Another BH roof question

[Guyz_Gurl]

Ok, so I played around with trying to darken some copper, but I can't get it to look good (or at least close enough to be passable), so I am going to go ahead and shingle. Started staining the shingles yesterday while I was waiting on the glue to dry on the roof piece.

Now I'm wondering... I looked at the pic on the front of the box, and I see that the rooftop is brown, But I can't tell if it is the trim color brown, or the shingle color brown. What did/will you do with it on yours? I'm thinking stain it?

Also, should I put some kind of sealer on the shingles? Nothing shiny, but worried about humidity over time.

Thanks!

[havanaholly]

Michelle, it doesn't matter! You can paint your shingles, stain 'em, try the salt & vinegar technique or the bleach treatment on the copper, or spray your roof with Fleckstone! Ignore the box picture when it comes to colors for your dhs!

[Peggi]

No sealer if you're going to stain.

[Guyz_Gurl]

OK, I've been trying to figure out how to word this so that it doesn't sound like I'm trying to argue, but I still can't figure it out.

Holly, it's not the shingles I'm wondering about. It's the flat part of the roof all the way at the top of the house, inside the trim. I can't figure out if it should match the trim or the shingles. DH joked (hopefully) that I should make it look like it's covered in bird poop (ok, sounds childish...)

BTW, what does the bleach do and how? Just spray it on? I'm getting scared to try anything else for fear of wasting more precious sheeting. I bought the last two rolls that they had at Michaels and have looked at the HL that just opened last week, but it seems like there's a fair amount of stuff not stocked yet.

Peggi, I was asking about sealing after staining. Still no?

[Peggi]

Maybe after staining--sorry I read the question wrong the first time. I've never sealed my shingles, but I've also not stained them, I used fleckkstone and loved it.

[beccas1963]

Michelle,

I plan on painting my shingles black and that flat roof top was thinking of that black sandpaper or I might just paint it. The black sand paper looks like it would work but then I figured it would grab the dust and be more difficult to clean.

Bec

[havanaholly]

I don't seal my shingles & so far I've only stained them.

the flat part of the roof all the way at the top of the house, inside the trim.

The Coventry Cottage had two flat sections of roof and for those I got some dark grey felt that when I put it down looks just like roofing felt. I suppose if you put a coat or two of sealer on top of the felt it'd look more like the roofing tar, but I was happy with the felt look.

Why get more copper foil? If you're going for the verdigris look, check out Darrell's description of how they did it on their BH, but I think they spritzed it with the bleach. You might also try sprinkling salt from the shaker over it whilst the bleach is wet. Definitely experiment with samples first. You might also try dabbing on ammonia OR vinegar with a cottonball (wear gloves with the ammonia). As a last resort you can alway try a little verdigris craft paint.

[SallyG]

When I did my BH, I believe I stained the shingles...either that or I gave them a coat of sealer...can't quite remember. However, the rooftop I finished with a black sandpaper. It gave a lovely effect. I believe I finished the roof of the porch with it as well.

As to where I got black sandpaper....I can't remember...but it was a fine grit paper...and worked perfectly!!

20 years later, it still looks great!!!

[havanaholly]

You can get the 600-grit black wet-to-dry sandpaper sheets from either boating supply sotres like West Marine, or from auto supply stores like Pep Boys.

[beccas1963]

YOu can also get it at Ace Hardware.

Bec

[KathieB]

On the flat roof of the Charity dollhouse, I painted it black, then sprinkled sand over it. When it dried, I put on a coat of matte-finish sealer (Modge Podge, I think). It looks just like tarpaper & gravel roofing.

[More Minis Dollhouses]

I painted the flat roof of my Beacon a lighter brown color than the trim around it so it stands out. There is no wrong color to use on it. You can paint it any color you want. You can also do as some other people on thread did and make it look textured or of another material.

[aggiemae]

On a real flat Victorian period the roof would have been made of lead sheets. You can replicate these with gray paper. The lead sheets would have been no more the 24" wide but any length.

Seal the correct amount of grey craft paper.

Cut strips the length of the roof + 1" or so and 2"- 2 1/2" wide.

Put a line of glue down one length of each strip of paper then roll it over a length of the smalled square of bass wood or BBQ skewer(s).

When you finish the strips, lap one strip one over the next so that the dowels go in the direction that an actual roof would slope. Though you doll house roof does not an actual flat top roof does slope to shed rain.

If you have (or want) drain holes to go the down spouts make the paper longer and cut it to fit into them. Dry fit, remember to measure the roof first so that your rows of "lead" will all be the same side before you glue it down and non of them land where your down spouts are located.

I recommend spray adhesive. If you use other glues do a test strip to see how it will look when dry. Some bubbles and lumps are OK as a real roof would have them.

You can distress it with any sort of paint using a dry brush technique, again go in the direction that water would be flowing.

Seal with several coats of flat sealer once you are satisfied with the look of the roof.

I hope this is what you wanted to know. I am sure you can find examples of lead roofs on Google Image if I have not explained it in a way you can visualize.