# [Arts & Crafts] DIY dungeon tiles - printing & mounting advice



## GlassJaw (May 13, 2010)

I've been thinking about making my own dungeon tiles, perhaps a combination of the Skeleton Key tiles and some custom-made ones of my own.

My plan is to make a bunch of 6x6 "generic" tiles (dungeons, caves, etc) that can be used over and over again and mix-and-match into different formations.  Because I want to save and reuse them, storage and portability are important factors.

I have a decent laser printer so printing isn't a concern.  What I'm looking for are recommendations on materials for mounting.  Ideally, it would be something that durable, not too thick, and can be cut with an Xacto knife.

I'm pretty familiar with foamcore, which works great because they are light and fairly durable.  However, they are fairly thick and will start to take up a lot of storage space.

I was looking at Art Supplies from Dick Blick Art Materials, which is a good art supply store, and found these:

Matboard - looks nice but expensive and I've heard it's hard to cut.
Matboard - BLICK art materials

Mounting Board - looks good, but not sure the difference between this and Matboard
Mounting Board - BLICK art materials

Chipboard - pretty cheap but not that familiar with it
All-Purpose Chipboard - BLICK art materials

Posterboard - inexpensive, easy to cut, and fairly thin but I wonder if they would slide around on the table too much.  Not sure on durability either.
Posterboard - BLICK art materials

So has anyone out there done something like this?  Thanks!


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## Festivus (May 13, 2010)

I usually use something similar to chipboard.  I would suggest the double thick.  I use the single thick but glue stacks of them together to make them 4 thick (about the thickness of dungeon tiles).

If you want really durable, I suggest using masonite (also called "hardboard").  You should be able to get 4x4 sheets of the stuff and it cuts pretty clean with a saw.  I have also chopped up pegboard to make tiles.


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## Cincinnatus (May 13, 2010)

Are you making these because WotC's Dungeon Tiles don't meet your specific needs? Because I would think that the cost of time, supplies, printer ink, etc. to make one's own dungeon tiles would far exceed the cost of just buying them at $10 a pack.


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## Perram (May 13, 2010)

Cincinnatus said:


> Are you making these because WotC's Dungeon Tiles don't meet your specific needs? Because I would think that the cost of time, supplies, printer ink, etc. to make one's own dungeon tiles would far exceed the cost of just buying them at $10 a pack.




One of the major problems with WotCs official dungeon tiles is that they do not stay in print, and quite often shoot up in value on the secondary market.  For example Ruins of the Wild commonly goes anywhere from $30 - $50 online.

Ruins of the Wild: Dungeon Tiles 4 - eBay (item 220594245277 end time May-22-10 12:50:37 PDT)

Another source for good tiles is *Fat Dragon Games*, I would like to mention.  They have 2d tiles, 2.5d tiles (flat tiles with 3d objects like furniture / doors), and full 3d terrain.

Fat Dragon Games


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## Festivus (May 13, 2010)

Perram said:


> One of the major problems with WotCs official dungeon tiles is that they do not stay in print, and quite often shoot up in value on the secondary market.  For example Ruins of the Wild commonly goes anywhere from $30 - $50 online.




With the new Dungeon Tiles Master Set coming out soon, they are not supposed to go out of print, and there will be an wilderness/forest set included.  Certainly I would refrain from spending $50 on a set until those come out and you can see what they look like (for $20).


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## GlassJaw (May 14, 2010)

Cincinnatus said:


> Are you making these because WotC's Dungeon Tiles don't meet your specific needs? Because I would think that the cost of time, supplies, printer ink, etc. to make one's own dungeon tiles would far exceed the cost of just buying them at $10 a pack.




The Dungeon Tiles are nice no doubt, but they are limited in that you are "stuck" with what they give you.  By making my own tiles, I can create exactly what I need and reuse and build my collection over time.

And as Perram mentioned, the earlier sets can be very expensive.


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## GlassJaw (May 14, 2010)

Festivus said:


> I usually use something similar to chipboard.  I would suggest the double thick.  I use the single thick but glue stacks of them together to make them 4 thick (about the thickness of dungeon tiles).




That would definitely be a good thickness.  How easy is it to cut?


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## sev (May 14, 2010)

I make my own dungeon tiles.  I love doing it -- I like having exactly what I want, exactly as many as I want.  And, um, I have this photoshop habit that's much more satisfying if I actually *make* something.

I use Mod Podge adhesive to mount the printouts on 4-ply white mat board, but any low-water paper adhesive should work -- even a glue stick.   I like the Mod Podge because I can also paint it over the top as a protective layer.  I like 4-ply mat board because it comes in a zillion different colors, it comes in "archival" (acid-free), and the stuff that's made for framing is the same color all the way through (some of the cheaper products will be the color you expect on the outside, and brown or grey on the inside).

