The Pierce- Gives me a headache!

[rockingrammy]

Hello: I am brand new and would like some advice. I have never built a dollhouse and never worked with wood and never painted anything ( except my nails ). I now have a Pierce dollhouse kit and still can't get the picture of how to organize to begin. Do you assemble the house and then add siding and shingles? Do you prepare the wood and paint as you go or try to work ahead? How about quantities of paint to use on the exterior and interior? Is brick paper and stone paper an option for the exterior and interior? I did find a neat tool on the Internet on the Sherwin Williams website that allows one to play with color combinations. Thanks for any suggestions you can give me to get started and stop trying to avoid the bedroom that the Pierce box is in ! LOL. Maggie (in the Colorado Mountains).

[havanaholly]

Welcome, Maggie, I look forward to reading your introduction in the Newcomers' forum. As you read your way around the forum you'll find several posts with suggestions to answer your questions, but I'll give it a try here.

I now have a Pierce dollhouse kit and still can't get the picture of how to organize to begin.

When I get ready to build a kit I open the box and sniff the wood and give it a pet while I take out the acetate window inserts and all the paperwork. I put the acetate sheet into the "Warm-Up" sheet to protect it from getting scratched and I lay it back in the box. Next I read over the instructions, making note of what supplies & tools I have and which ones I might need to get or replace. (Note that many of the instructions recommend hot glue for assembling. I refer you to my "Rehabbing the Laurel" album's "before" pictures. Carpenter's wood glue is an excellent substitute, but many members get good relults with plain ol' tacky glue.) If there's sandpaper I remove that and put it on my sanding block. I look over the schemtics sheet and reread the instructions, locating the parts for the various steps on their places on the schematics sheet. I lay the schematics and instructions back in the box, close the lid and go fix myself a strong drink or eat a piece of dark chocolate and listen for the kit to start "talking" to me, if it hasn't already done so (any more the kits start carping at me ASA I see the picture in the HBS catalog!).

Next time I open the box I remove the Warm-Up sheet (with the acetate sheet) and lay it aside IN PLAIN VIEW. I remove the instructions and the schematics. Looking at the schematics sheet I remove the plywood sheets and arrange them in numerical order in the box; this makes it easier for me to locate a given sheet as I work through the build. I lay the schematics sheet on top of the Warm-Up sheet and reread the instructions.

Do you prepare the wood and paint as you go or try to work ahead?

One of the supply items not listed in most instructions is a couple of rolls of masking tape (especially for a house the size of the Pierce). The first thing I do is to assemble the house without gluing anything, using masking tape to hold it all together in what we call a "dry-fit". This serves several purposes; it allows you to see if you understand the instructions; it coaxes the kit to start "talking" to you; you can better see which rooms you want to serve what functions; if you're going to electrify this is a good tie to begin working on wiring diagrams & layouts; what areas will be impossible to access after it's glued together, so will need to be decorated before final assembling; and any areas you want to change/ bash. Some houses require just going into dry-fit before you're ready to begin buiding in earnest, and others may be tempermental and require being left alone for several days, or longer.

As soon as I see which rooms the house wants to have what function and what sorts of treatments it wants I start doing some prep work. I begin with staining whatever wants staining (you can aint over stain, but you surely cannot do it the other way 'round). One of the ways I make hardwood floors is to turn my utility knife upside down and use the back of the blade and a steel straight edge to scribe floorboards, and a small awl to punch nailholes in the ends of the boards. When I then stain them and wipe off the stain it brings the boards into relief. When I have let the stain dry, sanded, sealed, sanded, stained, etc to the kit's satisfaction I prime the ceiling sides of the floors and the walls with a flat white interior latex paint. At this point you can decorate those impossible-to-reach places. From here on whether you decorate before or after the build is a matter of personal preference; for me it depends on the kit; usually I do a bit of both.

Do you assemble the house and then add siding and shingles?

Unless you're into real pain & frustration.

How about quantities of paint to use on the exterior and interior?

You can usually get a feel for it from priming. I buy quart-size cans of white flat & satin or gloss interior latex paint and I buy acrylic paints in the tubes (and I buy primary colors, browns, black & white) and custom mix my own. It is possible to paint a dh exterior with one 4-oz sample jar of paint from Benjamin Moore, if you do a good priming job, in one coat and have a bit for touch-up.

Is brick paper and stone paper an option for the exterior and interior?

Surely. I prefer to use sandpaper "bricks" and spackling compound for "stone", "stuco", etc; Peggi uses joint compound; Tracy and several others get gorgeous results from paperclay. Do go look at the albums and read & look at the blogs.

[kathi17]

Welcome to the group Margaret! Holly has given you excellent instructions. The most important part is not to be afraid to start. It's only wood, and moldings and spackling can cover up all sorts of mistakes. Just pretty much follow the instructions in order, and don't think about how many steps there are to go. (although you do want to read ahead just to get an idea of what you are doing). And, as Holly said, DON"T use hot glue!!!

You've got a great resource in this group, and any time you have a question, someone here will be able to answer it. Many people here have built this house. Do a search for the pierce, and look at everyone's signatures. If the Pierce is listed, click on their albums and blogs, and you will see how they built it in many of their galleries.

