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Newbie - 3rd attempt at Lily


robnsue

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Hi all:
Well this is my 3rd attempt at starting this house after buying it 13 years ago and moving it about 4 times. I am not sure I even have all the pieces but I was smart enough to label most when I started the other times. So I am not sure how to proceed. I started to follow the directions and I made the windows and glued them. I didn't realize I should prime or paint first. OK then I started to dry fit the main structure but I see that the left wall is warped and some pieces are breaking as I fit them (mostly doorways). I am not sure what to do now.  Also, do I have to take it completely apart before I can start to glue it? I don't know if I should just give up...

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If the house is still in dry fit, I'd start by assessing what might need repair, and deciding if I wanted to paint or wallpaper ahead of gluing for areas that will be difficult or inaccessible later. Then when ready, you will need to take it out of dry fit to start gluing in order to get good bonds. Use a good wood glue; not hot glue. 

Believe it or not, when building I take the house in and out of dry fit multiple times. It helps me see where things are fitting (or not) and what changes I might need to make. It also lets me work flat as long as possible which is always easier.

For the warped piece, wiping it down with a damp cloth and letting it dry under a pile of books or other weights should help eliminate the warp. If the warp isn't too bad, it may disappear as you glue it; many times gluing solves this problem.

Good luck with it. The Lily is a beautiful house and worth taking your time with it! :) 

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Welcome to the little family, Robin,

If you glued in the windows first, perhaps you used the hot glue recommended in the instructions?  If so, taking the house back apart is only a hair dryer or heat gun away (although you might need to replace the windows...)  Whilst I prefer to build new, I love to rehab houses originally built with hot glue, because I can take them all apart and begin again.  And I'm becoming a fair dab at making doors and windows!  In addition to dry fitting as often as I need to, I take the time to mask off the areas where glue will go, so I'm gluing bare wood to bare wood with my carpenters' wood glue.  My Lily is still in its box, patiently (?) waiting its turn on the building bench, stil insisting it wants to become a Tuscan villa...

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Thank you so much for the replies! I attached the windows with white glue and actually they look good so I guess I will just leave them and paint them later? Is there a downside to this?

As far as dry fit goes, do you actually take the piece completely apart to glue it? It was so hard for me to get it together that I am afraid to take it apart. I had a really hard time getting it in the slots. (Sorry if you feel like you already answered and the answer is yes take it all apart... I am hoping for a different answer (lol).

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if its in dry fit, don't you think you need to take it apart to glue it?  One of the reasons for doing the dry fit is so that you can see how the tabs fit into the slots, and if they don't you take your sandpaper or your utility knife and sand or hack at the offender until it obediently fits together.  It makes the gluing up a lot easier, I can tell you from experience (I have built a couple of kits along the way, just not the Lily - yet).  You don't have to take it all apart at once, but if you're going to paint the windows You might find that a whole lot easier to do without plopping paint all over those clear acetate inserts if you can lay the wall down flat and do one side at a time.  Of course, I find that its easier to wait until after I have hung wallpaper and painted or stained before installing the windows and doors, but I imagine the windows and doors are easier to put in while the walls can lie flat.

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Welcome to the group Robin. I love the Lily, but so far I haven't gotten that one yet.

Since the windows are already in, you definitely do want to paint the frames inside and out after taking it apart, and before gluing. Also, while it is apart, I would make templates for your wallpaper. One of the reasons it's better to do the wallpaper before you put the windows in, is because the molding hides any edges that aren't quite right. You are going to want the wallpaper to fit around the windows as well as possible, and it will be difficult to do it once the house is together. With templates, you will be able to cut your wallpaper exactly to fit.

 

 

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Ok, thank you all for your advice. I started painting and staining today. If I want to leave most of the decorating choices to my daughter, but want the house to be a surprise, what is the best way to make it "neutral" for her. I am planing to prime the walls and ceilings with white and staining the floors but I am not sure if there is a good way to wallpaper in a way she could easily change it later?

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12 hours ago, robnsue said:

Ok, thank you all for your advice. I started painting and staining today. If I want to leave most of the decorating choices to my daughter, but want the house to be a surprise, what is the best way to make it "neutral" for her. I am planing to prime the walls and ceilings with white and staining the floors but I am not sure if there is a good way to wallpaper in a way she could easily change it later?

Templates.  You can make paper templates of the walls and adjust thm to get a perfect fit, then use them as patterns to cut the final templates from poster board or matboard, and paper or paint that.

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Or "paper" with cotton fabric glued in place with liquid starch. It will stick very well, yet it is easy to pull off to make a change. Light weight cotton, think quilting material.

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Is there a "planning guide" of some sort for deciding about electrical? I find electrical (and most of this whole process lol, intimidating). It is hard for me to decide what I want to do without seeing the house put together already. I would like some lamps and ceiling fixtures in the house but is this something I can tackle after the build?

