pumkinpie Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Hi everyone, I'm back, still haven't assembled my dollhouse! I wanted to start by scoring and staining the floors. I have a question, if I use the minwax water base stain for staining my wood floors in my dollhouse, do I have to use a waterbase pre conditioner first? Can I just skip the preconditioner and just go ahead staining with the minwax water base stain? Also wondering should I paint/prime the ceiling side of the floor as soon as I finish staining the floor? Where can I get an awl or scribe for scoring my dollhouse floors, wood a wood etching tool work? Looking forward to your comments and input, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 I stained and scored wood floors in all my houses to date. I didn't use any preconditioner -- just the Minwax water-based stain. First, though, I sanded the floor multiple times to get it really smooth, then scored it first (before staining). You can use an awl, or any sharp-pointed thing -- I don't know what a wood etching tool is, but if it has a sharp enough point, it should work fine. I've even used a hard pencil, the kind drafters and architechs use (you can buy them at any office supply store) -- the lead leaves a line which looks like the dirt that would form in a real floor. So I sanded, then scored (remember to score horizontal lines every 5-6 inches so it looks like planking), then stained, then applied several coats of water-based varnish. I painted the reverse side a white primer coat around the same time I applied the first coat of stain, and later painted it again when I figured out what color I wanted the ceiling to be. :lol: I have made MFD roomboxes, and haven't found any problems with warpage. I sort of painted as I went along, as I determined what color schemes I wanted for the roomboxes, or what wallpaper I was going to use. You could always just apply a primer coat of basic white to everything (except, of course, stuff you're going to stain!), do the construction, and paint later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 A wood etching tool would work or an awl,I would think you should pant after you stain, just use masking tape. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Again, my RGT house has mdf flooring, which won't look like wood even if you stain it. If this is what you have, it's not worth the trouble, just lay hardwood flooring. Some of their smaller houses have printed laminate on the floor that is already scored one direction but needs scored along the length ever so often to make it look like real boards. I did mine with a pencil, and it turned out fine. Be sure to put a coat of poly on these floors, as the laminate is just paper and damages easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumkinpie Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Thanks Sherry, Uppitycats and Corwin for your replies. My dollhouse floors are plywood so I can go with scoring staining those floors. Corwin you mentioned masking tape what do you use it for? Uppitycats, what grade of sandpaper do you use for the floors? How long do you wait for the stain to dry before you flip over and prime the other side? I just thought that painting the parts of the dollhouse might be easier than painting the dollhouse after assembly. But since it's plywood I am also concerned about warping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Indy, use a metal straight edge when you put in your lines. The back edge of a utility knife/box cutter works well in addition to the good suggestions given above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Kathie has almost perfectly described my method. I mark my floors whatever interval I want the board width, I use a steel straightedge and hold my box-cutter style utility knife upside down and use the back of the knifeblade point to scribe the floors, it takes less pressure than the dental pick I used to use. Then I go back and scribe the board ends; I use a 6" interval and a 2" offset. I don't sand first. I sand after the first coat of stain, if I want really smooth floors; if I want a more rustic look I wait until I get the floor the color I want and then I wad up a piece of brown paper bag and rub it down with that. then I might go over it with a spritz of floor wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Thanks Sherry, Uppitycats and Corwin for your replies. My dollhouse floors are plywood so I can go with scoring staining those floors. Corwin you mentioned masking tape what do you use it for? Uppitycats, what grade of sandpaper do you use for the floors? How long do you wait for the stain to dry before you flip over and prime the other side? I just thought that painting the parts of the dollhouse might be easier than painting the dollhouse after assembly. But since it's plywood I am also concerned about warping. You're sanding plywood? I'd start with #60, then #220. Or "medium", then "fine". If you prime everything (except that which you are going to stain), you shouldn't have a problem with warpage. And if you do, a few heavy books in strategic places will flatten it out. And sometimes just putting the walls together will straighten them out. As for drying time, I follow the directions on the can .. in my case, usually around 2 hours, in a well-venilated area. I think you're over-worrying about warpage. Parts may warp...or not....but generally it won't happen immediately, and if you're careful about laying pieces flat (on racks) to dry, and then flat again until you're ready to use them in the construction, you shouldn't really have a problem. Masking tape...or I use blue "painters tape" -- to: 1) tape off areas where you DON'T want paint (or stain) to appear; 2) to "dry fit" -- or put together at least sections of the house before you touch the first bottle of glue, to make sure you know where each piece is going to go (the tape holds the pieces together); 3) to hold together smaller pieces until the glue dries; 4) to hold down stuff -- like a "mini clamp" until you get another piece in it's proper place; 5) to label parts so they don't get "lost"...and probably a dozen other things I can't think of right now! :lol: Corwin was suggesting that you stain the one side, let it dry, tape off the edges, then paint the other side. The tape will ensure..for the most part!..that you don't get paint on the stained surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Now I'm really curious what house you are making! tell, please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Since I tile some of my floors, I mask off that section before I stain and when the stain dries I mask off that part of the floor to prime the unscored section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumkinpie Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Sherry, I'm building a RGT montpelier. Thanks for your advise Holly and Kathie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmesue Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Can't wait to see pics of your build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.