Just One More Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Right now I have walls and floors assembled except for the front tower wall which istructions say to leave off for now. No matter how I tried there are some gaps in the kitchen where the walls meet the floor on the right. Also the middle floor is not in as far as it should go which leaves a little gap. The way this house assembles there is no real way to weight it at the point where you glue the "sub assembly" to the first floor and foundation and that's why I think I have the gaps. I'll just have to fill them, I guess. Also do you assemble the entire first floor stairs, stain, etc. and put them in all at once like in the Pierce? The first floor stair area would have to be primed and wallpapered before the stairs go in but the instructions make it sound like you have to assemble them in stages and they MUST be put in at some point, just not sure what point. I know you can't put on the tower wall until the stairs are put in. The instructions are not a lot of help. Can you just paper the kitchen connecting wall and the inside of the tower wall and then put in the stairs? The second floor stairs are much easier in comparison. It's a wonder this house comes out square at all, not being able to use weights. I thought I'd never get the kitchen bay on. When does the fun part start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbytsdy Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 Right now I have walls and floors assembled except for the front tower wall which istructions say to leave off for now. No matter how I tried there are some gaps in the kitchen where the walls meet the floor on the right. Also the middle floor is not in as far as it should go which leaves a little gap. The way this house assembles there is no real way to weight it at the point where you glue the "sub assembly" to the first floor and foundation and that's why I think I have the gaps. I'll just have to fill them, I guess. Also do you assemble the entire first floor stairs, stain, etc. and put them in all at once like in the Pierce? The first floor stair area would have to be primed and wallpapered before the stairs go in but the instructions make it sound like you have to assemble them in stages and they MUST be put in at some point, just not sure what point. I know you can't put on the tower wall until the stairs are put in. The instructions are not a lot of help. Can you just paper the kitchen connecting wall and the inside of the tower wall and then put in the stairs? The second floor stairs are much easier in comparison. It's a wonder this house comes out square at all, not being able to use weights. I thought I'd never get the kitchen bay on. When does the fun part start? Hi Just, check out butterflyex's (Gina's) BH build blog-- I have been following it and it's great for cataloguing the steps and figuring out what needs to get done when... I also had gaps on the right side, with pieces that would not join up... I just kept building on, and of course the gaps manifest themselves in bigger gappage and misfits on up the chain, but I am confident that between wood filler and spackle and trim strategery, I can make it come out OK... The stairs go in all at once, is my understanding... The reason I say it that way is that I bashed the staircase build a wee bit by making my own railing and bannisters. So that took me off the beaten path a bit. But I did prep the whole staircase (as well as wallpapering that relevant bit in the 1st floor foyer) before squeezing it in. I did have some heinous gaps between staircase, walls and floor, but I am panelling the foyer so it'll all get trimmed over at some point... You can check out my blog for some gripping discussion on this and other things... When does the fun part start-- I am in the middle of one of the fun parts, which is sanding and prepping bay window parts! Oh-boy...! :thumbup: But it's the little things-- I got some little window pulls, and am so tickled with how they look in place! (Pics in my blog!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nechee Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 I am building a BH and yes the staircase go in all at once. I wallpapered the wall with the stairs and then put my staircase in. I have lots of gaps everywhere. At the ceilings and at the floors. I read to use wood filler and others have said that the gaps get covered by baseboards and crown moulding. It sounds like it would be easier to use baseboards and crown moulding but that is my opinion. And yes you are right the instructions are not very straightforward. You kinda have to read then re read then ask lots of questions on here. butterflyex's blog is great for the BH because she shows lots of pictures and tells you how she built everything. It has helped my immensely. i don't know how to add links or I would link you to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chattycathy66 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 If you're tapewiring, it's helpful to add a run all the way up the stairwell before you wallpaper and put in the stairs--I didn't do this, but I was still able to add a run up the kitchen wall...but it would have been much easier to add it up the stairway walls... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just One More Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 I've only wired one house in 20 years, It was a home made side opening Victorian and it was great until all the lights shorted out and I couldn't find the problem. Lots of money wasted and I never did it again. I still have the chandeliers so will use them without wiring in the BH. I have the basic shell and interior walls done and the mansard set up. I don't know when they changed this but the pieces you have to bend on the mansard are now veneer on cardboard and it is much, much easier so will get to that next. I'll do the stairs tonight so I can wallpaper that area and get the tower wall on. I have to decide on siding or stucco. If I do the siding I may get the kind from HBS. That goes on with quick grab glue and because it's not so many little strips it looks like the kind that's milled in when it's finished. My Bodo Hennig stove won't fit unless I add on to the kitchen which I may try with the Primrose kit. It may not work but I'll try it now before I do any other exterior finishing. I was really surprized how teeny the top room on the left is but I love the windows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmesue Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Ah the BH! I built him and he fought me every step of the way!! Big honking clamps are your best friends with this house! P.S -do not stick your head in the livingroom to see what's causing the gaps and have someone else push down on the house to force it together!!LOL I got my hair stuck between the floor and the partion this way, in the glue, and my DH laughed so hard, I thought he was gonna have a heart attack. He was holding his heart saying he was in pain, and left me stuck, for at least 10 minutes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Show off! Deb & I have already discovered the hard way that dollhouses make uncomfortable chapeaux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just One More Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 My BH shell is finally all together with only minor gaps. The tiny room on the third floor left is not pushed in far enough but by only 1/16" so it will never show. The interior walls on the third floor don't fit as flush to the floor as I would like but with all the braces for the mansard roof on the other side of those walls they will not move at all, so baseboards will take care of that. The outside wood on my particular house is so good I may just paint it because there are so few joining places that will ever show once all the windows are on and the rest of the trim. I'm painting it a medium taupe with mostly white trim and black cherry accents. The mansard roof panels (veneer over cardboard) are already a reddish brown wood color so they may not need shingling because the grain is so nice. The porch floor will be stained to match the roof. The tower panels will have to be stained to match because they are more of a light brown. These mansard panels are so much easier than any I remember doing (Willowcrest, Lily), etc. Will get some pics in soon. We are having horrible storms here in the midwest. The thunder last night and the flooding rain is the worst I've heard and seen in ten years. No tornados so far but it's a bit unsettling with more storms coming through Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 medium taupe with mostly white trim and black cherry accentsOoo! does that ever sound GORGEOUS! I'm sorry you're having yucky weather! After our brief & stormy Spring we've had Summer since mid-April and NO RAIN, and since 1 June - 30 November is our "official" hurricane season, wishing for rain this time of year is an activity I perform reluctantly, if at all; meanwhile the water evels in all the good paddling venues sink back down... <sigh> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M & A Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I love the look of my beacon Hill dollhouse but I too struggled with its first stages. Hang in there! My first attempt was so bad that I had to pull it all apart as it wasn't square and that made progressing to the next step imposible. So, I used my Dad's big square the second time ( a large metal ruler in the shap of a "L") to make sure I had the first horizontal piece at a 45 degree angle to the bass and had the square resting against the wall till the glue dried to make sure it didn't shift. Things went alot smoother when the main tower wall was squared off. The enjoyment begins when you start to make those interesting windows and all those curved roof pieces. Black electrician tape was my best friend to hold those curved roof parts in till they dried and yes lots of clamps. Monique Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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