Pocket-sizeMcMansion Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I've been having a ball bashing away on my 1st dollhouse and a few days ago, my mind started to contemplate having 10-11 ft ceilings on the 1st floor. Has anyone done this? Any pitfalls I should be aware of before I start cutting? My plan is to cut below the windows and insert a 3 inch section then gluing the cut piece onto the new piece to retain the tabs that fit the floor. I successfully glued two scrap pieces of wood together, clamped and cured over a couple of days and the bond was tight so I think it is possible. This house is an adult's house-children will not be playing with it. I know the front door will be taller but that is easily repaired with shim wood and I'm planning on building a custom door anyway. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otterine Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I have done this with both height and adding depth. You can get a good bond with just wood glue, but if you're doubtful at all you can add pins. I've done this a few times where I didn't think the glue bond would be enough over time. http://www.otterine.com/blog/blog1.php/stable-gables Interior and exterior finishes can help stabilize the joins as well. And, plugging holes with scrap wood is easy as you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I raised the ceiling on my Arthur. All I did was cut new openings for the tabs, then cut pieces of wood to fill in the old tab holes. In this pic you can see the old tab holes on either side of the windows. The top of the door covers the third. Right above the door and on each side are the new tab holes. You can see the new tab holes better here and if you look carefully, you can see the indentation of the old tab holes right below them. I got smart at this point and didn't punch them out this time. You can also see the dividing wall is an inch shorter than the ceiling now that the ceiling is raised (yes, both interior walls are crooked here since I hadn't glued them in yet). I had enough room on the second floor, so raising that floor an inch was no problem and makes the house look 100% better. One thing I should tell you is that if you are going to leave any pieces of wood in the house - not punched out, that is - before you cut across them, make sure you lay a line of glue over the punch lines so the pieces won't fall out while you're cutting across them. Actually, it might be wise to glue over any piece that's not being punched out. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Kelly, you may have to make us tutorial for that stairway! It's so much less intrusive than the one that comes with the Arthur. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 10 hours ago, rodentraiser said: I raised the ceiling on my Arthur. All I did was cut new openings for the tabs, then cut pieces of wood to fill in the old tab holes. In this pic you can see the old tab holes on either side of the windows. The top of the door covers the third. Right above the door and on each side are the new tab holes. You can see the new tab holes better here and if you look carefully, you can see the indentation of the old tab holes right below them. I got smart at this point and didn't punch them out this time. You can also see the dividing wall is an inch shorter than the ceiling now that the ceiling is raised (yes, both interior walls are crooked here since I hadn't glued them in yet). I had enough room on the second floor, so raising that floor an inch was no problem and makes the house look 100% better. One thing I should tell you is that if you are going to leave any pieces of wood in the house - not punched out, that is - before you cut across them, make sure you lay a line of glue over the punch lines so the pieces won't fall out while you're cutting across them. Actually, it might be wise to glue over any piece that's not being punched out. Whoa - that is a great looking bash! I love the stairs! And your windows!! Wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Um, guys, guys. Thank you, but please, I can't take credit for either the stairs or the windows. Holly, the stairs are Willowcrest stairs put together backwards. They don't look nearly as nice now because I took all that railing and trim off. As a matter of fact, I raised the ceiling to fit the stairs. And Jenn, the windows are just plain old Houseworks windows I had lying around. I did modify a couple of them for the Willowcrest, but they found their way into the Arthur. How does that happen, anyway? Ditto for the door and that doesn't open. I was thinking of getting a new door, but so far I keep thinking it would be a waste of money since I already have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocket-sizeMcMansion Posted May 23, 2017 Author Share Posted May 23, 2017 Thank you Everyone. It's nice to know that others have successfully raised the ceilings. I have been very worried that since the cut will be on all the walls of the shell, it could weaken the structure and cause failure down the road and I don't want that. Otterine - I hadn't thought about using pins. I think I'll do that just to be on the safe side. I planned that the interior Mi-Tienes "wallppaper" and the planned exterior siding would reinforce my cut and also completely cover and hide them. Rodentraiser/Elsbeth - I didn't even think of moving the tabs! - It won't work for what I'm trying to do with this house as it would take