Peggi Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 After taking a month's break from mini's and needing to get my mind off some family illness, I decided to break out my Creekside Cabin and get started on it. My original thought was to lightly sand and stain the wood and varnish over it. But when I got the wood out to start sanding one side is a totally different color than the front and the other side. So I think I will need to paint in order for it to match. A distressed/weathered look I think would work. I've never done anything like that before so I need some advice and instructions. Here is the picture of the front and two sides (before taking them apart) Do you see the stark differences in them? How can I fix this and still have a woodsy look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Wow, that's a major color difference. Ok. You could try would one of the color stains -- dark oak or redwood or maple, whatever color you like, which might cover the difference when it dries. I know the Minwax Polyshades will hide the difference and just show the grain thru (these are really colored poly varnishes), but it leaves a gloss which you might have to sand down -- don't know if they make one with a matte finish. One coat only will not leave a high gloss, but more than one coat and you'll have a glossy surface. Or you might try this: To weather it, you can use color washes -- lighter on the dark pieces, of course -- depending on the color you want, I'd start with burnt sienna and a little tan which will give a maple look. You really have to play with the colors to get just the look you want and use a very thin wash. Real log or "weathered" cabins (we have quite a few around here) age to the color of cinnamon deepening to gray to almost black. The tones are never solid 'cause the wood does not age all at the same rate. Try your wash out first, of course, to make sure it dries to the shade you want. Whatever you do to 'age' your wood, you might try this: To make it look extra weathered, when you're done instead of using varnish, use crackle coat -- it'll give a splendid old look to it. The only thing about crackle is that you must brush it on in only one coat -- more coats and you lose the effect. So you brush in the direction that you want it to weather (usually with the grain but I've been known to go in every direction). It's very subtle over wood colors but very effective in mini 'cause you get those little every-which-way cracks in the finish which give it a "real wood" look. Also dabbing in a bit of really dark green here and there will give you some "moss" which you always have on real cabins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted July 1, 2006 Author Share Posted July 1, 2006 Thank you Charlene, I will try the weather technique. I believe it would come closer to hiding the differences in the wood and match better. The dab of green is a good idea also. I'll let you know how it progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 If it's a cabin. aren't you going to be siding it with "logs" eventually? In that case if you just stain it all a dark color the "logs" (or siding) will cover the stain except for the little bit that may show between rows, and it won't matter about wood color differences. Another idea (Parker's catch-all) is to take a scrap of each piece and see how many coats the lighter color wood might take to match the stained darker wood... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted July 1, 2006 Author Share Posted July 1, 2006 If it's a cabin. aren't you going to be siding it with "logs" eventually? In that case if you just stain it all a dark color the "logs" (or siding) will cover the stain except for the little bit that may show between rows, and it won't matter about wood color differences. Another idea (Parker's catch-all) is to take a scrap of each piece and see how many coats the lighter color wood might take to match the stained darker wood... Actually, Holly, the "logs" are cut into the wood for the front & sides, and the effect is made more so by the way the sides are joined. I did forget to add a picture of what it is suppose to look like, didn't I. I'll try and post one later so you can see what I mean. Ok went to greenleaf home and got a picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 Peggi, those look like the floorboards to me, am I right? If so, the shiny side would be the ceiling, I think. You can lightly sand it and it will take stain. I'll try and get some pix of mine. Let me find the camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I looked at mine. I just allowed the wood to be different and used different colors of stain on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 Peggi, those look like the floorboards to me, am I right? If so, the shiny side would be the ceiling, I think. You can lightly sand it and it will take stain. I'll try and get some pix of mine. Let me find the camera. Thanks for the pictures, but it's not the floor boards it is the outside walls. The floors are actually about the same color but if they weren't I wouldn't worry so much. I'm in the process of punching them out and will post a pic so you can really see the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Huh uh! Can't be. I don't think. The outside walls had the "notches" on them which were the "logs". Those look like floors, or the roof pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted July 2, 2006 Author Share Posted July 2, 2006 Huh uh! Can't be. I don't think. The outside walls had the "notches" on them which were the "logs". Those look like floors, or the roof pieces. That's because I haven't punched them out yet when I took this picture. I tried a new technique with the Coventry and I thought I try with this one and that is to sand the big sheets before punching out any pieces (that's so I can use the big sander) to help cut down on overall sanding time. Plus it gives me a chance to look over each sheet and get familiar with it before I start putting it together, put wood putty in places that may need it. Here's a picture after I punched it out--you will