One of the best things about wooden model kits is that the natural wood finish looks great straight out of the box, but it's also just the starting point. Painting and customising your kit is a satisfying way to make it your own, and it's more approachable than it might seem. This guide covers everything you need to know, whether you've never picked up a paintbrush or you're just new to working with wood.
Before you start, read this first
Not all kits are the same, and the most important thing to know before you start painting is whether your kit uses glue as part of the assembly process.
Some Curious Rabbit kits are entirely press-fit. The pieces slot together without any adhesive. Others require glue at certain joints to hold the finished model together properly. This matters because paint acts as a barrier. If you paint a surface that later needs to be glued, the adhesive won't bond to the wood. It'll bond to the paint, which is a much weaker join and can cause the model to come apart over time.
The golden rule: check your kit's instruction sheet before you start. If glue is required, identify those joint areas first and keep them paint-free. Everything else can be painted as you like.
What paint works best on wood?
Acrylic paint is the best choice for wooden model kits, and it's what we'd recommend at Curious Rabbit. Here's why it works well.
It's water-based, which means it dries quickly, cleans up easily with water, and doesn't produce strong fumes. It bonds well to bare wood without needing a specialist primer in most cases. It's available in an enormous range of colours, from basic craft acrylics you can pick up for a pound or two to higher-quality artist's acrylics if you want more control. And once dry, it's reasonably durable for a display piece.
Craft acrylics from brands like Daler-Rowney or own-brand ranges from craft shops are perfectly good for this kind of project. You don't need anything expensive.
Should you paint before or after assembly?
This is the question most people ask, and the honest answer is: it depends on the kit, and sometimes both approaches work at different stages of the same build. There's no single right answer, and since all Curious Rabbit kits are supplied in their natural wood finish with no paint applied, you're completely free to approach it however works best for you.
Painting before assembly is generally easier for reaching all surfaces. Individual pieces lie flat on your work surface, every angle is accessible, and you don't have to manoeuvre a brush into tight corners. If your kit uses glue, you'll need to identify the joint areas from the instruction sheet and keep those surfaces paint-free. A small piece of masking tape over a joint area works well. Peel it off once the surrounding paint is dry.
Painting after assembly means you can see the finished shape while you paint, which makes colour decisions easier. The trade-off is that some areas become harder to reach. For simpler kits where all surfaces remain accessible once built, this works perfectly well.
For most kits, a combination works best. Paint the individual pieces first for areas that will become inaccessible, assemble, then touch up or add detail once built.
A simple step-by-step approach
If you're new to this, here's a straightforward process that works well for most kits.
First, lay all your pieces out and check the instruction sheet. Identify any glue joints and note which surfaces need to stay bare.
Second, if you want a smooth, even base colour, apply a thin coat of white acrylic across the pieces you plan to paint. This isn't strictly necessary, but it gives you a consistent surface and makes subsequent colours more vibrant, especially on darker wood. Let it dry fully before moving on.
Third, apply your chosen colours in thin coats rather than one thick one. Thin coats dry faster, are less likely to warp the wood, and give a cleaner result. Two thin coats will almost always look better than one heavy one.
Fourth, once your base colours are dry, you can add detail. Picking out individual planks on a shed in a slightly different shade, adding a pop of colour to a door or window frame, or keeping things simple and letting the wood grain show through a light wash of colour.
Finally, if the finished piece will be handled regularly or you want extra durability, a thin coat of acrylic varnish over the painted surface will protect it. Matt varnish keeps the natural look. Satin or gloss adds a little sheen.
Other ways to customise
Paint is the most common route but not the only one. A few other approaches worth knowing about.
Wood stain works well if you want to add colour while keeping the grain visible. It soaks into the wood rather than sitting on top of it, giving a more natural result than paint. Apply with a cloth or soft brush and wipe back any excess before it dries.
Fine-tip permanent markers are useful for adding small details, text, or decorative patterns, particularly on flat surfaces where a brush would be harder to control.
Leaving it natural and simply applying a coat of clear wax or oil is also a valid choice. It deepens the colour of the wood slightly, protects the surface, and gives the piece a finished quality without changing its character.
A few things to avoid
Watercolour paint isn't ideal for wood. It tends to soak in unevenly and can warp thin pieces if applied too wet. Stick to acrylics.
Household emulsion paint is too thick and heavy for small detailed pieces. It tends to fill in the fine laser-cut details that make the kit look good.
Spray paint can work on assembled kits but requires care. It's easy to over-apply, and the propellant can raise the grain of the wood if you spray too close. If you use it, keep the can at least 30cm away and apply several light passes rather than one heavy coat.
And as mentioned, never paint glue joint areas. It's the one mistake that's genuinely hard to fix once made.
Sharing your finished kit
If you paint or customise a Curious Rabbit kit, we'd love to see it. Tag us or get in touch. Finished builds are always exciting to see, and no two ever look quite the same.
Curious Rabbit makes laser-cut wooden flatpack kits and gifts, designed and made in Wales.
