure model is a low-risk way to practice a thin texture base without covering detail you already paid for.
- D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Kuo-Toa & Kuo-Toa Whip: D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Kuo-Toa & Kuo-Toa Whip includes multiple figures and is primed and ready to paint. Two figures in one pack let you test two different base treatments side by side and compare how each one holds up.
- D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Froghemoth: D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: Froghemoth is a larger monster figure, primed and ready to paint. A bigger base gives you room for layered paste, debris, and flocking, so it is a good candidate for a more involved swamp or marsh scene.
