Susan's Garfield Victorian Dollhouse........

[mininecessities]

After looking at more of your pics Susan it made me realise, I could pin hinge the doors by making the top pin into the house opening and for the bottom, use a threshold to put the bottom pin? hmmmm maybe ........

[Creamcheese]

Actually the way I did it and how the Houseworks doors seem to be made is.....you first make a frame of the door opening that fits exactly inside the opening. Once that is done then your door, either one you make or the GL door that came with the kit, has to fit inside this door frame. Before you install your door this is when you use your pins. I inserted them from the top door frame and through the top of the door. I used a tiny push pin to make the holes first to make sure my sewing pin would go through easily. Once that is done then I removed the pin so that I could snip it off so it would not be so long. I then inserted the shorter pin using a needle nose pliers and pushed it in so the head of the pin was flush with the frame. Using basswood or pine is much easier because they are soft woods vs. the hard wood of the GL doors. Next you do the pin insertion from the bottom of the door frame and into your door and lining it up with where you put in the top pin. Once the pins are in you can swing the door either way. I then added a small piece of wood on the bottom part of the door frame to stop the door from going in one direction. I guess you wouldn't necessarily have to do that if you don't mind the door swinging in either direction........anyway, that's how I did my handmade doors. What's really nice is once you have painted or stained your door it is ready to be glued in place with no further work on trying to add little door hinges and the pins seem to really be substantial so the doors can be opened and closed without worry that the hinges will break.

Hope this helps a little if you decide to try it. If you look at an actual Houseworks door it will make a lot more sense on how their doors are constructed.

[mininecessities]

Thanks bunches Susan. I appreciate it. Sounds like a more sensible way to install the doors to me. Maybe I will try that and see how it works. Yes it would be so nice to have it all hung and painted then just put it in the doorway!

I just am being lazy, and wondering if I want to make the frames lol. I have a lot of skinny sticks I may try to use those to make the frames. They may be hard wood though huh? I do want to use Houseworks doors n windows again, but I have so many houses I want to do, so not sure which one I want to go to the expense. I did make some of the windows on my first dollhouse. they even opened. You did a great job on yours! It will be fun to watch your progress. I started this house in 2006 but had too many life things get in the way and would go a whole year before working on it again. I am trying to get back to being enthused again and seems to be working. I won't live long enough to make the houses I want if I take that long lol

[havanaholly]

...I am using just what came with the Garfield, for doors etc. I am looking at those tiny hinges I bought...

I decided to make all the doors AND windows in my Glencroft working. I have never had success with those dratted little hinges and so

A lot of folks pin-hinge or use tyvek (sp?) paper that Express Mail envelopes are made of to create hinges...

I use strips of chamois.

...use the Garfield doors that came with the kit you could still add some interesting details to make them more interesting. Just add some basswood trim...any sort of embellishment would work...

Craft sticks, punchouts and stripwood will work very well for panelling and making door casinge in which to pinhinge your doors. You might want to cut your door opening slightly larger, or cut your doors down to fit the frames.

[Creamcheese]

Nice to learn that others dread those tiny hinges and nails!!!!! When I made my door frames I did have to make the doors slightly smaller as Holly mentioned in her note.

[dengel]

I too have been a 'victim' of Greenleaf kit bashing by a miniature shop owner. I was close to listening, but came to my senses on my drive home. I want to build a doll house, not just decorate!

Now I just need buck up and get started onthe actual house.

Susan, I would like to know what windows you upgraded. And, how did you make your smaller doors?

[havanaholly]

Denise, the plywood swells when you paint it, even when you glue the exterior and interior door pieces together, so you need to sand or even trim a wee bit to fit the door in the frame so it will open and close with the sandwiched hinge system we were describing. I wait to paint the edges of the door until it moves easily in the frame in dry fit, and I rarely paint the bottom edge any more.

Please introduce yourself in the Newcomers' Forum.

I am always mystified as to why shop staff poo-poo Greenleaf kits. IMO they make up into the most interesting houses; and once you get bitten by the bashing bug, the sky's the limit!

[Creamcheese]

Hi, Denise.....yes, please introduce yourself to everyone in this forum. It's in the new member intro section and you will be warmly welcomed by all! I ended up replacing ALL the windows and doors in my Garfield and will update you with more details in another note shortly.

Susan