honeybunny Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I have gotten the Fairfield dollhouse to build. I'm not sure how much to sand the pieces. I'm afraid I'm sanding too much, trying to get the sides of the pieces totally smooth. Are the sides supposed to be totally smooth, or just sanded down to slightly rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Hi, welcome to the forum! First -- even if the directions tell you this, DON'T use hot glue (when you get to the point of glueing stuff together!). Use almost anything else -- white glue, wood glue, Aleen's glue, ....lots of choices. But the hot glue will only give you problems down the road. Many folks here have found old houses where the hot glue shatters and the house falls apart. But as for sanding -- you sand as much as you want to sand. Some folks don't sand at all, others of us are "compulsive" about it, and sand everything, and sand often. The sanding really is to your cosmetic tastes. If you're going to put wallpaper on the inside walls, then you sand as smooth as you think you need to that the primer (paint) that you'll put on next will fill in any flaws, and the paper will then adhere smoothly. If you're going to put siding on the outside, then you don't need to sand any more than necessary to make the surface "sort of smooth", enough so the primer will adhere, and then you cover up with siding. Or if you're going to just paint the outside...then what pleases you ...very smooth, or a "rough surface" that looks like old building. So probably "slightly rough" is quite enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeybunny Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 I didn't even think about siding top and bottom of the pieces (cannot think of the term), I was just doing the middle of the pieces (where you glue to other pieces). I couldn't understand why they needed to be sanded when you glue them anyway, but figured there was a reason. Makes more sense to sand the pieces that will be accessible after the glueing! Thank you very much. Who knows what I would have ended up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lady Modeller Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 When you are sanding, something to consider is that the wood might take up moisture from the air, paint, stain, or wood conditioner. So even if you sand to a glassy finish, a rainstorm outside and a coat of primer might make the grain raise a little. Sometimes a little roughness allows paint to adhere better between surfaces. So sand until you are happy, and that way you will be closer (if not there already) to a smooth finish just in case the grain shows up a little. Good luck with your hizzouse, Sara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Welcome, Loretta, I hope you'll also post a little bit about yourself in the Newcomers" subforum, too. I have never been able to get the edges perfectly smooth no matter how much I've sanded, so I sand the edges until they're even. Then if I'm going to stain the piece, I stain it and when it's dry I may sand it again & seal it, if I don't think it's smooth enough. If I'm going to paint the piece I take a little spackling compound (AKA polyfilla) on my finger and rub the edge gently with it and when it has all dried I give it one final sanding and prime & paint (or wallpaper) to my heart's content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 My way of figuring out if I've sanded enough is to ask DH. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggiemae Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 After I dry fit I only sand the parts that will not show in the finished piece enough to get them to fit together well, I think the rough wood gives the gule something to bite into. I sand the stuff that shows to the point a point that it might smoothness be a obsession, but be careful to do all the windows so they will be the same side. I count the strokes and apply even pressure on all the parts I am sanding, I only sand in one direction and try to to all of one type of piece, window frames for eaxample at once. I also take care not to round out corners and keep crisp sides on windows and doors. Any tiny holes (non splintery) can be filled with spackle as Holly(our resident spackle espert) has already mentioned. When the spackle is dry I sanded very lightly till smooth. I always sand the door or window on the side of the house (if there is on) first to get the feel of how the wood sands as there is some inconsistancy in the samdability and density of plywood from different batches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I only spackle the edges that will show, not the ones I'm going to glue. And the glued edges I only sand enough to get them level & even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debra Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 With the Beacon Hill I sanded all my pieces that will show to a smooth finish, then filled any small holes with wood filler, then sanded alittle more, I very pleased with the results of my hard work, as the grain shows through nicely with the stain. But I did not sand my Willow at all, so I going for a more rustic look, lol that is my story and I am sticking to it lol... So it is up to you what sort of finish you want for your house. And the amount of work you want to put into it, remember it is sposed to be fun, not something that you MUST do.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeybunny Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 I have to thank everyone for their help...I was just going to glue it together, but after reading the messages decided I better do a dry fit! Smartest thing I ever did! Chimney would have been interesting the first configuration! It has taken me awhile, but finished dry fitting the stairs yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bea Killion Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I had a really hard time with my Willow. The window trim was really in bad shape. It was almost as if the wood was old and brittle. It had so many splits in the grain. I couldn't get it smooth no matter what I tried. In fact the pieces were breaking apart while being sanded. I guess I just got a lemon kit. lol. We just have to do the best we can with what we have and hope for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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