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Hey guys, this is my first post, not sure it's in the right area.

My question is this, I'm am currently building a game board and its ready for the substrate, however what shall I use for a 40k board? I like the idea of sand but have played on it in the past and if you drop a mini, especially metal ones, it can be pretty harsh. Are there any other alternatives and also if you seal it with PVA before painting will it take some of the sharp edges off it, or is there something better to do or use? Cheers guys!

Also, I am a commission painter and have recently painted the Riptide for my local Games Workshop, so I'm in the process of setting up high quality youtube painting tutorials, under the name Dark Warrior War Games, so keep your eyes peeled, just something I thought I'd mention.

Heres a pic of the riptide for the level of painting tutorials I will be providing!

Generally speaking Sand substrate will chip eventually anyway with just general wear and tear.

One of the technique iv heard of for taking care of edges is to glue the edges with liquid nails about 1/2" in as its a bit more durable that way. though i find liquid nails to just be an awesome glue for a lot of projects that will see wear and tear as it is a bit more rubbery. Otherwise a simple suggestion is to paint the board with basic spray paints then seal it with some varnish. that way you can always repair and repaint areas that chip.

Also remember that there are different grades/grits of sand available for sale/collection. PVA/paint won't do nearly as much to soften the sharp edges of coarse builder's sand as it will fine playground or decorative sand.

One popular option to further protect both board and models is laying down the basecoat with latex/emulsion house paint. The thicker, heavier body serves to both lock down the grains and soften the texture, somewhat (still plenty there to pick up drybrushing), all while leaving a relatively durable, colored finish for subsequent painting. Some people even mix their sand directly into the paint, using it as both colorant and adhesive.

Finely textured sprays are another option, but end up being more expensive, as a can only lasts so long. One can also buy texture additives for paints in rather fine grits. I'm not confident that anything finer than the decorative sand you see at craft stores would show up through heavy sealing/painting, though.

Thanks for the replies guys, I was thinking possibly using Silver Sand, its a very fine sand, can be picked up from most DIY stores, then do what you said about emulsion paint over the top then drybrush.

Super glue it all. That's always the answer. just cover it in a nice thick layer and stand well back lest you shall become a super head.

Nice robot too.