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Tools, Paint...rookie needs guidance


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This is my 1st house and I am trying to figure out what tools I would need to get started.  There is a Michael's , AC Moore and Home Depot and Lowes near me where I can purchase items.

What  type of brushes do I need?

What paint works best? Acrylic, latex, gloss no , gloss etc.

Glue what is the standard sure thing?- elmer's white, wood glue, rubber cement, gorilla glue etc.

Do I need claps?

I have sand paper and emery boards, Killz  2 Latex water-based sealer/primer, exacto knife, blue painters tape and some patience:) 

Thank you in advance for your help. 

 

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2 hours ago, Casaundra Marcus said:

This is my 1st house and I am trying to figure out what tools I would need to get started.  There is a Michael's , AC Moore and Home Depot and Lowes near me where I can purchase items.

What  type of brushes do I need?

What paint works best? Acrylic, latex, gloss no , gloss etc.

Glue what is the standard sure thing?- elmer's white, wood glue, rubber cement, gorilla glue etc.

Do I need claps?

I have sand paper and emery boards, Killz  2 Latex water-based sealer/primer, exacto knife, blue painters tape and some patience:) 

Thank you in advance for your help. 

 

I use a 1" paint brush with natural bristles for flat surfaces & large areas like walls & roof for paint.  I use old tee shirt rags to apply stain.  I use artist's brushes from the $ store for trims & fiddly bits.

I prime with flat white interior latex paint because it cleans up with soap & water.  If you don't get all of the paint out of your brush and it gets stiff, soak the brush overnight in a tad of oil soap and wash it all out next day & it'll be fine (I forget which member posted this tip, but I tried it & now use it all the time).  The little sample jars of interior latex paints are a nice size.  If I want custom colors I use acrylic paints straight from the tube and mix them with some of my interior latex primer.  Flat, satin & semi gloss finishes work best in mini, not gloss.

Gorilla Glue foams up.  I use Probond or Titebond to glue bare wood to bare wood, Elmer all-purpose white glue for the clear acetate window & door inserts, and E6000 for anything the first two won't work with (discovered when I built the white plastic version of the Orchid kit)

the front exterior

When I got started building dollhouses my hubs informed me that one cannot have too many clamps.  He is, as usual, correct.

Patience, like knowledge, grows with use.  You will do fine.  Mistakes are natural and not to be feared; embrace them as learning opportunities.  Some of my best bashes rose from fixing major booboos.

Harbor Freight, Lowe's and a local indy hobby store are my go-to places for resources.

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The craft stores have the $5 bags of assorted paint brushes. Get the bag with the small flat brushes, I don't use the foam brushes. Aileen's White Tacky glue and a non water based glue like E6000 or Quick Grab.

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I use latex interior paint samples for my rehab houses....and as mentioned before; flat, satin or semi-gloss are best.  I use good quality 1" brushes and even those 2" brushes with the short handles! They are pretty slick.  :)  For larger spaces I've got a collection of those little foam rollers that are supposed to be for painting real trim, etc and they work very nicely.

For intricate pieces and small spaces I use good quality flat or angled artist brushes I buy at AC Moore.   You can also use craft acrylic paints for small detailed items and furniture and things like egg carton brick work - it is a thinner paint so the details don't get 'lost', but it is also more opaque, so several coats are needed.

oh- and if you are going to do wallpaper- a trim brayer (sp?) is always a good thing to have, as well as a few old credit cards (I use them to spread the glue).

For glue I use carpenter's wood glue/ Titebond for bare wood, Aileen's Tacky Glue for fiddly stuff, and for most things/building I use Quik Grab (E6000 doesn't seem to work for me).

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I have a small wooden brayer that I think was designed for the wallpaper borders.   Oh, and I have a tub of premixed wallpaper paste I bought at the hardware store, for wallcoverings.

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https://www.amazon.com/Excel-Deluxe-Dollhouse-Tool-Set/dp/B003AKWISY/ref=pd_sim_201_2/163-6204622-9349839?ie=UTF8&dpID=51BoHJXqUyL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=F44VJ5051V5VD4TWWN5J

Excel Deluxe Dollhouse Tool Set

I did not purchase this because I had most of it already.Gives you an idea for a basic start up. 

I always go local thrift stores for items too. Wallpaper with small designs, scrapbooking items, scrap cloth..etc.

Like the credit card idea.

Gorilla glue does sell a wood glue now. It does not swell. It binds pretty quick. Great for wood but a bit thickish and hard to spread on larger areas.

I read here too spackling for fills and ceilings. Get from hardware store. 

A few tips I got here or online.. uses scrap wood for templates. Like the wood left over after removing parts. For example, the window trim calls for 6 inch 1/4.  , Cut the spare wood to be sure it fits properly. Then cut the good wood. Make masking tape your best friend. Tape parts into place before gluing.

"Patience, like knowledge, grows with use.  You will do fine.  Mistakes are natural and not to be feared; embrace them as learning opportunities."

indeed!

 

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4 hours ago, thresadep said:

...I read here too spackling for fills and ceilings. Get from hardware store. 

A few tips I got here or online.. uses scrap wood for templates. Like the wood left over after removing parts. For example, the window trim calls for 6 inch 1/4.  , Cut the spare wood to be sure it fits properly. Then cut the good wood. Make masking tape your best friend. Tape parts into place before gluing.

"Patience, like knowledge, grows with use.  You will do fine.  Mistakes are natural and not to be feared; embrace them as learning opportunities."

indeed!

 

I, the Queen of spackling compound, can tell you that you can find spackle at some of your Habitat for Humanity ReStores and Wally World and $ stores.  Drywall mud and joint compound will also do the job.  Not only does it fill gaps, but it smooths out imperfections in the wood and works nicely for stonework, stucco, plaster, and I have embedded tiny seashells in it for a tabby finish:

KathieB's photos:  Mafggie's front

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(Someone might have mentioned this, but I haven't had enough coffee to become fully awake yet)

I often use the E6000 glue in combination with tacky glue. The E6000 helps to give the immediate bond while the tacky glue dries.   I also buy the E6000 in small tubes. For some reason, every time I have a large tube it ends up either drying out or gluing shut or something (I am obviously a messy builder). The gorilla glue does swell, like others said, which is very aggravating.

I used to use wood putty but spackle works so much better. 

Modge podge is also helpful, in both matte and gloss finish. Not something you need right away, though.

A steel ruler as a straight edge for cutting with an exacto or utility knife and a self healing mat will protect the underlying surface.

Some things you won't need immediately, just be prepared to make a few extra trips to the store in the beginning. Once you have your favorite tools you won't need to keep running out for things. Then you will have everything ready for your next build.

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