recognize it now as a wall. LOL Another thing I'm trying is to get all the pieces together that go together in a step and bag them together to help move things along (I hope) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Ah ha! Got it. Yes, mine were that way too. I used the lighter color side of the walls for the inside. The darker color for the outside, since I wanted the outside of the house to be darker. I also used different colors of stain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 Also there are different recipes to age wood, I believe "bug juice" involves partially dissoving a plain (non-soap-filled) steel wool pad in vinegar for a couple of weeks. My method, which takes several coats and still "silvers" the wood, is India ink in rubbing alcohol. You could also dilute some raw umber acrylic paint to make a more consistant stain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 How about a tea stain on the lighter pieces to just tint them enough to even the tone to match the others, then you could stain them all. Celestial Seasonings makes a rosehip tea called Red Zinger that is about the color of the darker pieces. It has a reddish tint to it. It might even out the tones enough that it wouldn't be that noticable when you get them all stained. Just a thought. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 Thought I'd give you an update. After playing with different stains on scrap wood and not being able to get any to match--I hit the paint cans. I really don't know what all I mixed up, I'm sure if I had been willing to put on clean clothes and go to town I probably could have found a single color that would have worked. But being in the groove and covered with saw dust, stain, glue and paint I played around with what I had. Remember I haven't been doing this as long as some so I don't have a lot to choose from. But here is a picture of the final outcome. Please be honest and let me know what you think, it can still be changed if it looks totally wrong. This kit has been easy so far, I've really enjoyed it and after only 3 days I would say that I'm probably 75% finished. One day was spent sorting the pieces into steps and several hours were spent playing with paint/stain and just plain muttering about what to do with the colors. You will notice that not only am I unable to draw a straight line, I am unable to paint one to. Cat if you read this my hat is off to you with your wonderful paintings-I have a whole new apprecation of your ability to paint such small scale. My story for this cabin--a hunting cabin and a bunch of drunk redneck deer hunters built it and just slopped on the clay between the logs. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 OMG! Peggi! I LOVE IT!!!! Show me more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallhouset Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Peggy, I love that color, yor are doing a great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 You will notice that not only am I unable to draw a straight line, I am unable to paint one too It's terrific Peggi!! Awesome! And your painting looks great to me. To me it looks like you've captured a real authentic look. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Yes! Way to go, Peggi! I have yet to see any cabin that thie chinking is in a straight line, because the logs themselves usually aren't perfectly straight. Later you may want to simulate the aging, dirt & small growing things that find the chinking so attractive. You'll have a lot of fun decorating your cabin for those drunk redneck deer hunters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Perfect color! Just need some empty Bud cans on the porch (and maybe a deer peeking in the window?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 wow! looking great so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted July 7, 2006 Author Share Posted July 7, 2006 Oh thank you all for such nice comments I got to say I really fretted over the colors and then my inability to keep the paint in the groove, but I also think I'll take the suggestions and add a little moss etc to it to give it a more "used" look. One wall may even sport a vine growing up the side. Still haven't decided what to do about the inside, may just leave its natural color. One sheet has a dark gray streak in the wood. But maybe my "hunters" just got a bargain on the logs and that's how they could afford to have a cabin and not sleep in a tent. :lol: I've started a blog so if you're interested can watch the progress.. http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/b...peggi/index.php? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted August 8, 2006 Author Share Posted August 8, 2006 I've updated my blog. I only lack the porch and top roof and a couple of pieces at the back and then I can start decorating. Here's a pic of my fireplace and a little of my progress. Holly, I used your chamois hinges for my door, and it works great. I couldn't figure anyother way to get the door to open and close. The pin method wouldn't work cause the wood is to deep to get a pin through. Any ideas how to make a [ shaped door handle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 how to make a [ shaped door handle? How about clipping one of those plastic pull-tabs from a juice carton in half & glue it on with super glue gel? (as usual, try it on a sample first to see if it works). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlene Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 Peggi it's looking great! Your fireplace turned out well -- like that a lot. Really must take some pics of local cabins to let you see that you really are getting the right effect on it. Very nice job You can cut & bend a large paperclip to get the door pull you want, takes a little finagling, but works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted August 8, 2006 Share Posted August 8, 2006 Peggi it is looking Wonderful!! Charlene's Paperclip just might work Great. Keep the pictures coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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