The trusty column or pillar is a time-honored companion in any shootout, and a common sight in dungeons and temples from galaxies far, far, away to forgotten ruins deep beneath the earth. Here’s how I made a bunch of pillars to use as scatter terrain!
Gather Your Instruments of Pain
- Wooden dowel – I used a square 5/8″ but anything a tiny dude can use for cover will work
- Lightweight spackle – This is the stuff for covering nail holes and looks like forbidden marshmallow fluff
- Saw – Anything capable of cutting a straight line
- Sandpaper – Keep Splinter down in the sewers with the ninja turtles, not stuck in your fingies
- Optional bases (and appropriate glue) – My columns were tippy, so I glued wood discs on the bottom
- Cheap paint and brush
- Optional mod podge or other sealant
Easy Three-Step Process
- Cut your dowel into columns. I went with 3″ lengths because I have some existing buildings that will match.
- Sand the splinters off.
- Optional: Affix your dowel lengths to bases at this point. I used Litko 1″ wooden discs, so I also got out the wood glue for this step. Just make sure you’re using the correct adhesive for your materials!
- This is the magic: Spread a thin coat of lightweight spackle on each column. You might want a palette knife or you might find that your fingers work just fine. Rough this coating up as much as you like – if you want that battle-damaged look you can rip away chunks to reveal the bare wood underneath. Toothpick some bullet holes in there or just smooth it all down with a slightly wet finger.
- Once the spackle is dry, sand it and paint it up! I used a concrete gray craft paint with a watered-down mix of darker gray (almost black). While I didn’t get into drybrushing, if you’re going for more of a natural stone look that’s a step that’ll really catch the texture and make it pop. You probably have a preferred painting method and I’m not your dad. Go do what works for you!
- Seal them with matte mod podge so the spackle won’t flake off when your friends drop them on the floor.
Don't Roll a One 