SolitaryDinosaur Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Hello all, I just purchased and Orchid kit and am excited/terrified to figure out how to build a dollhouse! I'm a married mom with a toddler and was looking for a hobby to have something of my own to feel accomplished about. I've never been a crafty person at all, but I got an ad on Instagram and now here I am 😅 Very excited to find this forum as I think it will be immensely helpful in figuring out how to actually build this! Currently trying to figure out what kind of supplies I even need... wish me luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medieval Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 You are going to have so much fun! Enjoy and welcome to the forum. There is probably thousands of years of combined experience here. And very helpful people. Look forward to seeing what you do with your orchid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Welcome to the little family. There are two building blogs in the "Blogs" section for the Orchid kit. You will find it VERY helpful to use painter's tape (blue) or masking tape (beige) to assemble the kit without glue first (dry fitting), using a utility knife or cheap emery boards to trim the tabs and slots for better fit, if needed. A good carpenter's wood glue (such as Tite Bond with the red cap) works well for the wood parts of the kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolitaryDinosaur Posted July 6, 2023 Author Share Posted July 6, 2023 2 hours ago, havanaholly said: Welcome to the little family. There are two building blogs in the "Blogs" section for the Orchid kit. You will find it VERY helpful to use painter's tape (blue) or masking tape (beige) to assemble the kit without glue first (dry fitting), using a utility knife or cheap emery boards to trim the tabs and slots for better fit, if needed. A good carpenter's wood glue (such as Tite Bond with the red cap) works well for the wood parts of the kit. I've seen this advice on here - so I should ignore the instructions when it says to glue and instead just tape everything together to ensure it all fits well? Would I do this and then paint, glue, etc as the instructions direct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khadi Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 45 minutes ago, SolitaryDinosaur said: I've seen this advice on here - so I should ignore the instructions when it says to glue and instead just tape everything together to ensure it all fits well? Would I do this and then paint, glue, etc as the instructions direct? Welcome. Tape parts together first to make sure they fit correctly, and you have them in the correct place. Once you are sure that all is good, then you can glue. You may want to retape it while the glue is drying to hold it in place. Paint your ceilings and other parts that you wish to paint before you put it together. It will make it easier. (Speaking as someone who always forgets to paint her ceilings before gluing and then has to practically stand on her head to paint.) Some people wallpaper first while others prefer to wait until it is glued together. Personally, I prefer to measure and cut wallpaper before gluing, but not install it until after I glue to ensure that I have some overlap at the corners to hide the seam. I hope this is helpful. As Holly mentioned, there are a lot of great dollhouse blogs to give you ideas and strategies. And, don't worry if you make a few mistakes. We all do. It is a learning process. Best wishes!  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 I also wait to install the windows and doors until after I have painted/ wallpapered the interior walls. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Sea Posted July 10, 2023 Share Posted July 10, 2023 On 7/6/2023 at 2:18 PM, havanaholly said: I also wait to install the windows and doors until after I have painted/ wallpapered the interior walls. I remodeled a house recently and can definitely agree that it is way easier to wallpaper before windows are in! The frames hide any edges. Also I prefer to paper before construction but know others like it after  have fun and welcome! Between here and FB there are literally TONS of helpful resources out there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluestocking Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 You will learn a lot from the folks here for sure, they are very helpful and inspiring! My first build was for my then 7-year-old daughter, who played with it for a few years then decided that she wasn't that interested any more, so it's mine again now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendigo Posted August 8, 2023 Share Posted August 8, 2023 (edited) On 7/5/2023 at 2:42 PM, SolitaryDinosaur said: Hello all, I just purchased and Orchid kit and am excited/terrified to figure out how to build a dollhouse! I'm a married mom with a toddler and was looking for a hobby to have something of my own to feel accomplished about. I've never been a crafty person at all, but I got an ad on Instagram and now here I am 😅 Very excited to find this forum as I think it will be immensely helpful in figuring out how to actually build this! Currently trying to figure out what kind of supplies I even need... wish me luck! I got into the hobby relatively recently, but I have experience with carpentry and woodworking in addition to having a degree in art, so I was able to pick everything up pretty quickly. Here are things I would recommend: A cutting mat (the kind that's green with a grid on it) X-acto knife and replacement blades Small clamps Painter's tape Matte Mod Podge (for applying wallpaper) Fabri Fix Tacky Glue or Fabri Tac Wood fill Sandpaper (fine grit) There are other things that you can find around the house, like rulers, tweezers, painter's tape, and pencils. There are many different ways to prime the wood; I personally like to stain it, but stain is stinky and it takes time to cure, so you may want to use a different primer. I also like to wear powder-free surgical gloves when I'm assembling because it prevents me from getting splinters. Additionally, a lot of house kits don't come with their own siding or shingles. You can buy prefab of both, or you can make them out of chipboard. Best of luck to you. Take it slow and watch lots of tutorials! Edited August 8, 2023 by Wendigo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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