As long as your blade is sharp enough, you'll manage to get the mat board cut.   If your blade isn't sharp, you'll still manage to get it cut but it'll be a bit messy at the corners, which I believe is perfectly acceptable for dungeon tiles.   I actually find it easier to cut than foamcore; it takes about the same amount of pressure but it's way thinner, so I'm less likely to have the problem of not managing to quite cut through the bottom-most layer.  I use a mat board cutter (like they use for making framing mats) for rectangular shapes and an exacto knife on a self-healing cutting mat for things that aren't rectangular.

If you plan on doing this a lot and you're not making odd shapes, a mat cutter might be a good investment, but a t-square, an exacto knife, and a cutting mat will work just fine and it's way cheaper.  (4-ply mat board is mostly too thick for scissors.  I own a Compact Logan mat cutter because I used to cut framing mats.  And I adore it, but it runs in the $50-$100 range.) 

Finally, the people at WorldWorks Games are seriously geeky about their tile-making: The Official WorldWorks Games Store!, Exceeding Your Expectations One Game at a Time
and if you visit their "tutorials" section they've got lots and lots of detailed information.  Their free "beginners guide to cardstock modelling" PDF is full of stuff I had to learn the hard way, so definitely check it out.

(if I might show off a sample of my most-recent set of tiles: pink rock dungeon tiles by ~sevoo on deviantART)


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## GlassJaw (May 14, 2010)

Great post Sev.  I definitely agree with you on the "making".  I've dabbled with various textures and graphics in Photoshop and it's awesome when you create something that can really bring your game to "life".



sev said:


> I like 4-ply mat board because it comes in a zillion different colors, it comes in "archival" (acid-free), and the stuff that's made for framing is the same color all the way through (some of the cheaper products will be the color you expect on the outside, and brown or grey on the inside).




Is this the stuff you are referring to?  The description says it's 14-ply.

Crescent Regular Surface Matboard, White and Off-White - BLICK art materials


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## Shadowslayer (May 14, 2010)

GlassJaw said:


> Posterboard - inexpensive, easy to cut, and fairly thin but I wonder if they would slide around on the table too much.




I've made my own out of lots of different types of material and I like plain old posterboard best. As long as you store them flat you're golden.

Regarding sliding around on the table...you're gonna get that no matter what you do. Best way to get around that is get something to lay down on the table...be that felt, thin foam (like a yoga mat) or even that woven rubber stuff you can use to keep things from sliding off your dashboard.

It staggers me that the one thing I've noticed that no one ever thinks of as a material for dungeon tiles...is actual tiles. I mean the cheap linoleum kitchen ones. They're 1 foot square, and even have the adhesive right on the back...just peel off the wax paper like a sticker. Nice thing is they have some weight to them but are fairly thin, and you can get em for a buck at Home Cheapo.


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## sev (May 14, 2010)

GlassJaw said:


> Great post Sev.  I definitely agree with you on the "making".  I've dabbled with various textures and graphics in Photoshop and it's awesome when you create something that can really bring your game to "life".
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I think the stuff I'm using is this:
Mat Boards by Bainbridge - Paper & Boards - Art & Illustration Boards at Utrecht
...at least, I got it at Utrecht.

the most similar product at Dick Blick is this one:
Crescent RagMat Matboard - BLICK art materials

but the reason that's what I'm using is that's what I have on-hand.  I think the main difference between the expensive matboard and the link you posted is 1) the cut-edge is a different color than the surface and 2) it's non-archival.  Probably doesn't make a big difference -- you can always go over the edges with a sharpie if you really don't like the beige.  And you probably aren't aiming to make it last for 30 years, so the archival quality isn't a big deal.

If you can get to an art store and actually put your hands on it, I recommend that.  You can get a sense for how stiff it is -- you might find you prefer the more-flexible posterboard other people have recommended. (I don't store my tiles flat, so I like the extra stiffness of the mat board.)

EDIT: Actually, now that I look at those links more closely it looks like both kinds of board from Dick Blick are white on the inside, so that's even less of a consideration.


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## sev (May 14, 2010)

Shadowslayer said:


> Regarding sliding around on the table...you're gonna get that no matter what you do. Best way to get around that is get something to lay down on the table...be that felt, thin foam (like a yoga mat) or even that woven rubber stuff you can use to keep things from sliding off your dashboard.




"shelf liner", too.  Which is probably the same stuff as you use for your dashboard, but cheaper because it's made for kitchens instead of cars.



> It staggers me that the one thing I've noticed that no one ever thinks of as a material for dungeon tiles...is actual tiles. I mean the cheap linoleum kitchen ones. They're 1 foot square, and even have the adhesive right on the back...just peel off the wax paper like a sticker. Nice thing is they have some weight to them but are fairly thin, and you can get em for a buck at Home Cheapo.




I'm not crazy about the offgassing that occurs with the really cheap tiles.  And once you go for the seriously real-linseed-linoleum no-formaldehyde stuff it's not cheap any more (at least at my local home depot). 

