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How to Base Your Miniatures: Flock, Tufts, Static Grass & Scatter

Basing is the last step that makes a painted miniature look finished — the difference between a figure on a bare disc and one standing in a patch of world. You build it up in layers: a textured groundwork of sand or paste, then flock and static grass for ground cover, tufts and flowers for instant detail, and a rock or two for character — finished with a clean painted rim. This guide explains what each material does, walks through basing a miniature step by step, and points you to the flock, grass, tufts and scatter LITKO stocks from Army Painter, Vallejo, Woodland Scenics and more.

The Basing Materials, Explained

“Basing” covers a handful of materials that do different jobs. You’ll rarely use all of them on one base — most great bases are two or three of these, layered:

Material What it is What it’s for
Texture & sand Basing sand, fine gravel, or a textured paste spread over the base. The groundwork — turns a flat disc into dirt, rubble or rock before anything else goes on.
Flock & turf Fine ground foam, sprinkled over glue. Low ground cover — grass, moss and undergrowth texture across the whole base.
Static grass Longer fibres that stand up when applied with an applicator. Realistic upright grass, in patches or across a field.
Tufts & flowers Pre-made, self-adhesive clumps of grass or flowers. Instant detail — peel, press, done. The fastest way to a finished-looking base.
Rocks & scatter Small stones, talus and rubble. Height and character — rocky ground, ruins, a boulder for a hero to stand on.
Glue PVA (white glue) for the soft stuff; super glue for stone and resin. Holds it all down. PVA dries clear and grabs flock, sand and grass; super glue anchors rocks.
Woodland Scenics Green Grass fine turf — fine ground-foam flock for covering miniature bases in grass and undergrowth
Flock & turf — fine ground cover
Woodland Scenics Static Grass Starter Kit — static grass fibres and an applicator for adding upright grass to miniature bases
Static grass — upright, realistic grass
All Game Terrain red flower tufts — self-adhesive grass-and-flower clumps for finishing miniature bases
Tufts & flowers — instant detail
All Game Terrain natural stone — small rocks and talus for building rocky, rubble-strewn miniature bases
Rocks & scatter — rubble and stone

How to Base a Miniature, Step by Step

A reliable order of operations. You can stop after any step — even just texture and a couple of tufts looks finished:

  1. Lay the groundwork. Brush PVA glue over the base and dip it in basing sand, or spread a textured basing paste. Let it dry fully. (If your mini has a slot, plug it first.)
  2. Paint the ground. Basecoat the texture in earth tones, then drybrush a lighter shade to catch the grain. Do this before adding grass or tufts — so you’re not painting around them later.
  3. Add flock or static grass. Brush PVA where you want ground cover, then sprinkle flock or apply static grass with an applicator. Tip off the excess once it’s dry.
  4. Plant tufts and flowers. Peel tufts from the sheet and press them on — the adhesive backing holds, and a dab of PVA makes it permanent. Cluster a few rather than dotting them evenly.
  5. Add rocks and scatter. Super-glue on a stone or two for height and interest. A single larger rock reads better than a scattering of pebbles.
  6. Seal it (optional). A matte varnish locks everything down for the tabletop — worth it on models that get handled a lot.
  7. Paint the rim. Finish the base edge in a clean color — classic black, or brown to blend. It’s the fastest thing that makes a base look “done.”
The five-minute base: if you just want your army to look finished fast, skip straight to tufts. A couple of pressed-on grass tufts and a painted black rim turns a bare base into a tabletop-ready one in a minute per model — no glue-and-flock mess.

Match the Materials to the Setting

Basing sells the setting your army fights in. The material stays the same — you just pick the color and type to match:

Setting Reach for
Grassland / woodland Green static grass and woodland & highland tufts, a few flowers.
Desert / wasteland Sand groundwork with sparse, dry wasteland & desert tufts and bare stone.
Winter / snow Snow flock or paste with pale winter tufts.
Swamp / jungle Dark turf and lush swamp & jungle tufts, cattails, super foliage.
Urban / sci-fi Rubble, stone and gravel, the odd tuft breaking through cracked ground.

The Brands We Stock

LITKO carries the basing lines most hobbyists reach for, so you can pick the material and mix brands in one order:

  • The Army Painter — the self-adhesive Battlefields tufts (woodland, wasteland, winter, swamp, highland, mountain and more) that made instant-basing popular.
  • Vallejo — Wild and Fantasy tufts in a wide range of colors and pile heights, plus basing textures.
  • Woodland Scenics — the model-railroad staple: fine turf, static grass and starter kits, flowering tufts, and talus for rock work.
  • All Game Terrain — natural stone, sand, super foliage and flower tufts for building groundwork from scratch.
Browse it all in one place: the Flock, Tufts & Basing Materials collection gathers every brand and material above — and if you still need the bases themselves, start with the base sizes guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you base a miniature?

Lay a textured groundwork of sand or paste over the base and let it dry, paint it in earth tones, then add ground cover — flock or static grass — where you want it. Press on a few grass tufts for instant detail, glue on a rock or two, and finish by painting the base rim. You can stop after any step; even just texture and a couple of tufts looks finished.

What is the difference between flock and static grass?

Flock (also called turf) is fine ground foam that you sprinkle over glue for a low, even carpet of grass or undergrowth. Static grass is made of longer fibres that stand upright when applied, for a taller, more realistic grassy look. Many painters use both — flock as the base layer, static grass and tufts on top.

Do you paint the miniature before or after basing?

Base the model on a base you can work on separately when you can, and paint the base's groundwork before you add grass and tufts — that way you are not trying to paint around delicate ground cover. Add the flock, static grass and tufts last, once the paint is dry.

How do you attach tufts to a base?

Most tufts are self-adhesive — peel them off the backing sheet and press them onto the base. For a permanent hold, or on a sealed or varnished base where the adhesive won't grip, add a small dab of PVA or a spot of super glue underneath.

What glue do you use for basing?

PVA (white) glue for the soft materials — it dries clear and grabs sand, flock and static grass. Use super glue for heavier pieces like rocks and talus, and to attach a resin or metal base insert. A watered-down PVA brushed over flock helps lock it down.

What tufts should I use for a desert, winter, or swamp base?

Match the tuft to the setting: dry, sparse wasteland and desert tufts over sand for arid bases; pale winter tufts with snow flock for cold ones; and lush, dark swamp and jungle tufts for wetlands. The Army Painter, Vallejo and Woodland Scenics ranges all offer themed colors for each.

Finish the Base
Everything to Base Your Army

Flock, static grass, tufts, rocks and sand from Army Painter, Vallejo, Woodland Scenics and All Game Terrain — in one place.

Shop Basing Materials → Browse Tufts

Where to Go Next

The Army Painter® and Battlefields™ are trademarks of The Army Painter ApS. Vallejo® is a trademark of Acrylicos Vallejo, S.L. Woodland Scenics® and All Game Terrain® are trademarks of The Woodland Scenics Company. LITKO Game Accessories is an independent retailer of these products and is not affiliated with or endorsed by these companies; brand names are used only to identify the products we stock. All third-party trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.