Set
Set is essential to most productions. It can be minimalistic or ludicrously elaborate; every term a variety of sets appear around Cambridge, each very different to the next. This article will cover common elements and considerations of set; other articles cover the people and tools available to build them.
Wood
A number of suppliers stock wood; the ADC has an account with Ridgeons but you can also buy from Wickes if you prefer.
- CLS
- Canadian Lumber Standard timber. Generally 3" by 2" CLS is used: that's the nominal size in inches (actual size 63 × 38 mm). This is a stick of pine with rounded corners and planed to a smooth finish. It's versatile and easy to use, but not the highest-quality timber. It may arrive warped (distorted due to moisture). There isn't much you can do about this! 4" by 2" is also available but less commonly used.
- Hardboard
- A cheap and bendy man-made board, produced from wood fibres rather than recognizable slices of wood. Very effective for flat-building. One side is smooth and not very absorbent, while the other is textured and much more absorbent, so it will use much more paint.
- Plywood
- Available in various thicknesses (commonly 3.2 mm, 5.5 mm, 9 mm, 12 mm, 18 mm). Plywood is generally stiffer than a fibre-based board of the same thickness. Normally only boards 18mm thick or thicker are sufficiently fireproof to be used in front of (or without) a safety curtain, but this should be discussed with your venue before purchasing materials.
Flats
A flat is a simple and effective set piece. It's generally constructed from 3mm board (plywood or hardboard) with a 38×63mm CLS facing, but this can vary to make it stronger, lighter, or cheaper.
Flats vary in size; the ADC has stock flats available at 8', 12', and 15'7". (These are made out of lighter wood than CLS but have lasted many years.)
Building your own flat is very simple; essentially you just screw CLS together into a rectangle (butt joints with 2 5×80 mm screws each) and staple on the facing. As the facing can be assumed to be square (all angles at 90°), the frame should be pushed into a shape that matches the facing—usually the frame won't be perfectly square without some help. If there's overhanging facing after this, it can be trimmed flush with a router, using a router bit that's able to follow the CLS beneath. Adding glue to all joints makes the flat much more durable.
Flats can come in a range of shapes and sizes. For very large flats (more than one sheet of facing), it's necessary to add an extra length of CLS along the join between the facings, which forces them to align.