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We keep referring to the dry fit (assemble the shell of the house with masking or painters' tape) as part of the building process.  It's tedious, it takes lots of time, AND it opens a dialog between you and the house like nothing else.  You can adjust your tabs and slots for a perfect fit, you can see how the house will look when glued together, you can plan for finishes for floors, walls and ceilings, and you can move furniture and accessories around to plan for placement and to map your wiring, should you choose to electrify.  Once you have your wiring done and before you cover any of it up under baseboards, wallpaper, whatever, it's a good idea to take pictures of it so that should you need to troubleshoot later on you can find it to work on.

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Welcome to the forum, Robin. If it is a play house (as in - a child will play with it) I would probably go with battery operated lights - they're just easier to replace. 

As for everything else:

If the windows are glued in - just paint carefully and you'll be fine.

If you haven't glued/attached the warped wall - try to moistened it with a sprayer bottle and press it in between two solid layers of wood - that sometimes helps.

For the broken parts: I sometimes use matboard (the thick cardboard they sell at Michaels or Hobby Lobby) to strengthen a wall. It also makes gluing wallpaper on easier. Cut an exact paper template of the wall with the door and cut it out of matboard. If you glue that on top of the plywood it will hold up. 

Hope this helps a bit!

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3 hours ago, robnsue said:

I got the Lily into dry fit and everything you helpful people said made so much more sense! Thank you.

Now you're on a roll; don't be surprised or think you're losing it when the house begins to talk to you and tells you what it wants.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another wallpaper question. I made pasteboard templates that I have put wallpaper on (it seemed much smoother than going directly on the wall). I would like to perhaps change the wallpaper someday so what is the best way to attach the covered pasteboard to the walls?

Thank you

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Different things work for different people.  Double-sided tape, glue dots, or just gluing baseboards to the floor and cornices to the ceiling and slipping your templates into place behind them.  My personal favorite temporary long-term adhesive of choice is the white poster putty you knead with your fingers.

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  • 1 month later...

          

I bought the Bellingham over 10 years ago.  I tried putting it together and then had to pay someone to finish it for me.  I did put the tape wire electricity in it myself.  After a bit I packed it away and it stayed there the past 10 years.  I retired this past year and decided it was time to finish my house.  I was amazed the electricity still worked.  Now after looking at it there are many things I want to change.  I was wondering if you know any miniature places to purchase from ?  Also I am reading up on installing all the little lights, fans etc. any info or guidance would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you.   Maria

 

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Maria, do introduce yourself to us.  A lot of people buy from Hobby Builders' Supply (http://www.miniatures.com).  Dolls' House Emporium (http://www.dollshouse.com/?___currency=USD&___location=US&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Dollshouse.com_US_USD_EN%3A%20Search%20%3E%20Brands&utm_term=dolls%20house%20emporium&utm_content=US%3A%20Brand%3A%20Dolls%20House%20Emporium) in the UK, is another nice online source.  If you're interested in artisan pieces there's Etsy and CDHM, and if, like me, you find your budget is somewhat limited, there are books and online tutorials for making your own furnishings, people & accessories.

There are tutorials available right here on this site for installing electrical stuff.

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Ooooppss    Sorry I was rude, I should have introduced myself.  My name is Maria, just retired and thought I would try my hand at dollhouses again.  I have always been in love with miniatures and am so excited to start up again.  My 9 yr old granddaughter is just like me so hopefully she will help ;).   I live upstate NY and back 10 years ago we had an amazing little dollhouse shop not far from here and the Owner was awesome.  She closed up shop soon after.  I have been finding some things at Hobby Lobby and AC Moore seems to just have furniture now :(     I am totally in love with Country Decor and Amish.  I electrified my  Bellingham so this one won't be Amish decor.  I am so happy I found this site and in just one day I have found awesome amazing ideas and knowledge.    Thank you again.  Maria

 

I bought the Bellingham over 10 years ago.  I tried putting it together and then had to pay someone to finish it for me.  I did put the tape wire electricity in it myself.  After a bit I packed it away and it stayed there the past 10 years.  I retired this past year and decided it was time to finish my house.  I was amazed the electricity still worked.  Now after looking at it there are many things I want to change.  I was wondering if you know any miniature places to purchase from ?  Also I am reading up on installing all the little lights, fans etc. any info or guidance would be greatly appreciated.   Thank you.   Maria

 

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Not rude at all, we are just glad you are here!

I live in Maine, but have been doing dollhouses with my granddaughter and two grandsons who also live in upstate NY.  (Ages 7, 9 and 11). They are in Greece, just north of Rochester.

Has your granddaughter had problems with the other girls telling her that doll houses are for babies? Mine has, but luckily, she just tells them that her house is a collector's piece, and not meant for kids to play with!!!

If you are close to Rochester, maybe you can pm me, and we can get the girls together some time when I am out there!

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Hi Kathi, we live just outside of Albany.  Been to Maine lots of times and love it there :).  I am so happy I found this site. It is so informative.  I said how I just got my dollhouse out of the basement after 10 years and am beyond thrilled to work on it.  After going thru this site last nite I saw sooo much great information so I started taking walls down and did a little rewiring today.   I'm learning....   I wish we had more local stores here that I could actually go to.   We have Hobby Lobby, AC Moore and Michaels but nothing really great.   What types of houses have you done ?  Do you do electricity yourself ?   Do you shop online for miniatures?   Looking forward to learning.   Thank you....Maria 

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