Pumice vs. Resin Sand: see which is better for basing your miniatures and how to use both to fill in around terrain bits to create the perfect base!
Games Workshop has had a habit lately of putting out themed basing attached to miniatures that don’t fully cover the surface of their beveled base. So, use these to cover the entire base and make your minis stand out on the tabletop and shelf.
You can get these basing bits or textures from the links below:
Pumice Vs. Resin Sand: Basing Your Miniatures
Whether you want to create bases from scratch or finish off the ground of your miniatures that are looking a little “bare,” you’ll probably want to use either Pumice or Resin Sand for basing. We’ll check out the difference between the two products and see which one is better for overall use!
Pumice
Rob uses the Vallejo Pumice (which you can grab with the link above), and this big tub has lasted for about five years. To apply it, Rob uses either a beat-up brush or the Games Workshop plastic applicator. The pumice goes on fairly easily and will dry pretty translucent, but they do have a bunch of colors, and one even dries entirely black (lava).
The problem for some is that it doesn’t lay down fully “flat,” and it will leave the little layers (or waves) of texture that you put it on with. When it’s all painted up, it looks pretty sweet. Another big drawback here is that it will shrink up some and not have the effect you thought you were getting- including gap coverage.
So, sometimes, you’ll lose a little of the overall depth. Still, if you want to create a textured base, this is an excellent general-use option for basing your miniatures. It will take some experimenting to get it the way you want, but it’s not that hard- it just may require multiple applications. If you want to learn more about how to apply it, check out this tutorial.
Resin Sand
Rob likes to use the Liquitex Resin Sand and Monument Hobbies Sand because they are very textured with bigger pieces in the sand but still have good coverage through and through. To apply this, Rob again uses the texture tool from GW or a crappy brush and puts it down in little waves. The material goes on without almost any effort, and it will hold the shape you leave it with.
This works perfectly when you already have some bits on the base because it is very moldable and will hold exactly where you put it. Both materials dry pretty quickly and flatten out a bit but will hold all the sharp edges.
It will perfectly match your bits into the base.
If you want a bunch of colors to choose from to cut down on painting time, we would check out the Monument Hobbies textures. They currently have eight different textures to choose from, and each one is super high-quality and easy to use. If you want to learn more about how to apply the texture or just more on basing your miniatures in general, check out this tutorial
Basing Your Miniatures
Basing Bits With Vallejo Pumice (Top) and Liquitex Resin Sand (Bottom)
Overall, the resin sand, or Monument Textures, comes out as the winner when you’re trying to finish basing your miniatures that may have ground bits attached to their feet. These textures work exceptionally quickly, hold their shape better, and blend into the bits more.
Basing Bits With Vallejo Pumice (left) and Liquitex Resin Sand (right)
While the pumice is still great, the Resin Sand comes out as the clear winner to us. If you’ve been looking to make a purchase, we think Liquitex Resin Sand or Monument Hobbies Basing Textures are the way to go! Be sure to check out the video above for all the tips!
What do you like better for basing your miniatures, Vallejo Pumice, Liquitex Resin Sand, or Monument Hobbies Basing Textures?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, or our new Discord server. Make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
