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Hello all,

So glad to have found this site, because boy do I have a lot of questions. I just decided to build a dollhouse for my mother, as she has always wanted one. After much reading, I have decided my goal of a Mother's Day gift is a bit lofty and at this point am hoping to have it finished by her birthday in November. To be honest, I am wishing I could just wrap the box the kit came in and say good luck! :lol: But . . . hark I love her too much!! And, I know she would hate putting it together. She is much more into the decorating. I have a feeling that I will in fact enjoy it, I have always been sort of crafty. I just have to get past my anxiety about it. You all have made such beautiful creations, I just can't imagine mine could turn out so well. I will try my hardest though. I appreciate any advice you could give. So, down to business:

1) Is it reasonable to think I can completely assemble the dollhouse and my mother could then paint, wallpaper and decorate herself? Will she be able to do it after it is completed or is it something that really needs to be done as you go? Should I at least stain the stairs and shingles before applying them?

2) On the same note, should I prime all the pieces front and back before I put it together so she will have an easier time painting? What should I use for primer? I have read so many things I am just a bit overwhelmed.

3) I am planning a trip to the hardware and craft stores. What are the most vital things I will need, besides glue? The glue decision has even been difficult. I think tacky glue sounds good, I will try that first.

OK, I'll stop here for now. Thank you so much (my Mom thanks you too, but she doesn't know it yet.)

Jillian

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Hi Jillian and welcome to the forum! Congrats on getting the Beacon Hill. It's a beautiful house and so gracious and elegant. Your mom will just love it.

There are lots of people here who have built the BH and can give some wonderful advice. Mine is still in the box, but I've been taking notes and I remember that several people have said that the walls behind the stairs really need to be papered before you install the stairs since there's no way to get to them after the stairs are in.

Everyone has different styles of painting/wallpapering/staining so you'll hear a few different versions of the order in which to approach the building. I stain the shingles, woodwork, floors, stairs, etc before installing them as stain is hard to apply to fixtures once they're in. It's definitely a good idea to do that step before paint or wallpaper as stain bleeds outward.

Priming is a must before wallpapering so the wood doesn't soak up your wallpaper paste. (I found that out the hard way) I use Kilz primer and just prime both sides of everything that isn't going to be stained. It seals the wood and cuts down on the chance of warping. Paint goes on smoother and wallpaper sticks much better and doesn't wrinkle or bubble as much.

I use Elmers stainable woodglue for all the wood pieces, tacky glue for windows and regular wallpaper paste for wallpapering. Stock up on blue masking tape to hold things in place while the glue dries, lots of sandpaper (emery boards are really great for the small spots like stair railings). A good set of xacto blades is helpful to have close by.

Everybody else will wake up soon and you'll get lots more answers. :lol:

Deb

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Hi Jillian, congratulations on getting the BH. It was also my first house and I wish I could have known alot of things before I started. I totally assembled mine before doing any decorating but it was difficult to wallpaper around the stairs but I did succeed in doing that. So in answer to your question, it can be done but I wouldn't recommend it.

I used shellac on all my sheets (front and back) before I started. I used wood glue as well. It would be great if you did all that you wanted with the stairs before you install them. I stained my shingles before putting them on. Havanaholly has a fabulous way of staining shingles but I'm not sure where to find that, maybe she can point you in the right direction.

From the box, it can look very intimidating I know, but don't let it. Before you know it, you'll be having such great fun you won't want it to end and that's when the addiction has hit you. It won't be long before you'll be doing another one. Have fun, and read your instructions over and over and if you follow them in order, you can't go wrong. And do remember, there are no mistakes in building that can't be fixed.

A good exacto knife (lots of sharp blades) is important as well as masking tape or clamps.

Here is a picture of the house put together without any decorating.

