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So, I got the new 40k ork mek shop (against my better judgement), and I'd like to put it on a base and use it as a terrain piece.

What is a good material for terrain base? I own some nice terrain, but I don't know what the base of it it is.

I guess I'm looking for something that's almost like cardboard, but a more stable. Wood is too heavy, I think, and posterboard is too light/flimsy.

Like a thin pressboard? What is good to use?

I use 1.5mm plasticard sheets (see picture in spoilers for an example). The biggest advantage is that plastic scenery can be glued with plastic cement for maximum durability, which is a top priority for me. Aside from that it's easy enough to cut, bends a little if you need to during building and once you add a layer of PVA glue and sand on top, it's a two layer, rock solid base that can bear quite a bit of weight without deforming.

Boy, I have trouble cutting thicker plasticard, honestly. What do you use, just sharp scissors?

It's a good call, though, I just know that most of the bases I've seen for terrain is a wooden product of some type.

Mdf or luan are probably your best bet.

Scissors, yes. Sharp? Not so much. Works fine for me, though.

That's why I specifically use 1.5mm thickness. It gives the base a low profile, is pretty sturdy regardless and is still pretty easy to cut. Scissors for cutting the shape are easy to use and a knife (or I guess a file if that's your tool of choice) can be used to cut down the edges so it doesn't look blocky on the board.

I don't like to use wood because it is hard to cut and loses durability the thinner it gets.

I'm not sure how worldwide such a thing is, but here in Australia in craft/hobby shops we have DIY paintable MDF placemats for people to paint. I buy them and mount my terrain to those - handy for buildings as they're all the same size, so it leads to consistency on the table.

If not mdf or plasticard, have you ever tried matboard? It's a stiff card stock that comes in a few thicknesses, usually used as a plain border to frame smaller pieces of artwork.
*I forgot how pricey that stuff can be, if you know any frame stores in your area, sometimes they have small cutoffs they can't use.

Anyone ever used 6mm plyboard before?

1.5mm plasticard works fine, cuts well, shapes easy.. And once you glue the terrain on and slather it with basing, it’s plenty sturdy.