1:24/1:25 Wood Grain Decals "Trucker's Delight" for Cars and Trucks

The dashboard as the showcase of an interior

In the cab of a truck and in a luxury sedan alike, the wooden trim tends to be the first thing a person notices. On a model it is at the same time an area where nothing can be hidden: it lies right under the windows, light falls on it and every brushstroke that did not come off is visible. A printed grain gets around this problem, because it carries a finished pattern at a constant density.

Six varieties of bird's-eye

The package offers six different grains, all in the rendering known as bird's-eye. It is the small swirling figure that was used on real cars for the most exposed areas. Three patterns are tuned dark for more serious interiors, three stay light and suit cabs with beige or cream trim.

Where it is useful

The set is aimed at passenger cars and at large tractor units, that is from limousines to the cabs of trucks. Besides the dashboard it comes in handy on door panels, the center console or the shelves behind the seats. In 1:24 and 1:25 scale the pattern comes out well in size, because the grain is deliberately small.

Procedure

It is a good idea to level the area first and give it a gloss coat, or air will be trapped under the film. The pattern is cut slightly larger than needed, seated, softened and only trimmed exactly at the edge once it has dried. A matte varnish at the end takes the shine off where the wood would come across as plastic.

The shade of the base decides

Light patterns go gray on a dark color, dark ones lose their depth on white. The safest course is to spray the area a cream or sand tone and let the grain take its warmth from it. It pays to keep what is left of the sheet: an interior once begun is often completed in stages.