For people without that kind of environmental sensitivity, it's probably not a problem -- but I do recommend working with adequate ventilation.


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## frankthedm (May 14, 2010)

Cheap self stick vinyl tile makes good backing for printed terrain, templates & counters.

Print, apply, cut.

Three 12" squares for one dollar is the best price i have found them at. Pricier stuff tends to be thicker.


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## Toy Boy (May 14, 2010)

I've dabbled in this and have used a variety of materials.  Foamcore, corrugated and paperboard.  I like foamcore the best, but it is pretty thick.  I guess if I was gong to be making a lot, I would invest in a mat cutter and get nice mat board.  Then when you're not making dungeon tiles, you can make nice mats for framing too.  The idea of shelf liner on the back of the tiles is great too.  Just a 1x1 piece in each corner should do the job.


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## Perram (May 14, 2010)

Festivus said:


> With the new Dungeon Tiles Master Set coming out soon, they are not supposed to go out of print, and there will be an wilderness/forest set included.  Certainly I would refrain from spending $50 on a set until those come out and you can see what they look like (for $20).




That will certainly help the issue... but not solve it complete.  Streets of shadow will not be included in that set, for instance, and it is another one that has shot up in value.  You can't really rely on the dungeon tiles you need being available any longer.

Dungeon Tiles are a great product, and I buy every set released (two copies), but there are a ton of good reasons to make your own.

That said, back to the advice requested in the OP's post, I find printing tiles onto cardstock and then mounting them to black foam core ( $4ish for a 3ft x 4ft sheet that will make a whole lot of tiles ) is the best solution for me.  They are a little thick, but they hold up well!


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## falcarrion (May 14, 2010)

you can always put them on self adhesive magnetic material


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## Krensky (May 15, 2010)

I haven't dabbled with map tiles, but I make tokens semi regularly with mounting adheisve and 25 pt pressboard (the stuff used to make classification folders and file guides). If I'm making a whole sheet of them, I'll often cheat and use full sheet labels.


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## GlassJaw (May 17, 2010)

Any thoughts on what kind of printer paper to use?  Not sure I want to go the glossy photo paper route.  Seems really expensive and I'm not sure I like the glossy texture.  I was thinking about getting a decent quality matte paper.  

Thoughts?


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## FATDRAGONGAMES (May 17, 2010)

Glassjaw- we have a free Beginners Guide with how-to advice on mounting tiles, materials to use, free sample models, etc. A link is on the front page of our website in the upper left corner.


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## TheAuldGrump (May 18, 2010)

There are thinner varieties of foamcore - check framing shops. Though in my experience the thickness really isn't a huge problem, you can fit an amazing amount in a fairly small box - plastic file boxes work well if you are aiming at 8.5 X 11 or so.

As for mounting - you _may_ want to look into printable adhesive paper. The downside is price, about a buck a sheet.

Very easy to mount though, and can be run through an inkjet. You will need to balance cost vs. convenience.

Another option is spray adhesive - a bit more work, much cheaper, and just as durable.

For protection you can use clear contact paper - which also allows wet erase markers to be used, and then washed off. Handy for things like Wall of Fire. 

The Auld Grump


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## Zaukrie (May 18, 2010)

I just built a giant board, and then I make walls from FatDragon or from foam. You have nearly full control then. For unique floors, there are plenty of tiles you can buy/ get for free. I just use stick glue on foamcore. I suppose some might peel off some day, but it's cheap. Who cares if it comes off? 

If you have any interest in 3D, let me know, and I can start posting tutorials on using foam and paper terrain together. Some of what my son and I have built has been insane (4x3x3 version of Helm's deep for example), but most is really easy to make.


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## Thanlis (May 18, 2010)

Zaukrie said:


> If you have any interest in 3D, let me know, and I can start posting tutorials on using foam and paper terrain together. Some of what my son and I have built has been insane (4x3x3 version of Helm's deep for example), but most is really easy to make.




I'm always interested in more examples of 3D work.


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## Festivus (May 18, 2010)

Perram said:


> That will certainly help the issue... but not solve it complete.  Streets of shadow will not be included in that set, for instance, and it is another one that has shot up in value.  You can't really rely on the dungeon tiles you need being available any longer.




City:  [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Tiles-Master-Set-Essential/dp/0786955716/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1274194309&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Dungeon Tiles Master Set - The City: An Essential Dungeons & Dragons&#133;[/ame]

And from the look of the pictures, a lot of the streets of shadows set is included.

Dungeon: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Tiles-Master-Set-Essential/dp/0786955554/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b]Amazon.com: Dungeon Tiles Master Set - The Dungeon: An Essential Dungeons &&#133;[/ame]

Wilderness: Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Product (Dungeon Tiles Master Set: The Wilderness)

I thought there was a cave set planned but I guess not.


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