away height on the second or third floor but I'll remember for a future house. I am changing the windows on the both ends of the house so I didn't punch them out and added glue before filling with putty before I sealed the panel and it is strong and near invisible. Then I decided to add a bay window off the kitchen where I had already punched out the door and a window (it's a big bay window), so I glued the pieces back in and filled with putty. (I didn't need to do the window-the bay window is bigger-but hey practice!) but I'll be cutting down the through the door so I did take my time and don't think I'll have a problem. Now I can have soaring ceilings with floor to ceiling windows the height of the house, the green glass tiles I fell in love with even if they are a tad hick and kitchen cabinets with the little overhang like full size ones have instead of sitting right on the floor. *skips off to go fire up the table saw* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Ohhh - I want pictures now! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Mel, you can also fill your splice cut lines with glue & putty to reinforce your walls, and perhaps an architecturally pleasing trim glued over it as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I added wall height when I did the Houseboat. Had to, to accommodate the two-story ballroom. Doesn't every houseboat have one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocket-sizeMcMansion Posted May 28, 2017 Author Share Posted May 28, 2017 (edited) Amazing work on The Lily Pad Kathie. I'm in awe. I have so many plans for my dh (1st) so I haven't even glued my first pieces together yet. Dry fit, measure, glue pieces back in, mark new windows, dry fit again. Which brings me to an *UPDATE* on my wall raising idea, Tonight I was making my final measurements for raising the 1st floor ceilings and deciding whether to have 10 or 11 foot ceilings and was it going to look out of proportion if the 2nd floor (bedrooms and office) continued to have 8 foot ceilings. It was okay but I liked 10 ft on the 1st floor, 9 ft on the 2nd floor even better. I have always been bothered that my upstairs attic area (the artist's studio) has very little clearance for the easel and other furnishings so I contemplated the attic area and hey! why not add 2 inches there too???? So, I could make 1 cut-add 5 inches, adjust each window/door cutout plus all the floor tabs/slots OR I could make 3 cuts and patches, one on each floor level OR get a sheet of ply and using the walls as templates-cut new walls 5 inches longer......(this option will also leave me with EXTRA walls to use in another bash hehe). But now I'm stuck until Tuesday until I can get the plywood. Edited May 28, 2017 by Pocket-sizeMcMansion spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 10 hours ago, Pocket-sizeMcMansion said: Tonight I was making my final measurements ,,, You may think that "final" is your choice, but all this thinking isn't really you, you know. The house is telling you what it wants ... and look at you, grabbing your car keys and heading out the door on Tuesday, already a loyal enabler without a wall in place. There's no looking back now, Mel. You are under its control. Welcome to the club. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beulah Posted May 28, 2017 Share Posted May 28, 2017 Geez I never even thought to raise the roof. Yes I too like the doors and windows. I put Houseworks door and windows on my Orchid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocket-sizeMcMansion Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 (edited) 13 hours ago, KathieB said: You may think that "final" is your choice, but all this thinking isn't really you, you know. The house is telling you what it wants ... and look at you, grabbing your car keys and heading out the door on Tuesday, already a loyal enabler without a wall in place. There's no looking back now, Mel. You are under its control. Welcome to the club. ........I am a little obsessed.....House! - House! House! It has taken over my brain! I'm always thinking, planning, sketching, making little notes and questions to myself. I drive around looking at houses, spend hours looking at home interiors... My house must be dead set on what the kitchen will look like...I can see it in my mind and weeks ago-I found a photo online that is almost exactly what "I" imagined! House wants tall skinny windows running up the sides of the chimney the full height of the house and just recently suggested that a french door would also look nice on the same wall and that it would lead out to the patio and be visible through the windows. The patio area is circular. So is there any cure? Will I need an exorcism? I stopped in tonight to check for pointers on using a peel and stick tile cut into bricks for the foundation that I can work on tonight and tomorrow while I wait for the lumber yard to open on Tuesday. I've fiddled with a couch design/sketch earlier but the design must be the "wrong" one - getting nowhere with it. Tile/bricks it is. . Edited May 29, 2017 by Pocket-sizeMcMansion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 6 hours ago, Pocket-sizeMcMansion said: ........I am a little obsessed.....So is there any cure? Will I need an exorcism?... No, why ask here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 You have fallen into a den of enablers ... no hope for a cure here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.