Wendy

Wendy

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Havanaholly has a fabulous way of staining shingles but I'm not sure where to find that,
First & most importantly, Welcome to the forum, Jillian! Unless you work as fast as Deb I don't think you'll complete the BH in time for Mother's Day this year, but what a sweet thing to do for your momma all the same :lol:

The way I actually stain shingles isn't particularly fabulous, I throw on a pair of disposable latex gloves, grab a piece of one of DH's raggedy teeshirts and rub stain all over the sheet of shingles (Hey, Tracy, that's another one we can try saying three times fast! :lol: ; on second thought, never mind) & when it's dry, flip it over & do it again. I described that in some of my blogs.

The fabulous method I've READ about & posted in reply to the query somewhere else on this forum is to be done outside, preferably, and on a sunny day. Get two heavy foil disposable roasting pans and a roofing nail & use the nail to poke holes all through the bottom of ONE of the pans. Then you set the pan with holes into the intact pan and layer the bottom with shingles and pour the stain over then & stir them around. Nearby spread out LOTS of newspapers. When your shingles are the color you want (remember they lighten slightly as they dry, so you may want to "play" a bit with samples) simply lift the inner pan straight up & hold it over the lower pan until all the excess stain has drained into the lower pan, and then remove your stained shingles to the newspaper to dry (you may want to top the newspaper with waxed paper to prevent newsprint ink transferring onto your lovely stained shingles). Pour the stain from the lower container back into the stain container, layer some more shingles into the pan with the holes, set it into the intact pan & have at it again.

I prefer the hand-rubbed method because I prefer gel stains, but the two-pan method is great to use with liquid stain.

should I prime all the pieces front and back before I put it together so she will have an easier time painting?

Unless you think she'd rather stain (like floors, I scribe floorboards & nailholes directly onto the plywood and then rub stain until it looks "right"). I like to begin with a coat of clear sanding sealer (if I want to stain, like the floors, I do that first and then the sealer) before I remosve any of the pieces from the sheets of wood.

What should I use for primer?
Many of us prefer all-purpose white flat or semi-gloss interior latex paint because it's relatively cheap and very versatile (you can mix a bit with acrylic artist's colors straight from the tube to get custom paint colors in small enough amounts for most mini paint jobs :p )

The glue decision has even been difficult. I think tacky glue sounds good, I will try that first.

The first kit I ever built I put together with Elmer's white tacky glue. Then I noticed the yellow carpenter's wood glue & thought, "Duh! I'm gluing wood!" There's a stainable wood filler that I wasn't happy with the way it took the stain (it surely didn't match the rest of the wood :D ), you can 1) carefully mix a drop or stain with a small amount of wood putty or 2) (my personal favorite), mix that drop of stain with a drop of woodglue and a huge pince of sawdust (from all the sanding you'll do) and use that.

As for supply lists, there are several postings. You can't have too many clamps & do get a pair of safety glasses/ goggles, especially if you wind up with a rotary tool. Also more new knifeblades than you think you'll use in a lifetime, more knife injuries are caused by blades beginning to dull (if the blade "pulls" while you're trying to cut, it's too dull, but still sharp enough to remove body parts).

Do go the introductions place & introduce yourself. We're so glad you're here.

And before the eye candy police step in, don't forget to post progress pictures.

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!WELCOME!

I have never built a Beacon Hill but I have a couple of house building suggestions

NO hot glue!

windows are better put on LAST inside and out....although once you have painted the outside you can install the trim...I put my "glass" in with the inside trim. coz Im very messy when painting

you could put the house together for mom to decorate if you leave off the inside trim.

put it all in a baggie....making sure to label each peice. than when mom is done wallpapering or painting yall could have a day of trim installation. now for the stair cases. is best to decorate this area before installing them but depending on how they go in you may be able to leave them out untill mom does her thing

but like I said I do not know how this kit goes together

which brings me to

DRY FIT .....do this with every step....paint and primer can make things swell and change shape. what fit well together may need trimming after painting.

as for priming....I use kilz spray primer. take all my walls outside and spray both sides while they dry I like to stain my floors. even if I end up with bought flooring or carpeting it helps seal the floor and makes it pretty while Im working on the house. after staining is good idea to seal it with polyurethane so paint spills are easily cleaned up.

as for what to buy to get started

x-acto knife(extra blades)

sanding sponge(easier to use)

emery board(for small areas)

masking/painters tape...a must when dry fitting and helpful when glueing hard to clamp spots

Primer

stain

glue

clamps.... are good but masking tape will work to hold stuff while gluing

bandaids

spackle or wood fill of some kind to fill in the slots

paint brushes of all sizes a multipack is good.

hmmmmm Im sure Im missing something but I know someone will be along shortly with more.

