Plywood base !!!!! (Update)

[Bobbym1232]

Ok, I spent several hours last night puting a simple base together.  1/2 plywood cut to shape, painted a base coat of black in case of any show through spots.  Threw on some Elmer's glue and them threw on the dirt.  Set it out to dry overnight.

Well I came in this morning and the plywood was warped!  BAD!  I Put some weight on it this morning just to try and straighten it back out, but I'm afraid there's no fixing it.  Unless I screw it onto another peice and redo the edges. 

[rbear]

Use 2X4 webbing under it. Screw the plywood to it. Unless you were going for a thiner base. I don't know if an other piece of 1/2" plywood would pull the warped one down. If you try it make sure the grain patterns on the wood do not run in the same direction. If they do the warped piece will just pull the new piece to the same shape.
Ralph

[M.T.]

I personally wouldn't have done it that way, however, if you would have used caulk, it wouldn't warp like that.  Too much water in elmers glue.  The caulk would've dried much quicker with no releasing of moisture into the wood.  There are much better ways of making a simple base than what you had done.

[Becky P]

I know someone that did that (elmer's glue/dirt) with a walnut base. Same thing happened, it warped.

[Keith. C]

Bobbym1232 you did everything ok till you painted the plywood LOL...After you cut out your plywood and even 1/4" will work if you want to keep it light, mix up a container of two part expanding foam and brush a layer onto the wood, Let it completely expand and sand or file whatever you need to do to get the shape you want,  Now paint the foam black or brown, put your elmers glue down and throw dirt on, This way you can then later have the option of poking small holes into the foam and sticking grasses ect onto your base as well.

[Bobbym1232]

Keith, that's usually how I do it.  But I was trying to cut corners and save time.  They only wanted a "simple" base so......

Oh, well. Next time no more cutting corners!

[Studio106]

Hey Keith- If you mix your black or brown base paint with your Elmer's glue 50/50, you will save yorself the trouble of having to "paint" it twice (once with the paint, and then again with the glue). Not to mention that it will stetch both your paint and glue a lot further. When I started doing bases, I too used to paint my foam or plaster, and then apply the glue and dirt. Then one day a lightbulb went on and I mixed them together to save time, material, and money. I believe that the dirt adheres better with the mixed glue/paint than with just glue alone. (I don't like using the cheap thin paint though. The less water in the latex paint, the better.) Just a little tip that I hope will help you out.

[Keith. C]

Cool thanks, I was actually starting to mix Tempura paints with my foam, but I think your way would be better.

[Dennis Bragg]

M.T. Has the problem solved, elmer's is water based glue. Water will cause any wood (almost any wood) to swell, thus warpping or cupping will occur. Use a glue that is not water based.

[Bobbym1232]

Well, stubborn as I am.  I was determined to fix this and I did!    In case this ever happens to someone else, here's what to do.

Flip the base over and wet the entire bottom side of the plywood with a sponge.  make sure you get a good soak into the wood.  Then just press it flat between to flat objects with enough weight to keep it flat while drying.  After a day or so it will be flat again!

I probably could have done the same thing at the same time as adding the glue to produce the same results.  As long as both sides are equally wet, then it shouldn't curl.  But don't hold me to it! 

[mark c]

Kieth did you mix the tempra in the a/b foam and did that work ?: mark c