Jatoba Brown Varnish vs Bare Bases: Which Finish Lasts?
By SCALE75 - HOBBIES & GAMES – SCALE75 - Hobbies & Games | Published: 2026-10-17
Category: Comparisons
A practical comparison of a pre-varnished Jatoba brown base and bare 35x35x70 bases, with sealing advice and paint pairings for miniatures.
Quick answer
If you want the least handling risk and a natural wood look, the JATOBA BROWN VARNISH 35 X 35 X 70 base is ready to use and already finished. If you plan to paint, texture, or match a specific scheme, start with a bare base and seal it yourself after painting. The varnished base wins on convenience and immediate durability; the bare base wins on control and long-term finish customization.
What the Jatoba brown varnish base actually gives you
The JATOBA BROWN VARNISH 35 X 35 X 70 is a 35 x 35 x 70 mm base made from Jatoba wood and finished in a rich brown varnish. That pre-applied finish is the main difference from a bare base: it already has a protective, natural-looking surface, so you can mount a finished miniature and put it on display or into a game without an extra sealing step. The compact dimensions suit standard infantry and skirmish models, and the brown tone complements a wide range of paint schemes without competing with them.
Where bare bases still make more sense
Bare bases are the better starting point when you want full control over texture, color, and final sheen. You can build up sand, cork, or sculpted ground, paint it to match a specific army or diorama, and then apply your own varnish or sealer. That extra work is the trade-off: bare bases demand more steps and more drying time, but they let you match a finish exactly and repair or repaint later without stripping a factory coating.
How paint choice affects base finish durability
The paint you use on the miniature and the base interacts with how long the finish holds up. OLIVE BROWN is a matte acrylic in a 17 ml pot, creamy and opaque enough for glazes, and valid for both brush and airbrush. LIGHT BROWN is a single acrylic paint pot intended for basecoats, highlights, or blending on models and dioramas, with a light brown tone suited to natural surfaces, wood, leather, or fur. GOBI BROWN is a super matte 17 ml acrylic designed for professional and amateur painters, able to create glazes or a completely opaque layer and valid for brush and airbrush. On a pre-varnished base, these paints sit on top of the varnish, so a final protective coat still matters if the piece will be handled often. On a bare base, the paint bonds directly to the wood, and sealing after painting is what determines how well the finish resists rubbing and chipping.
A simple test before you commit
Before finishing a whole squad, test one base. Paint a spare base or the underside of a varnished base with your chosen brown, let it cure fully, then rub it gently with a finger and a soft cloth. If the paint scuffs, add a matte varnish or sealer over the painted area. If you are using the pre-varnished Jatoba base as-is, check that the varnish surface accepts your glue or putty; if it does not, lightly scuff the contact point before mounting the model. This one-base test tells you more about your actual handling conditions than any general rule.
Trade-offs at a glance
- Jatoba brown varnish base: Comes pre-finished in rich brown varnish on Jatoba wood, so it is ready for display or gaming with no extra sealing step. Choose it when convenience and a natural wood look matter more than custom texture.
- Bare 35x35x70 base: Gives you full control over texture, color, and sheen, but you must paint and seal it yourself before heavy handling. Choose it when the base needs to match a specific scheme or diorama.
- Sealing after painting: A final matte varnish or sealer over acrylics such as OLIVE BROWN, LIGHT BROWN, or GOBI BROWN is what protects the finish on handled pieces. If the base will be touched often, seal it regardless of which base you start with.
Product facts
- JATOBA BROWN VARNISH 35 X 35 X 70: JATOBA BROWN VARNISH 35 X 35 X 70 is a 35 x 35 x 70 mm base made from Jatoba wood, finished in a rich brown varnish, and described as a practical accessory for miniature hobbyists that provides a clean, natural-looking foundation for models. You can mount a finished miniature immediately without an extra sealing step, which lowers handling risk during display or play.
- OLIVE BROWN: OLIVE BROWN is a matte finish acrylic paint in a 17 ml pot, creamy and opaque enough to create glazes, with tones suitable for modeling and military figures, and valid for brush and airbrush. It is a flexible choice for basecoats and glazes on either a bare or pre-varnished base, but it still needs a final protective coat on handled pieces.
- LIGHT BROWN: LIGHT BROWN is a single acrylic paint pot from the SCALE75 range, a light brown shade intended for basecoats, highlights, or blending, and described as ideal for natural surfaces, wood, leather, or fur. It pairs naturally with wooden bases and earthy groundwork, making it a practical pick when you want the base and figure to share a palette.
- GOBI BROWN: GOBI BROWN is a super matte finish acrylic paint in a 17 ml pot, designed for professional and amateur miniature painters, able to create glazes or a completely opaque layer, and valid for brush and airbrush. Its super matte finish reduces shine on groundwork, but matte layers can show handling wear sooner, so sealing is more important if the base is used in games.
Which should you choose?
Best for
- Players who want a finished, natural-looking base without extra sealing steps
- Display pieces where the brown varnish tone already matches the miniature
- Hobbyists who prefer to spend their time painting the figure, not the base
Not for
- Dioramas that need custom ground texture, rubble, or a specific terrain color
- Painters who want to control the exact sheen and finish of the base surface
- Projects where the base will be heavily handled and you prefer to apply your own durable sealer
