The mat was then left to dry in situ, in a reasonably warm room for approximately 36 hours.
As I want a level surface, once it was cured I picked-off any larger lumps that had sneaked through and brushed away the debris.
Paints were B&Q Valspar interior matt 236ml tester pots colour-matched (quite closely) to swatches of Vallejo Model Colour:
1. Base Coat: German Camo Black Brown 70822
2. Heavy Dry Brush: Cork Brown 70843
3. Dry Brush: Iraqui Sand 70819
4. Light Dry Brush: Dark Sand 70847
While still clamped, a 25mm brush was used to paint on the Black Brown emulsion that provides the base coat. Care was taken not to stretch the fabric with over enthusiastic brushing. Care was also taken not to paint over the exposed white areas (around the clamping points) as in due course they will be made good by covering with the mix, which ideally needs to be applied directly to the mats polyester backing cloth.
After minimum 2 hours of drying time, the mat was heavily dry brushed with the Cork Brown emulsion.
After minimum 2 hours of drying time, the mat was dry brushed with the Iraqui Sand emulsion.
After minimum 2 hours of drying time, the mat was lightly dry brushed with the Dark Sand emulsion.
The mat was then left overnight to dry.
Flocking used my basing mix of:
1. 4 pinches of Javis Static Grass No.2 Summer Mix 2mm (JHG2)
3. 1 pinch of Woodland Scenics Coarse Grass Burnt Grass (T62)
4. 1 pinch of Woodland Scenics Coarse Grass Yellow Grass (T61)
However, when mixed as a larger quantity, I simply used 4 bags of the static grass to 1 each of the coarse grass.
The adhesive was brushed on and comprised approximately 90% of the clear-drying wood glue, mixed with 10% water and a few drops of Vallejo Model Air Mud Brown 71037. The flock mix was applied with the mat still clamped in place.
The flock mix was applied generously and then gently patted down.
The scatter distribution is intended to give me the option of a track: if it works I’ll be able to line it with buildings for a reasonably clean track, or cover it with the occasional loose terrain item to blend into the surrounding grassland.
The mat was then left overnight.
I used approximately 6 bags of static grass and 1 1/2 bags each of the coarse grass. With the mat still clamped, the excess was brushed off (25cm brush) and collected to be put towards other terrain items: about 1/3 of what had been scattered remained glued to the mat.
The mat was then shaken outside.
What the oilcloth hasn’t given is a perfectly flat mat. Where the material was folded for delivery it stretched, and stayed stretched. Ironing eliminated the crease but not the stretch. The upshot is ripples.
I quite like them on the flat surface as they add interest. Sometimes they flatten under loose terrain, sometimes they don’t.
Next stage is to fill in the clamping points, which is a repeat of everything above starting with smearing the mix to the white polyester backing cloth.