Medieval looking fences and foot bridge scratch built

I was doing a bit or necessary work on the house this last weekend which took me to our local hardware store. When there I am always on the lookout for any materials which can help me make some cheap terrain. This time I found a fly-screen repair kit from which I could make some wattle fencing for my upcoming medieval campaign (using 25mm miniatures).

Here are the steps for the fencing and also small foot bridge.

Materials used:

• Fly-screen repair patches (which come with a sticky back)
• Balsa wood
• Matchsticks
• MDF for basing
• Paint
• Flock
• PVA (wood) glue

The fly-screen repair from local hardware store

Balsa wood was cut into lengths and covered with the fly-screen on both sides. It was folded over with the sticky side towards the balsa wood. I didn't worry about overlapping as it helps to improve the look when painted. I made two covered lengths for each base - partly because this was the size of my saved off cuts and also to make it look like strips of fencing were used.

Covered balsa wood

 These lengths are then stuck onto their bases and held in place until the glue dried.

Sticking covered lengths to bases

Once the glue was dry. Cut some matchsticks and glue them on either side of the fencing. Once all the glue is dry the fencing was painted a dark brown.

Matchsticks are added as posts

Paint fences a dark brown.

After the dark brown had dried off a series of light brushing of progressively lighter colours was applied. First a mid-brown quickly applied, second a light grey was more carefully applied, and finally a light bone colour was dry brushed on which really picks up the weave.

A mid-brown was brushed on first

A light grey was applied consistently

A light bone colour was finally dried brushed on

Once painted the base was touched up in green and flocked. As a final step I paint on a matt clear acrylic varnish for protection.

The final result

While all this was all being done I also made a simple foot bridge. Here are the progress pictures.

A very simple shape - the matchstick supports were later trimmed down.

Painted dark brown and when dry mid-brown stripes were painted on

A watered down bone colour was quickly used to go over some parts of the painted stripes

The ends were flocked and the river painted

The final product