Materials Used to Make Models of Items

This model house is constructed largely of craft woods.

Model building can mean a lot of things depending on the situation. A child might build a model of a fort out of sticks and rocks for a school project while a museum modeler may use hundreds of materials, adhesives and paints for a grand project. For most people, however, model building supplies from craft stores, hobby suppliers and hardware stores will provide nearly anything they need.

Wood

Balsa wood is the most common wood for model building. It has several desirable features: It is lightweight, easy to cut and comes in a variety of flat panels, beams and blocks. Model airplane builders, diorama builders and others use it. Another useful wood for modeling is basswood, which is harder than balsa and better for carving.

Plastic Sheeting

Panels, strips, posts and beams of plastic are common materials for constructing models of architectural structures. These are typically available in art stores and hobby stores or through architect supply centers. They can have molded features representing bricks or corrugation as well.

Metal and Wire

In some situations where you would like malleable materials for structural support or detailing, you can use metal and wire effectively. Art and hobby stores will often carry specialized metal parts for modelers to represent pipes, ladders, grates and other details or to add more support than plastic or light wood. You can use wire to secure parts and to create things like the trunks of trees or miniature telephone lines.

Paper, Cardboard and Foam Core

Paper is a surprisingly useful modeling material. Specialty papers and vellum make nice model wallpapers or shades, while you can use heavy duty paper for siding materials or covering frames. Thin cardboard and foam core board, which has a paper coating, make nice walls and flat surfaces.

Adhesives

Different materials may require different types of adhesive, but the primary glues are white glue, cyanoacrylate and epoxies. White glue is what many people think of as elementary school glue, but it works well with light wood and paper. Cyanoacrylate is fast setting glue and comes in gel form. Epoxies adhere most materials and will hold heavy parts. They have set times ranging from two minutes to 30 minutes or more.

Paints and Primers

Before you paint a model, it is important to coat it with a primer to provide a uniform surface and color to paint on. Gray and white are the most common primer colors, though other colors exist. Generally speaking, a spray primer from department stores and auto shops will do the job. Water-based acrylic paints are typically the easiest to use and will yield positive results with careful application.

Materials around the House

You can find plenty of useful model materials around the house if you have an eye for saving it. Stiff cardboard from food boxes is very functional and you can use clear plastic from packaging for windows among other things.

References

• The Wood Box: Balsa Wood
• The Wood Box: Basswood
• Airfield Models: Metals used in Model Building