stickyfingers Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I'm building the Orchid, and I've installed the flooring before I did anything else. Now it's time to add the walls and get the shell up. I'm planning to sand and prime before I glue anything together, but would you paint, too? I guess my dilemma is that the paint finish would be better if I could do it all laying flat (and I won't botch up my nice floors), but I'm concerned that with the primer and paint, the glue bond won't be as strong. Then I had the thought to make tape strips about 1/4" wide along the gluing seams and mask all of that off before any primer or paint, so I'm just gluing wood to wood. Or is that more trouble than it's worth? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PepperJoAz Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I'm also building an Orchid (bashed with a Primrose). I have been painting and wallpapering as I go. I only have 3 walls glued together at this point, but the bond seems to be very strong, even though there was a bit of paint and/or primer where the joint is. I have avoided having glue on the tabs and have paid attention to where the floors will go, to keep the wall clear there. I have skipped installing the main windows and front door, planning to do that in the last few steps (at the advice of several members here). Good luck with your build, I've been looking at how others are doing the Orchid for comparison to my ideas!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suej Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 After reading numerous posts, and blogs I used wood glue where it was wood to wood, then tacky glue where I had primed. I also used fast grab tacky for the window trims and this was paint to paint. It sure seems like a strong bond. Like Joanne I did the windows and door last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickyfingers Posted April 7, 2015 Author Share Posted April 7, 2015 Thanks so much!! Hopefully I can get the walls sanded and primed today. Yes, I'm saving the windows and door for last, too. I've been fiddling with this kit for months, and while I have a whole notebook full of ideas, swatches, and notes, and a box full of furniture and accessories, I've still got no house!! I did get the stair landing constructed and a first coat of paint on it yesterday. The stairs will be imaginary (no room) but the landing has such classic Gothic style that I had to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 ...to make tape strips about 1/4" wide along the gluing seams and mask all of that off before any primer or paint, so I'm just gluing wood to wood... I also do that round the doors and windows where I'm going to glue framing trim. I don't think any prep time is time wasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalesq Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I mask off glue areas exactly as you describe and it has worked beautifully. I also dry fit, dry fit, dry fit. I think I put Maus Haus into dry fit about a dozen times before ever gluing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickyfingers Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 Yep. I've already done about 3-4 dry fits. Mostly to get the feel of the construction, but also to measure for furniture and such. Oh, and I was all ready to recut the front roof, because the gable just would not fit. I had it upside down... I have progress to report! I did the first rough sanding of the walls, then a thin coat of shellac. Tonight I smoothed out the edges of the windows and door with some putty. Thanks to Otterine for that tip! I did that for the stair landing and the "shoddy wood" actually turned out OK. I am also finding that it's much better for my sanity to replace any small strips of kit wood with pre-cut basswood. It'll add a few dollars to the final cost of the house, but will save me hours of prep trying to get some of those splintery bits of wood presentable. Tomorrow I'll sand again, mask off any gluing areas, and prime with white. I'm planning to paint the whole interior. I had bought some lovely wallpapers, but then discovered that my other house, that *used* to have nice smooth wallpaper, has all wrinkled. This is months after it was installed. Don't know if it was the paste, the paper, or the humidity in my house, but it sure looks bad, now. I just don't want to risk doing all of that work and decorating around it, only to have it ruined later. ...Unless someone has a good suggestion to keep that from happening again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 If you want some pattern on your walls, you could try stenciling a border or even an overall pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 If you want some pattern on your walls, you could try stenciling a border or even an overall pattern. I painted designs on my Fairfields' parlor walls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suej Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Now I'm worried that the glue bond on my window and door trim that I glued on "paint to paint" (used tacky glue) is not going to last. Is that the general opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 No reason for it not to last. It's not like there's any strain on it. Tacky glue doesn't dry up over time and lose its stickiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suej Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 No reason for it not to last. It's not like there's any strain on it. Tacky glue doesn't dry up over time and lost its stickiness. Thanks Kathie! Whew. It's not a valuable house by any means, but I love it and don't want to walk in and see it in pieces. I would cry:-)((( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I've done paint on paint before too and thus far have had no problems. For the main construction I do try to remember to use wood glue and do wood on wood for the primary support edges. But, I'm in a hurry sometimes and things, well, they just happen to happen differently sometimes. I'm not a perfect builder - that's the bottom line. Even with all the info in the universe, life and our experiences are bound to vary from time to time. We need to just shrug it off and move on knowing there are more mistakes to make. (tee hee hee). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 I have used tacky glue on paint to paint bonds. As Kathie says, it's not subject to stresses and strains. For wood to wood with wood glue it just seems like actual bonding takes place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairytoes Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I have a question about windows and painting. In the instructions it says R&P the windows before applying the window acetate. But, I've read somewhere not to paint the surface with the acetate. Do y'all paint that surface as well? I have noticed that you can see the bare wood in some dollhouses when it's all done. What's your preferred way to do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I've not really had a problem with glue and paint. That said, for major construction and/or stress points I do use wood glue on bare wood or wood that has at least been sanded and roughed up. For the window construction, where there is very little stress, you can paint around all the edges a little ways inside to cover what will show but leave a small strip of bare wood in there for the acetate to actually adhere to, thus creating the best of both worlds. You don't need much glue to stick the acetate, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairytoes Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Thanks, Selkie! That's a great idea. I'll give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 When I paint window parts I paint the surface that will face out and the edges, filling them first with spackle if necessary to smooth them, and leaving the back side unpainted to stick the acetate insert to. Since I don't install windows until after the decoration of the rest of the wall is done, I don't have any bare wood showing. 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.