Where I can buy plain un-printed mouse mat fabric by the yard in UK?

[olicana]

My desert terrain tiles are looking a little tatty these days. I need to find a replacement. My plan is to paint a cloth using emulsion paint to match my desert hills, etc.

Painted canvas was my first thought but thinking about it, mouse mat material might be better.

Does anyone know where I can buy mouse mat fabric sold by the yard?

I need to cover a 12 x 6 table so a bolt width of 4 or 6 feet would be best.

These old terrain tiles (the polystyrene backs of green TSS tiles painted with emulsion) have definitely seen better days:

[FifteensAway]

Well, if your mouse pads are similar to the ones I've seen, they are made out of neoprene rubber which can be quite pricey but can also be purchased in larger sheets - used to use it to make scuba diving suits (well, the boss did most of the work but I helped).  Probably cheaper if you get it without the cloth on one side.  If you live near a dive shop that has it, ask them where they get theirs.  Love to hear how you feel about canvas after you price neoprene (if that is what you are thinking of)!   Good luck.

[olicana]

Thanks for the info.

Beige cloth on one side looks like it costs £11.50 per meter - bolt 1.5m (59") wide - so £69 would cover my table, which with the extension up is 4.5m x 1.8m.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scuba-Neoprene-Fabric-Wetsuit-Divesuit-Fashion-Material/202310450448?hash=item2f1aa47d10:g:IzcAAOSwwAFa9VOY&var=502284587173

Good quality heavy canvas isn't actually that much cheaper (£45 from memory), so it might well be worth a look. I'll probably buy a sample and try some paint on it before committing to the whole. It doesn't need to roll up (permanent table) though it would be nice if it did. As it's black on the reverse, I could also splatter some white for a large expanse of space for my X-Wing stuff. Endless possibilities!

[fastolfrus]

Where are you based? There are some good cloth suppliers in the north. Abakhan Fabrics are usually very reasonable and often have reduced-price remnants

[olicana]

Wrong side of the hill. I'm in Ilkley, Yorkshire. Looks like a good shop though.

[tallyho]

Mouse mats are just neoprene sheet rubber.

You can buy it on ebay.

But there's sheet rubber, and neoprene which is more songy so be careful before buying,make sure it's neoprene not rubber sheet.

The problem is it won't take paint well unless you get it with material glueed to one side, which is pretty rare in sheet material.

[fastolfrus]

Wrong side of the hill. I'm in Ilkley, Yorkshire. Looks like a good shop though.

If I'd realised you were only in Ilkley...Have you tried Leeds Market? There are (or were pre-lockdown) quite a few fabric stalls there. Wednesday used to be the good day for cloth.
Skipton has the Fent Shop which has all sorts of furnishing fabrics, but not sure that they would have anything like neoprene.
The Fent Shop was just behind Boyes.
On the plus side Skipton Art Shop (near Spoons) used to have a good selection of brushes, often including bargain packs.
Some branches of Boyes have a remnant department, but remnant departments are always a bit of a lucky dip.
Bradford has a few cloth suppliers but most of the ones we know are mostly cotton, wool or silk.

[FierceKitty]

A different, possibly cheaper source: builders' supply shops. The stuff is sometimes used as a floor covering.

[FifteensAway]

If you do go with the canvas - DO NOT - get the plastic backed painters stuff, the plastic will break down and peel off and make a mess.  I opted for canvas bought a 75' roll of artists canvas on a deep sale and had it delivered. 

[Atheling]

If you do go with the canvas - DO NOT - get the plastic backed painters stuff, the plastic will break down and peel off and make a mess.  I opted for canvas bought a 75' roll of artists canvas on a deep sale and had it delivered.

Agreed. I have used thick artists canvas in a lot of paintings over the years and it is far superior not to mention cheaper. pleas don't buy not the type of rubbish one buys from (usually already [very badly] stretched) from so called art shops.It's just pants