Feedback on constructing an Apartment

[RosieSunshine]

So I am planning on going from my tiny roombox to building something larger in cardboard box. I have this vision of an apartment building which will actually save space and I think will be fun. It will house two familiies of calico critters and have a somewhat small town modern meets vintage vibe. It's a giant leap from a cardboard room box but I feel like pushing myself will force me to learn more. So I wanted some feedback from you lovely people

Here's the plan

1)Using toilet paper in tacky glue mix I am going to reinforce the cardboard in one later. Then possibly cover with newspaper. (Basd on the where the gnomes live method)

2) then I will add cardstock and paint to the outside to create the building exterior

3) using masking tape I am going to try placing the horizontal floors(three levels). With extra reinforcement added to the roof

4)placing the vertical floors to create the shared hall/foyer and two residents

5) placing the windows and doors (which will be for conviemamce and practicality printies and craft wood

6) outlining the roof patio/garden on the roof and adding the half fence around it

7) adding flooring to the building (for time I may use vinyl contact paper or if I feel extra industrious staind coffee stirrers)

8) Painting and wall papering

9)One room will have a messanine so I am unsure whether to add that at this step or the another. The messanine will be held in place with tacky glue, masking tape, and the masking tape covered with painted and cut craft sticks against the walls. It may also be supported by   a painted wooden dowel if I have the tools to cut it by then.

Each apartment will have a staircase in at least one room which I was going to make using foil to outline the shape reinforced by three layers of paper towel dipped in tacky (is this papper maiche??) Then cut card board siding lined with cut craft sticks, and possibly the only working door in the structure to create a pantry.

 

Does this all sounds kind of crazy?

Are any of my ideas bad?

Have you ever built an apartment with multiple units?

What are your tips for working with cardboard?

 

[Sable]

Sounds like a plan. What will the dimensions of the building be? What scale?

[havanaholly]

You might want to consider using dressmaker's steel pins to help hold your glued floors.  Are you planning to use corrugated cardboard or foamcore for the floors?

[RosieSunshine]

1 hour ago, havanaholly said:

You might want to consider using dressmaker's steel pins to help hold your glued floors.  Are you planning to use corrugated cardboard or foamcore for the floors?

I'm somewhat uncertain of what to use, but I'll keep the dress makers pins in mind. It's a better idea than what I've done before, holding a loft floor in place while doing squats! I could try foamcore or something approximately as thick, but I've never worked with it before. Do you think that will be the best plan of action for having strong floors? 

 

1 hour ago, Sable said:

Sounds like a plan. What will the dimensions of the building be? What scale?

The box I'd be deconstructing (or possibly not since it's a brownstone style) is 8.5 inches deep and about 2 feet tall give or take an half inch. The apartments will be in a 1:12 scale to fit my Calico Critters. The idea is taking the sort of whimsical feel of the country calico critters and giving it a bit of a modern flair. So one floor will have the mezzanine and be partially 4 feet high in one place with the mezzanine floor to ceiling being four inches as well.

[Sable]

I’m a little confused. Your ceiling to floor will be 4 inches? That would make it 1:24 or aka 1/2 scale not 1:12. A 1:12 scale ceiling would be 8 to 9 inches tall. 

Foam core is a good idea but first you will have to prime or paint it on both sides so it doesn’t warp. Since tacky glue has water in it the foam core will warp if untreated. Any paper product will warp if not pretreated evenly on both sides.

Foam core comes in 3 foot boards so you might get away with just using 2 boards, maybe 3. I didn’t see the width so I’m not sure exactly.

[KathieB]

8 hours ago, RosieSunshine said:

So I am planning on going from my tiny roombox to building something larger in cardboard box. I have this vision of an apartment building which will actually save space and I think will be fun. It will house two familiies of calico critters and have a somewhat small town modern meets vintage vibe. It's a giant leap from a cardboard room box but I feel like pushing myself will force me to learn more. So I wanted some feedback from you lovely people

Here's the plan

1)Using toilet paper in tacky glue mix I am going to reinforce the cardboard in one later. Then possibly cover with newspaper. (Basd on the where the gnomes live method)

Toilet tissue/thinned tacky glue is one way to make stucco. I'm not sure why you'd want to cover it with newspaper. For added strength? Keep in mind, though, that this is a water based mixture, which will soak into the cardboard and possibly cause it to warp. You may want to consider using foam core board for the structure rather than cardboard. I've build a couple projects using this method. It is quite sturdy and is less likely to sag or warp, as the cardboard will do over time.

2) then I will add cardstock and paint to the outside to create the building exterior

Good idea. This can be added to the foam core board.

3) using masking tape I am going to try placing the horizontal floors(three levels). With extra reinforcement added to the roof

Do not rely on masking tape to hold the structure together. Over time, the stickiness of the tape will dry out and release its hold. Holly's suggestion of using dressmaker pins to reinforce the glued joints is a good one.  And you will want to include some kind of horizontal support to carry the weight of the floors and roof. Dowels, craft sticks, or even paper drinking straws would work.

4)placing the vertical floors to create the shared hall/foyer and two residents

The walls can also be glued and pinned in place

5) placing the windows and doors (which will be for conviemamce and practicality printies and craft wood

Good.

