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Hi all.

We recently had our kitchen redone, and we have some bits of cabinets left over.
These parts are the shelves and panels of a basic B&Q (diy.com) cabinet.

What I wanted to know was:
Has anyone tried using chipboard to make scenery, or for anything else?

I thought I could cut layers into the smaller bits to make hills.
This would be to saw into the chip, between the laminated sides. I would not cut all the way through, and snap off the top parts as I went.
Once it was a lump of chip on a layer of chip, I could sand the rough edges down, and seal it all in somehow.
How thick should each layer be, for hills?

I have seen how chipboard goes when broken up, and thought it looked like rough ground.
It would be easy enough to screw in some trees. Or, drill holes into it to embed magnets in it, and magnetise the trees.

Had anyone tried this before? How did it go?

Has anyone tried chipboard and rejected it?
Does anyone use it for anything apart from cabinets?

I've found out it's called Particle board, if that's any use.

I've not done it, or seen it done, but it sounds like it could work.

It might be easier to use the board as a kind of skeleton over which you then add plaster/papier mache/etc, but you can always experiment.

I would generally suggest that each tier of a hill should be about 1 inch high, so as to block LOS for a model standing on the "ground". In order to get hills that you can place the majority of models on, you need a gradient which climbs roughly 1 inch every 2 inches you go along. Alternately, you can simply "step" the hills.

If you have lots of smaller bits of board left over, you can pile them on top of each other to make rock pillars

Thanks for the measurements.
I was hoping to avoid the papier maché thing, and keep the chipped-ness of the chipboard. I'm lasy like that.

Layering bits did occur to me when I started chopping, so I'll save the cast-offs and see how tall I can get it.

I'll get the saw out later and make a right old mess.

Look forward to seeing what you end up with

I've done it years ago.
For 20mm modern gaming.

Copied what the 15mm ancients players were doing.

Particleboard is too heavy and you need to protect it because it wicks up moisture easily.

Switched to 3mm mdf with extruded foam insulation sheet about 12 years ago. Haven't looked back.

I'll have to soak it to glue or paint? Something to remember.
I might have to cut it thinner then, to save volume.

Will try to get pics up. WIP to follow.

I've thought about particleboard for scenery but it is so heavy that I disgarded the idea. However the thin particleboard from the backs of cabinets is great as bases (seal it first to avoid warpage) for terrain. It cuts quick and easy with a coping saw and paints and glues easily. The thin stuff might be good for walls for buildings as well.

I buy good sized sections for 5 to 50 cents a piece from the IKEA scratch and dent section.

The way I saw stuff up, I'll have lots of bits for bases.
I should catch the sawdust too, probably. Mix it in with flock?