Im so excited for you!

my favorite part of a new house is building!

good luck and keep us posted!

and like Holly said...photos... not just to share but to have around to see all you have accomplished when you get discouraged. and remember...when you get the urge to take a hammer and "bash" the house

Walk away! if your goal is Nov. you got plenty of time!

Have fun!

but for the windows do each step as it comes.

looking forward to seeing your progress!

nutti :lol:

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Welcome to the forum Jillian!!!!

What a GREAT gift to your Mother!! I know according the info sheet I have, it says it takes about 40 hours to complete the Beacon Hill (siding & shingles) . I do not want to say it can not be done because I have seen people do big houses by greenleaf in a short period of time. Here is a link to Lony's Pierce and she did it in about one month paint and electrified and all Pepto Palace

This is the link to visit the old forum where she posted the inifo about doing that Pierce house.

I just don't want to discourage you because you may be able to do it but know it take LOTS of work and frustrations. If you are gonna paint and wallpaper the house. I would prime it AFTER the house is assembled. You will not experiance warping this way and the walls will be sealed too and it will be easier to wallpaper over them this way according to Linda who is our wallpaper queen here.

Take your time and read instructions. Put in your windows and doors LAST especially if you are gonna put siding on this house. This house is a little more detailed than the Pierce but I know it can be done if you are a fast worker (And you give up your nights and weekends LOL). If you have more questions please ask here. We will do our best to help you!

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Looks like other have about covered most of your necessities. But I would also add baby wipes and a good metal ruler to the list. I've found this to be invaluable in wiping my hands of glue, paint, etc so I can go on to the next step.

Definitely stain any parts that you want stained before you apply any type of glue. Stain will not cover glue and can look very very bad splotch (don't ask how I know that).

If you're really new to handling wood and craft knives, you may want to update your a tetanus shot :lol: Lots of splinters while sanding and oops with knife. (you did see the bandaids listed by Nutti)

This is so nice of you to do this for your Mom. Have fun and we will try and answer any questions you have.

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but for the windows do each step as it comes.
Take your time and read instructions. Put in your windows and doors LAST especially if you are gonna put siding on this house.

Listen to the house, sometimes you'll get a brilliant flash of what the house wants to become. You can upgrade stairs, etc.

In addition to the bandaids, LOTS of gauze squares and some hydrogen peroxide for the serious "oopsies" (like the last one I did to myself, see my note of keeping SHARP blades in your knife). Especially for your first house, don't work on it when you're feeling tired.

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WOW!! Thanks everyone. I have a feeling, if I ever get this done, I will be saying "I couldn't have done it without you all!" What great info. I just need a little clarification on a few things and then I am off to sort through and label as advised.

First, Some people have mentioned using shallac, is this instead of a paint primer or in addition too? Can you stain over shallac? And, I am hearing about wood filler, for someone who knows nothing, what will i be using it for?

(like floors, I scribe floorboards & nailholes directly onto the plywood and then rub stain until it looks "right"). I like to begin with a coat of clear sanding sealer (if I want to stain, like the floors, I do that first and then the sealer) before I remosve any of the pieces from the sheets of wood.

What do you mean you scribe floorboards and then stain? This sounds like a neat idea, can you ellaborate? Also, do you use the "rubbing" technique for staining everything or just the shingles? Lastly, you use "clear sanding sealer" as primer if your not staining?