6) outlining the roof patio/garden on the roof and adding the half fence around it

Sounds charming

7) adding flooring to the building (for time I may use vinyl contact paper or if I feel extra industrious staind coffee stirrers)

Either choice would work. You might also consider using cloth for wall-to-wall carpeting on some rooms.

8) Painting and wall papering

You'll have fun with this!

9)One room will have a messanine so I am unsure whether to add that at this step or the another. The messanine will be held in place with tacky glue, masking tape, and the masking tape covered with painted and cut craft sticks against the walls. It may also be supported by   a painted wooden dowel if I have the tools to cut it by then.

Again, please don't rely on masking tape as an integral part of the construction. It's fine for temporarily holding parts in place for a dry fit (to be sure all of the pieces are the right size and fit well together before gluing). You may want to add the mezzanine/balcony to the interior wall before you glue the wall into the house. Easier to work on. Also keep in mind that this room will have to be two stories high in order to accommodate the mezzanine.

Each apartment will have a staircase in at least one room which I was going to make using foil to outline the shape reinforced by three layers of paper towel dipped in tacky (is this papper maiche??)

Are you sure you really need to have staircases? You could always imagine them to be in the invisible part of the building. 

Then cut card board siding lined with cut craft sticks, and possibly the only working door in the structure to create a pantry.

Not sure what you're describing here, either.

Does this all sounds kind of crazy?

Not crazy at all. Sounds like a fun build!

Are any of my ideas bad?

There are no really bad ideas, but some are better than others.  

Have you ever built an apartment with multiple units?

This isn't really different from building a house with several rooms. What you put in the rooms is what defines its use.

What are your tips for working with cardboard?

See above comments. I highly recommend foam core board over cardboard.

FYI, I used Calico Critters in my houseboat, which is 1:24 scale, not 1:12. It has 5" ceilings, equal to 10-foot ceilings in a real building. 

 

 

[Elsbeth]

I used foamboard on a structure, glued and reinforced with dressmaker pins (with more glue) and it worked great. The challenge with foamboard is cutting it cleanly and straight. You need a sharp knife and a good straight edge and some practice if you haven't done it before. Good luck!

[havanaholly]

Another trick with foamcore (or any foam material) is not to try to get it in one ingle stroke of the knife.  I find it works best if I stand so I can hold the knife blade perpendicular to the straight edge and make a first cut, then go back to make any further cuts in the same groove.

[KathieB]

3 minutes ago, havanaholly said:

Another trick with foamcore (or any foam material) is not to try to get it in one ingle stroke of the knife.  I find it works best if I stand so I can hold the knife blade perpendicular to the straight edge and make a first cut, then go back to make any further cuts in the same groove.

Excellent technique. Trying to cut through with one swipe of the knife or razor blade will result in pulling and tearing. A series of smooth, light strokes does the trick.

[RosieSunshine]

17 hours ago, Sable said:

I’m a little confused. Your ceiling to floor will be 4 inches? That would make it 1:24 or aka 1/2 scale not 1:12. A 1:12 scale ceiling would be 8 to 9 inches tall. 

Foam core is a good idea but first you will have to prime or paint it on both sides so it doesn’t warp. Since tacky glue has water in it the foam core will warp if untreated. Any paper product will warp if not pretreated evenly on both sides.

Foam core comes in 3 foot boards so you might get away with just using 2 boards, maybe 3. I didn’t see the width so I’m not sure exactly.

To clarify the scale of everything in the house will be 1:12 figures and furniture. The four inches will be from the floor of a loft space to ceiling and the level floor to the floor of the loft. So each level will be about eight inches long as it is designed now, but then some rooms will be partially divided into four inch spaces for loft (in one case an office space, and the other a kids bedroom space.

And thank you and to everyone else for the tips on the foam board! I've never heard much of this before and I certainly have to keep it in mind as I move forward. Right now I'm thinking I may just build a practice house using the cardboard box with the plan to recreate it in a few months with foam board. First I just need to get the structural elements down. To that end I'm thinking I won't do staircases in version one. The more I think about it the more it sounds like 1) the stairs will take up space I can use, and 2) added weight for the structure that would require more thought/skill than I currently have. 

Also in reference to the masking tape, I just tend to use it while my glue dries then get paranoid about removing it to an unhealthy degree. I will certainly take the advice and only use it for testing out the look and design. 

[havanaholly]

18 hours ago, RosieSunshine said:

...The apartments will be in a 1:12 scale to fit my Calico Critters...

All the Calico Critters I have ever seen are closer to 1:24 scale; I wasn't aware there were any large enough for 1:12.

[RosieSunshine]

On 3/9/2018, 5:23:45, havanaholly said:

All the Calico Critters I have ever seen are closer to 1:24 scale; I wasn't aware there were any large enough for 1:12.

You're right they're about 1:18th but a bit wide. My mistake! I keep thinking their 1:12 for some reason. I think it's because originally I wasn't collecting them but 1:12 dolls until I realized I wasn't finding any 1:12s I like. I did order some 1:12 furniture though which just means it's time to whip out the hand saw and sand paper and glue. I feel like I made this thread nothing but confusion for you poor folks trying to help. Sorry.

[havanaholly]

Not really confusion for us, just hopefully letting you see that you might want to adjust some floor placements and walls to accommodate the smaller scale.  I gave up on 1:12 dolls that I could afford and began to make my own.