rodentraiser Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Yes, I'm buying another dollhouse to be the basement under Bramble. It's MDF and comes with the siding milled in. Does anyone know of an easy way to sand that siding down to get a flat surface, or am I defeated before I even start? I'd really like to use log siding or stone the basement (think house against a hillside). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 What about [1] putting a thin coat of Spackle or wallboard mud over the milling to smooth it out rather than trying to remove it? Or [2] cover the milling by making templates with light cardboard and gluing them against the siding. That way you won't have to change the milled siding at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I agree, spackling it flat will be way easier than sanding it.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 That may be easier, although I understand MDF is really soft when it comes to siding. However, I just reread the box on that house, and it says the siding is milled into the wood. Well, we'll see what we'll see. I told Lisa that tomorrow when I bring it home, I'll knock the base off of Bramble and see if I can possibly fit her onto the top of this house. The house I'm getting is the Tamarack and it's the exact same width and length as Bramble, so it should be a pretty good fit. Then if I like what I see, I'll take some pictures and post those in the Bramble gallery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 If you decide to sand out the milling, be sure to use a mask, and do it outside if possible. Sanding MDF raises a lot of dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapchap73 Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I wouldn't recommend sanding the MDF. It is super tough and very hard to get smooth. I'd definitely go with a paperclay or spackle treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Kelly, I agree with Kathie & Sarah. I have seen MDF referred to as "wood", and the glues and resins that hold it together contain toxins so that even if you wore masks and worked outside I still don't think it's worth the risk to try to sand it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L Swearengin Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Turn it around. If it's a basement you can call the milled work...shiplap 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 If it is a beneath ground basement...I'd wood putty/spackle it and throw some brick or stone paper over that...and call it "the basement". Sanding is often a showstopper for me if I have to do too much of it. Also, here is similar topic from 2010 - with photos of Sherry's duracraft bash (looks smooth!) where she spackled over siding. Along with spackle, Paperclay is also mentioned for stone-working over the milled boards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 Well, guys, I'm finally home with the Tamarack. It's so perfect I can't believe it - the guy glued and nailed the walls but not the ceiling. So I took that off and put Bramble on top. And it looks like a go. Lawanda, that sounds like a plan, but I forgot that the living room is in the basement. So.....not sure what I want to do there. Anyway, this particular house is plywood (3/8) and the siding is painted. This guy was apparently doing it all the right way, unlike me. LOL The instructions say to paint the siding before doing anything else. So at this point, I think I'll just get some different wood and glue it on over the siding to make a flat surface and then perhaps stone the outside with egg carton or paper clay stone. Thank you everyone, for your helpI I knew I'd get a basement some day, but I just didn't expect it this soon and with siding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Photos please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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