Scratchbuilt building help and suggestion needed

[Alcidas]

hi everyone

so i have recently started building an adobe house out of papier-mache - the house itself is getting on nicely, but there is a major problem with the board  

i used the back of a picture frame (not the frame itself but the hardboard bit at the back, where you take it out before putting in a print or a painting - that was a mistake (should probably have used MDF) because it is now warping slightly - not a great deal but enough to be noticed when you place it on a flat surface -

if anyone has any suggestions on how to deal with this, or if there is any way I might be able to straighten out the base I would be very much obliged...



more pics of the house here
Musa Izly Cantina

[Thunderchicken]

How thick is the original board you used? If it's not too thick can you attach it to another board to straighten it?
Ok so the building may be a little raised from the tabletop but Malamute uses quite thick MDF boards for his adobe buildings and it looks good.

[Alcidas]

hi thunderchicken

thanks for the suggestion. the board itself is about 3mm high - i had considered cutting the base to just the area around the house then pasting the whole thing on to a larger mdf board, but this would really be a last-ditch option as I plan to eventually add the whole thing on to a much larger 4' by 6' diorama and want to keep the extra heights to a minimum

if at all possible i want to keep it to just this base...

[Zafarelli]

Are you sure your frame backing isn't MDF? Certainly looks like it I've had good success with coating the underside of warped MDF bases with watered-down PVA glue. The PVA contracts when drying, and should warp the base back in the original position.

[traveller]

Applying battens on the underside might help?

http://www.google.se/search?q=apply+battens+to+warped&client=safari&hl=sv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=tvhzUa63MOaC4ASvw4HwCA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=672#biv=i%7C2%3Bd%7CJzm036LFI0oTaM%3A

[Smillie]

Either apply PVA glue to the back and let it dry to "pull" the board flat again, or try thin batons.

But personally I would consider just glueing the whole lot down to thicker MDF as I usually find once thin wood has warped its pretty much stuck there, that's my experience anyway. 

[Alcidas]

Thanks guys for all the input - lots of options there -

the base came off the back of a picture frame - you know the backing bit at the back of a picture frame before you put in a print or a painting - I dont think it is mdf because it feels like a slightly different consistency from the MDF bases that I have for my larger models but I m not really sure what it is -

i have managed to flatten it back by wetting the underside then placing it on the table with heavy weights on the sides to force it back into a flat position -

eventually this piece will fit into a 4' by 6' diorama that I am planning of a settlement so it will eventually be stuck down to a larger base (not sure what to use for this, was thinking of mdf but i am afraid this might warp -

[former user]

the usual procedure is to glue strong long fibre paper on the underside with a good water-based glue and this will build up a counter-tension and straighten the base. And next time don't use paper and carton based material
usually paper pulp is available that You can mix with plaster
this doesn't build up tension

[Alcidas]

...next time don't use paper and carton based material
usually paper pulp is available that You can mix with plaster
this doesn't build up tension

aw but it was so much fun playing with papier-mache again, made me feel like i was back in kindergarten...

[former user]

papier-mache is when You tear the paper to pieces
if You leave them as sheets they will build up tension

[Smillie]

The backing stuff in picture frames is usually fiber board, personally I wouldn't use it for backing terrain as I find it to absorbent and light.

Glad you got this fixed, presumably you will be sharing pictures of your Diorama in the future 

[Alcidas]

@Smillie Will do, although it will probably be pretty shoddy compared to the stellar stuff the people on this forum do...

yes fibreboard does not seem like the best option for backing - what would you recommend?

[Alcidas]

papier-mache is when You tear the paper to pieces
if You leave them as sheets they will build up tension

it is papier-mache - we tore the pieces up before sticking it all together, soaked in paste

[Silent Invader]

You could always just fill the visible gaps with Milliput or similar, so it appears to sit level on the floor.

[former user]

sorry, sorry
I did not make myself clear
I meant this (paper pulp)


there was a misunderstanding between the different meanings when used for technique or the actual material, sorry