If you are gonna paint and wallpaper the house. I would prime it AFTER the house is assembled. You will not experiance warping this way and the walls will be sealed too and it will be easier to wallpaper over them this way according to Linda who is our wallpaper queen here.

So if I prime before the house is assembled, I am risking warping? I am confused. :lol:

One last thing, If I decide I am going to go all out and electrify, do I need to do anything special with the assembly or can I just decide after it is together?

Thank you SOOOO much

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So if I prime before the house is assembled, I am risking warping? I am confused. :lol:

I can say I never NEVER ever experiance warping and I feel it is due to the fact that I prime my houses after they are assembled. If you wish to staine any parts do NOT prime with paint or clear shellac because the staine will not penertrate.

:lol:

Sorry about the confusion.

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One last thing, If I decide I am going to go all out and electrify, do I need to do anything special with the assembly or can I just decide after it is together?

If you electrify it will need to be assembled first, but don't wallpaper yet. The wallpaper will hide your tape. Also when running the tape, take pictures or draw a diagram so you will know where the wire is if you have to ever trouble shoot. In the tutorial section, Darrell and Melissa have a great wiring tutorial and he is very helpful in answering questions and helping work thru any problems.

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wood filler, for someone who knows nothing, what will i be using it for?
Filling wood. Sometimes you have to perform surgery on the tabs & slots to get things to go together (this is why we stress dry-fitting, which is where you assemble the house with masking tape instead of glue, so you can see how things go together & spot potential problem areas...) & sometimes walls don't fit absolutely perfectly plumb flush (I reinforce mine with a heavy-duty staple gun). You might want to take a read at some of the construction blogs to see some of these issues addressed in detail (probably more detail than you really need at present :lol: ).

What do you mean you scribe floorboards and then stain? This sounds like a neat idea, can you ellaborate? Also, do you use the "rubbing" technique for staining everything or just the shingles? Lastly, you use "clear sanding sealer" as primer if your not staining?

I describe my floorboard technique in several of the building blogs & probably a couple of forum posts, I think you can do a search for "scribing floorboards" to find it.

I use the rubbing technique with gel stain, whatever I'm using it on.

I started out using clear sanding sealer instead of primer, but then I had to go back and prime so the grain wouldn't show so bad when I painted or wallpapered.

So if I prime before the house is assembled, I am risking warping? I am confused.
No, you can stain/ seal/ prime before or after you assemble the house. IF you choose to pretreat the wood before assembling, you would want to do BOTH sides and let each side dry flat to minimize the chance of warping, since you are working with plywood only 1/8" thick.

Can you stain over shallac?

I don't use shellac, so I don't know. Stain won't go on over sealer or glue, so I would stain first.

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Well, I took inventory yesterday and only one piece missing! Yippy!! Seams like I will be able to follow a similar piece as a template to make it though. I have to work the next two nights so no time for building. I can see why this is so addictive though. I haven't even started and I'm thinking about it all the time. There are so many things online to buy for these. Just what I need, another thing I can spend money on. It's so fun though. After I trip to the hardware store this weekend, I'll be on my way. I'll keep you all posted.

:lol: Jillian

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Another way of staining shingles is the technoque I use for staining the ties I add to my Lionel track. I use 2 coffee cans. Put the shingles in one add stain and cover tightly agitate the stain and shingles together pur off the stain and lay the shingles out on a pad of newspapers let dry. I bought a cheap kitchen strainer for this draining process. Wear gloves during this process as it is a messy job

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have been working on various little projects and am finally ready to start staining before I begin assembly. But, alas, some of my floor pieces are warped. Can anyone give me a suggestion on how to fix this or would it straighten itself out after it was assembeled?

Thanks,

Jillian

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Jillian, you can do a search of the site & archives for "warped floor", there have been several posts. If it's just a very slight warp it'll most likely straighten out when installe, the dry-fit will give you some idea. If the warp looks more like a Hot Wheels racetrack you can try dampening both sides, lay it flat and put something flat on top and weight it down until dry, repeating PRN until you can live with it.

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