It is a wonderful hobby, and when you start picking out colors, wallpapers, flooring, and all the other stuff, you will be so excited you'll find it difficult to stop building and clean house or cook supper!!!

[Wolfie]

Hello and welcome! I can't think of anything to add to the suggestions given above......good luck! The Pierce is a mighty lady and just beautiful to behold when finished!

Wolfie

[Cricket]

Welcome Margaret! I've got a Pierce waiting for rehab..pics in my gallery that show exactly *why* you don't want to use hot glue! (another piece falls off if you breath on it) I'm considering it in it's "dry fit" stage...just without masking tape. The whole thing will need to be reassembled which is an overwhelming thought. At least you've got instructions! LOL As others have suggested, your dry fit is going to be your best friend.. it'll give you a good idea of what you need to do before you build, while you build, and what can be done after the build is complete.

[christinee]

Welcome to the forum! You'll find plenty of helpful advice and a fun place to hang out and share your new found hobby!

The first thing to do is take a deep breath and think positive thoughts! Try not to think of all the steps at once, though it's hard not to, I was the same way when I started building my first house.

As Holly mentioned, the first thing to do after opening the box and putting the window sheet and warmup sheet in a safe place is to dry fit the house. This will get you comfortable working with the wood and give you an idea of what the finished house will look like.

The next step is to decide how you're going to finish the outside of the house. You can certainly use brick or stone paper to get the brick/stone look for the outside if that's what you want. There are other ways of doing brick/stone looks such as using egg cartons and sandpaper for bricks as Holly mentioned, or buying mini bricks and using spackle as mortar, or getting a Magic Masonry System which is a stencil with a powder you mix to make the brick/stone effect.

It's best to apply the exterior finish after the house is glued together, but before you put the trim, windows, etc., on. As for building the interior, the dry fit will show you the basic layout and let you know what areas will be hard to reach and such.

Quantities of paint to use is very subjective based on how many coats you use and how big your house is. It's probably best to start with a quart of white latex (house paint) for a primer. Whether you paint or wallpaper the inside, it's best to prime the interior walls to seal them in and provide a nice white undercoat for the finished look. Priming the exterior depends on what you're going to do with it. If you're going to use paper or stone, you probably want to prime to avoid the glue from soaking into the wood over time and peeling away. Plus, priming seals in the wood. If you're going to use stone of sorts, then priming may not be necessary.

As you start to work with the house, dry fit it, look at it, prime it, etc., thing will come clearer and you'll know the next step. Before you know it, the house will be "talking" to you, almost telling you how to build it and what color scheme/interior design it wants!

Have fun buildling, and please take LOTS of pictures to post in your gallery once you get enough posts to have a gallery. We LOVE Eye candy!

Christine

[ItzKathyP]

Hi Maggie! So glad to hear there's another newbie who's terrified of the Pierce like me! This is my first dollhouse too and I'm having fits with the staircase, but this forum is so great and this project is so exciting you just MUST venture into that room and start. I can't believe how caught up I am in this project, and whether it turns out to be the greatest or not, it will be my vision and I'm having a ball! I know you will too.

My Aunt lives at 11,000' in Breckenridge and she's 92 years young. She is Martha, and my mother was Margaret. Do you live nearby?

So far working with these fantastic people in this forum, the most important lessons I've learned are: NEVER use hot glue!
ALWAYS dry fit as you go (get a BIG roll of masking tape)
READ those instructions, but always be aware that you can adjust to fit your method of working.
When you're stuck, ASK for help!

[havanaholly]

Kathleen, you catch on quick!!!

[Minis On The Edge]

Welcome to the neighborhood Margaret! First thing I do when I get a kit is read the instructions (Ok that's the second thing, 1st I open the kit and sniff the wood ) I read the instructions and then I look at the schematics. I then get a highlighter and start doing the house step by step and I highlight what I have done (completed) as I build. One thing I do last is the Windows and doors. I always add them last, not first though you can do that if you like. In the Pierce, The windows on the insides on the 2nd floor by the stairs should be installed prior to adding the 3rd floor because it is easier (I had to have Henry do mine)

You can follow along with me building the Pierce by clicking the picture below:

[Deb]

Don't let the size of the Pierce intimidate you. Once you get to know her, she'll become the love of your life! She was the second house I built and she's still my darling. I was new to the craft and more than a little nervous about building a house that size, but I followed the instructions and just let myself relax and have a good time. Take it one step at a time and before you know it, you'll have the house of your dreams.

Deb

[kokkie]

Hi Maggielou!

First of all welcome to the forum.

Secondly congratulations having a Pierce, you will love it to pieces and hold on to her for ever.

It was my first house ever build, it took about 3 weeks, (day and night), because the family decided

that they had to avoid the kitchen for too long, I had no experience what so ever and no computer so no help.

The papering was the hardest part for me, now I would have dryfitted, see which room becomes what, and than paper before gluing it all together, I cannot wait to see pictures, hope you will post them,

[havanaholly]

OK, Maggie, so how's the progress? Have you opened the box yet?