Scribing planks into floors

[MaryKate]

I haven't tried the technique of scribing "planks" into kit floors before, but I'd like to do it with the Farmette because I'm going for the low-cost option wherever possible...but I still want it to look professional and as realistic as possible.

Everything I've read says that most back-open dhs have the flooring run the long way--across the house from side to side rather than from front to back. However, with this kit, which has 1/2" plywood with a lovely, and pronounced, grain, if I did that, I would be inscribing the lines for the planks crosswise against the grain, because the grain runs front to back on all three floors.

Going against the grain like that (ha) doesn't seem right...it would look all wrong, wouldn't it? But how odd would it be to have the flooring run back to front on all 3 floors, or to do it that way in the attic and change it up with some kind of installed flooring on the other floors? It's a stone house, so I could always do a stone flooring on the first floor. I do like the look of wood, and this is particularly nice, so I don't want to cover it up or paint it if I can avoid it.

Thoughts? Voices of experience?

[KathieB]

Nobody is going to notice which way the floor boards are running once you get some rugs and furniture in the rooms. Go with the grain, whichever way it runs. If you cut across the grain, you're not going to like it.

And never mind what most people say about anything ... it's your house and you can do as you darn please.

[rbytsdy]

What Kathy said. I had read somewhere years ago, when looking into this question, that the floorboards should run perpendicular to the plane of the main entrance into the room; I tried to go by that for a while, but then I started focusing more on what would end up looking better for that room. I have never tried the scoring method but it sounds like cutting across the grain might not turn out very well.

[MaryKate]

Thank you both!

"And never mind what most people say about anything ... it's your house and you can do as you darn please."

Kathie, I'm going to needlepoint that on a pillow* or something so I don't forget. ;)

(Not that I know how to needlepoint! It'll more likely end up on a post it in my project binder.)

Edited July 19, 2013 by MaryKate

[amyole]

In my RL house, the planks run from front to back starting at the front door.

[havanaholly]

I was going to add that in housebuilding the floors are laid across the joists, so whichever direction you scribe your floors, it's because the joists were laid at right angles to them; and in a dollhouse, who's to see? And you are in a fair way to hurt yourself if you try to scribe across the grain, rather than with it.

[MaryKate]

Amy, good to know, thanks! & Holly, that is an excellent point. If there's a way to injure myself, I'll find it.

Edited July 19, 2013 by MaryKate

[KathieB]

"And never mind what most people say about anything ... it's your house and you can do as you darn please."

Kathie, I'm going to needlepoint that on a pillow* or something so I don't forget. ;)

(Not that I know how to needlepoint! It'll more likely end up on a post it in my project binder.)

My mother had a plate hanging in the kitchen that said "This is my house and I do as I darn please." It now hangs in my kitchen. It applies to both real life and mini houses, eh? :thumb:

[More Minis Dollhouses]

Yes, what Kathie said because you will notice most dollhouses original floors have grains running in different directions through the rooms.