amos Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hello, I would like to install wood flooring and I was wondering what I could use? What thickness of wood? What is the wood called? I went on various miniature sites so I could order some, but nothing comes right out and say for wood floors. I am doing a colonial/shaker decor, and wide planks would be nice, but not necessary. Thank you Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhatter Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 There is lots of wood flooring on the market, you can buy it already on a sheet that is planked and just cut to size and stain, etc. Or you can do it yourself, i used popsicle sticks, but there is also skinny sticks on the mardet. Both available at the craft store and alot cheeper if your doing a lot of wood flooring. Just more time consuming. Some people have also used stir sticks. Here's a pic of my wood floor, Jenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adallae Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I did my first wood floors with the Greenleaf/Corona siding. Nice big planks, worked well for the old, rustic style I was going for. For the victorian I'm working on now, I purchased strips of wood from Dejoux Miniatures- 1/2" wide by 3/64 thick". I'm not sure what type of wood it is (it's listed as 'quality stripwood'), but I really like it. They also have cherry, mahogany, and walnut stripwood if you don't want to bother with staining. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hi Diane, and welcome to the forum! Depending on the hardwood look you're going for, there are a lot of options. The skinny sticks/popsicle sticks/siding strips are a great look. (I'm drooling over Jenn's pics of her popsicle stick floors) If you check the building team blog section of the forum, you'll find how-to's for several of those techniques. Peggi has a skinny stick how-to in the Coventry Cottage blog and I think Tracy (MyMiniShop) has a how-to in the Lily blog using siding strips. I've used the Greenleaf birch floor tiles for flooring with excellent results and have even used bamboo placemats for floors. Most of the time, I just score lines into the house floors and then stain and varnish them. It's not much effort and no extra expense and the floors come out beautiful. The grain in the kit floors is usually gorgeous when it's brought up with stain. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuppa-Tea Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I use Houseworks brand flooring which is thin strips of wood already glued to paper that you just cut to fit, as someone mentioned before. For my colonial house I used the walnut flooring and did not stain it but just put a light coat of poly over it to protect it. It isn't shiny or anything, it just has that grayish-brown color of an unfinished floor. For my Tudor cottage I used the redwood flooring and applied a coat of Colonial Maple Minwax Wood Finish plus some polycrylic. You can see the pics in my gallery. I buy the flooring at the local craft store, A.C. Moore, or from miniatures.com. It costs about $12 a sheet but I think it's worth it for the labor it saves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyJudi Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I use the regular size craft sticks for wood flooring. If you take extra time to sand them in between staining, they look fabulous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos Posted March 5, 2007 Author Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thank you everone for the fabulous replies. I definitely have options . I was starting to use the wide popsicle sticks, but they don't seem to be laying correctly, little gaps, and not always flat, I was afraid that after I glued them they might curl abit. I like the A.C. Moore floor sheet ideas, I don't have one near me, but maybe I can check the internet. Do you think I should try the popsicle sticks and see what happens? I do like the look of Jenns room. I can see I'll be on this site alot.. Thank you guys. Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wenlaine Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hi Diane, if you were considering the wide popsicle sticks, go ahead. Here is a pic of mine that I did in the Jefferson using the wide sticks and it turned out great. If you have gaps in the wood strips, use the sawdust you create from sanding to put into those cracks. Good luck with whichever way you decide and take pictures. popsicle stick flooring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJEP Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 In my first dollhouses I used the sheets that I got at AC Moore, but are available on-line. I have been experimenting with the coffee stirrers. They are more time consuming, but I do like the look. On one of my next houses I'm going to use them for wood siding because it is going to be a modern house. The popsicle sticks can give you a great look and is cheaper. You just need to do it carefully. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhatter Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Hi Diane, if you were considering the wide popsicle sticks, go ahead. Here is a pic of mine that I did in the Jefferson using the wide sticks and it turned out great. If you have gaps in the wood strips, use the sawdust you create from sanding to put into those cracks. Good luck with whichever way you decide and take pictures. popsicle stick flooring Your floor looks great, i love the inserts. I should have used the sawdust but i was not aware at the time. I just used wood putty. If you sand the floor alot, it looks amazing. As for the large popsicle sticks, do you mean the ones like tounge depressers. I used the reg popsicle sticks, for mine. Get a good cutter also, it's alot of work. Jenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I used sticks to do the floor in 'Forestgate Cottage', but other than that I don't have the patience. I purchase premade walnut flooring sheets from HBS (miniatures.com). They have a variety of floors to choose from. I've also recently done parquet flooring from a kit which I purchased from Dollhouses and More. Either of these methods produce fantastic results. I've got pictures of the parquet flooring in my blog. Good luck with your project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmatson Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Wow!!! I had no idea popsicle sticks could look so great on the floor!!! Wenlaine, I saw your picture and it was fabulous!!! Anyhoo. I, personally, am working on my first house. And I am not really what you would call a do-it-yourself type. I guess I am just not nearly talented enough. I prefer to buy it as is. But that's just me. I see pictures of other people's creations that they did and they are breathtaking. But I digress. Personally, I am in love with red oak flooring. I bought some sheets for my Beacon Hill. It comes in an 11x17 sheet. So far I have used it on my porch (there is a picture in my gallery) and I am really happy with the way it turned out. After only a few coats of clear protectant, the color really comes out. Plus, it takes WAY less effort than popsicle sticks (not that I"m knocking that method ) Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos Posted March 6, 2007 Author Share Posted March 6, 2007 Again, thank you everyone, well after looking at Wenlaine's floors, I am going to give it a try. Though my popsicle sticks are the wider ones, like tongue depressers and I don't think they are as thick, but hopefully that wont matter. Is there a special glue I should use? I have reg Elmers glue and Alenes tacky glue on hand. Thank you all, I'll let you know how it turns out. Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blondie Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 This is the flooring I'm using right now: http://www.miniatures.com/hbs/global/Index....asp&P=7022 I am using double-sided carpet tape that the folks here recommended for this process and it's working really well. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wenlaine Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Diane, I would suggest if you do the flooring that you make your template out of card stock first, so it fits perfectly in your room and you have the freedom to work out of the dollhouse instead of in it. You can add the paper anywhere you need and just attach it with masking tape. I use Aileen's Tacky Glue and sand and sand many times and also sand between layers of polyurethane as well. If you take your time, you can have really gorgeous floors. Here is a pic of the floors that I had made for my Orchid before they were installed in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Welcome to the forum, Diane. I usually scribe my floors but I have also used the GL siding strips (using them in the Magnolia I'm working on at present, in fact), for which I used rubber cement, spreading it evenly on the floor and then on each strip and when I pressed the strip into place I went over it with the back of an old teaspoon to burnish it. If you have access to a belt sander it'll go a LONG way toward evening out those craftsticks' sides (I use a sanding block). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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