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MDF--- particle board


Mineejv

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I'm making the duracraft VH 600 it has alot of particle boards.

I'm doing some subassembly for the floor and gables, do I put the supports on first ?

Or Do I spackle,sand, paint,first??? 

The ceilings and side walls (partitions) are particle board too? Should I cut something that's smooth on both sides?

On the roof do I leave the ruff side up----- or the smooth side?  Do I spackle that? I bought plaster of paris will that work?On the back side of the siding do you prime then spackle ? I know there dumb questions,but I'm at a stand still...

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Particle board and waterbased materials don't mix. It might cause the board to swell. Plaster of Paris is waterbased I believe so I would not use it. Kilz primer would be your best solution on that raw wood.

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3 hours ago, Mineejv said:

I'm making the duracraft VH 600 it has alot of particle boards.

 

So jealous!.. I love that house.... Wish I could get my hands on one.:drool2:

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I think the base that my house sits on it MDF. I have other boards that I thought were called (particle boards) but maybe there not called that.i don't know what to call them, but they are very ruff on one side and very smooth on the other side.  I don't now how to finish the ruff side. 

When I sand any thing I always try to wear a mask.  Thank you

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4 hours ago, Samusa said:

What Sable said... and prime everything that is going to be painted, shingled or floored. Under the shingles & floors make the primer paint a complimentary colour to what the shingles or flooring are going to be so you don't have white paint glaring through any gaps. 

During dry fit, identify areas that will be impossible to decorate once the house is built and do those as you build. You may actually want to do most of your decorating while still in dry fit. It's hard to get your hands in those tiny places or to decorate while standing on your head. :D
 

Thanks for the input...it helps some. I don't think to many people built the DC VH-600..can't find to much about it! 

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1 hour ago, Mineejv said:

Thanks for the input...it helps some. I don't think to many people built the DC VH-600..can't find to much about it! 

Below are links to some Greenleaf Forum members' photos of the Dura Craft VH-600


http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=browse&album=3861


http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=browse&album=548


http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/?app=gallery&module=gallery&controller=browse&album=5231

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I don't think they made that kit in MDF. I think the only kit made in MDF was the third version of the San Franciscan.

I used BIN sealer when I primed my San Franciscan and I didn't have a problem, although I had to use two coats, but I think any good paint will be fine for priming.

When it comes to your ceilings, you may end up putting a wallpaper ceiling over it, so you really do want to have that primed well. If your house isn't already together and if it's possible, I'd flip the ceiling/second floor to have the rough particle board on the floor side, because that can be covered up with carpet and wood. If your house is already together, you may want to find a very light piece of card and glue your ceiling wallpaper to it, first, and then glue the card to the ceiling. That will make your paper a little thicker and cover the particle board a little better.

Generally what I've done in the past is spackle first. I spackle all the cracks and gaps. You are definitely going to want to spackle some of the cracks that will be there on the inside of the siding, too. Then sand it down as smooth as possible and give it a first coat of primer. Lisa has gotten me to go over the house again after that first coat and respackle anything I think I missed. That's gets sanded down again if I need to and then I prime one more time. And that should be it.

With your roof, it's hard to say. My first instinct would be to turn the rough side out, because that's going to be shingled and you may want to wallpaper the inside of the roof. Unless the roof is really, really rough, I don't think I'd waste time spackling and sanding that.

As to the supports, I really don't know because I haven't put that particular house together.

 

 

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Thanks everyone !!! I have a clear picture of what I need to do now. 

Kelly:   You make it sound so easy !!!!!

I would like to post pictures................BUT i'm not going there yet. (when I figure out how to,I will post some pictures)

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Cathy, that would be the particle board. I'm not sure if it's the same as MDF, because when I saw it, it was always thinner than 3/8". Maybe that's what's got me confused.

Joanne, it will be easy for you, too. Trust me. I'm the one who has problems doing the simple things when it comes to dollhouses. Dollhouses, drama, and me all go together like cake and ice cream. For instance, when you finish spackling your house, I doubt you'll forget to sand it. I spackled and primed my Arthur TWICE and forgot to sand it both times. There's a very good reason that I'm putting beams in the living room and no ceiling moulding around the walls. Way too much spackle in those corners. And wait till I have to put in the wall plugs. I think I'm going to sell tickets for people to see that one. If I'm going to amuse the masses, I may as well get paid for it! LOL

And if you guys don't believe me, I just found out that after I typed a long PM to Lisa, I forgot to hit SEND. I'd hire a keeper, but nobody wants the job.

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This was my first dollhouse - I purchased it, but it was built and exterior done, and it is more like masonite than MDF. It is harder than anything - I couldn't pound in brads or nails at all. I tried to do electric for the first time ever, disaster since it took major efforts to get a connection with brads or eyelets. 

Mine was shingled and exterior painted, as well as flooring in LR/DR, so I can't answer the assembly instructions, but I'm inclined to agree with Kelly - you can cover rough roof with shingles, ditto with covering floor. 

Here's a link to photos of mine, long since sold. You can see that my wallpaper jobs weren't very professional, it being my very first endeavor. I would use Kilz to prime interior walls before papering, and if necessary use spackle first. I recall those walls being pre-made sections - and while joined, they weren't smooth. 

I also had a challenge as the windows were glued in, and the interior 'frames' caused major headaches with my attempts to wallpaper. Word to the wise - wallpaper before you attach interior frames! Can you imagine me learning to wallpaper, having to pre-calculate and cut for window openings?? Because that's what I think I did....argghh. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hnuttle/albums/72157619178030091/with/3596086819/

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  • 3 weeks later...

I am currently building the Dura Craft Mansion (pictures are on my blog).  I found out that the base was made from particle board, so I am assuming that the 600 is the same.

My advice would be to make your base from another type of wood as the particle board is really susceptible to moisture. (I had the opportunity to buy another Dura Craft house but the base was really crumbly and swollen from sitting in a damp basement.)

The interior walls and roof are made from masonite. It is smooth on one side and rough on the other. On the roof I am using the rough side facing upwards so that it will be covered by the shingles. (I will first undercoat it with Kilz and then paint it with a dark acrylic before adding the shingles)

 

 

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