Just One More Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 I just dragged the Newberg back in the house to see if I could possibly make it look good. I had started to shingle and took them off because I didn't like how they were going. Now I have a rough roof that needs to be fixed. There are at least 1/4 inch gaps in the upstairs bedroom floor where it just doesn't meet the wall. The shape of that room with the bay window is very poor design. I thought of making a pattern and putting in a thin wood floor on top of the original floor to hide the gaps but I'd have to do all the other floors to match, plus re-do the roof. I just put together the shell of the Ponderosa, also an Ebay buy. One of the last things to assemble is the porch. Too bad the pieces don't fit and are at least 1/4 inch off. Things looked like they would fit on the dry run. I could go buy more wood, etc., but just don't want to keep putting money in houses that don't have parts that fit from the beginning. Most of the die cut houses have a bit of a problem now and then but 1/4 inch gaps are just too much without power tools. There is too much work already put into these houses or I would just take a sledge hammer to them. It would release so much frustration. I would give them away but who wants a problem house? I will never again get a Duracraft house even if it's only 99 cents on ebay. From now on it's Greenleaf houses I have already done, the Glencroft, Arthur, etc., or spend mega bucks for a RGT Montpelier or one of the Lilliputs. What really makes me feel bad is I have seen my problem houses in the gallery and they look great. Why do these particular houses come out so awful for me. It's not like I'm a novice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovecats Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Bummer about your problems! I have problems as well with Duracraft...my heritage still sits in the basement until i get the courage to do some work on it...right at this moment i'm inspired to work on it, but i know i won't. I didn't have that much trouble with the Ponderosa, but i did have some wall gappage on the right side, I used a ton of masking tape and held it in place with my hands for a little while. All problems can be covered with trim! I know you will do a beautiful job, don't give up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 It's too bad about the gaps. I would make a cardboard template for the floors and cover them with new flooring thereby eliminating the gap on the inside....... Wolfie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokelly Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Aww, I'm sorry about your problems. Duracraft was the first company I built when I started 10 years ago. I've built the Lafayette, the Newport Cape, and the Shenandoah. I have a Linfield waiting in the box. When Duracraft was in business their customer service was excellent. I'd gotten replacement parts for the Shenandoah because of warpage in a few of my logs and there was no questions asked and for free they shipped out the replacement parts plus they sent extra pieces. I was so sad to see them go. However, I have heard quite a few people complain about the Newberg and Heritage, two houses I've never built. Is the Ponderosa the kind that you glue each individual log together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just One More Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 No, the Ponderosa is a really good looking house about the size of the Glencroft but not as intricate in design. It has a porch with the cross hatch section that you put on last. I should have ignored the instructions and put it on with the rest of the floors. The right side of the house is 1/4 inch off for some reason. It doesn't wobble. It just doesn't come down far enough, making the side piece of the porch base not line up right. The roof of the porch doen't fit right if you go with the instruction measurements either so I just have to go with my own. The strip wood (universal trim) in this particular kit is awful and had to be pitched. The Newberg had really nice trim pieces. I guess I can try and make it all fit. I was going to have it be a Christmas house because it has a place in the living room that would be good for the tree in the window. There is no rush I guess. It's just frustrating when you have to spend more money on strip wood and stuff because of poor design instead of fun things to decorate with. I have lots of Greenleaf siding strips. Maybe I could make wide plank floors in the Newberg. At least I won't run out of things to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 My first two kits were the San Franciscan and the Cambridge, both by Dura-Craft, and I also had gaps (although none as big as 1/4") which mostly covered right up with baseboards & wood filler. I have a Newburg in the box, but I expect these issues when I begin to build it. Pat, it's a PIA to have to do all the cosmetic work o cover up basic design flaws, but I'd build another SF or Cambridge in a heartbeat! Especially in preference to rehabbing; I just happened to luck out on the rehab I just fnished, BTW, or it would never have made it into my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just One More Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 When you do start your Newberg watch the left side rooms where they form the bays. That's where the 1/4 inch gaps are in mine. I tried everything, weights, half a roll of masking tape and nothing would close the gaps. I love the overall look of the house. I put the stairs in the middle facing the door and it looks nicer to me that way. The rest of the house is fine. I also left out the flower box type window in the living room and just made the large window flat to the wall. I don't like wall-to-wall carpet in my houses but in this case maybe it would work in the one room. I have wood filler and spackle and usually need to use it somewhere in any house but 1/4 inch is like four inches in a real house, so is very obvious. I've never had a house with that much gap before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just One More Posted October 12, 2007 Author Share Posted October 12, 2007 Actually 1/4 inch is like three inches in a real house not four inches like I said in my last post. Still I wouldn't want three inch gaps between the floor and the walls in my real house. All kinds of things could get in, not to mention winter is coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa R. Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 I have gaps too in my Newberg but now it is stuffed with furniture you can't tell! Lisa R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Wall-to-wall carpet is an excellent cosmetic solution to cover the filler. I'll watch out for that potential PIA when I get the round tuit to build mine. I liked someone's suggestion of using ceiling molding instead of the stripwood to hold the upper floors and hope to scare up some decorative narrow quarter-round to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted October 13, 2007 Share Posted October 13, 2007 Pat, I have not built either one of these houses but i did re-hab my Marquam Hill mansion. There were some wall pieces (bay windows too) that made me swear in frustration. I did the only thing I could do...I took the hammer to it. Some wall pieces would only go in so far..so i would taptaptap them into submission. I had major gappage on the second floor bay window. I followed Holly`s advice and filled it in with spackle. You cant even tell. Every mistake or flaw can be hidden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eveningstargazer Posted October 13, 2007 Share Posted October 13, 2007 I am so sorry about your problem with you house. Total bummer! I have a problem with the roof on my Bayberry Cottage by Duracraft. Part of it just wants to fall into the house. It's been sitting in the dining room waiting patiently. My husband came up with an idea to resolve the problem, and it will work, I just don't want to start it again. It was so frustrating. However, I have not had any problems with other Duracraft houses. Hmmmm----It's probably not square, even though we checked to be sure it was. One day soon---------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just One More Posted October 13, 2007 Author Share Posted October 13, 2007 If the Herme's floor paper was still available I would buy lots of it. It looks like real hardwood floor and it would be just perfect to cover the gap repair in this house. The British floor paper from HBS doesn't look real to me and is too grey/brown in color. I may eventually put the Houseworks oak floor in but I'd have to do three rooms so don't want to spend the money right now. I might try the Greenleaf floor strips. The outside looks nice even with just the painted roof. I can always shingle later. I also want to reinforce the high foundation to make it more stable for the stairs. When a house gives you this much trouble it's not fun anymore so I'll just put it aside for awhile and work on my Willow. I also have a Vermont farmhouse I'm working on. I put a second stairway going in the opposite direction from the first and made a landing area upstairs. I left out the dormer and closed the roof so now have three bedrooms. It's going to be painted Raven's Rage, a color from Ace Hardware that's a deep red. It will be nice for a Christmas house. My daughter is coming to visit today so can help me get pics ready for the gallery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 13, 2007 Share Posted October 13, 2007 I might try the Greenleaf floor strips.I've used them in two houses so far Maggie & Pearl) and I'm SOLD!!! Laying hardwood strips was so frustrating for me, they behaved themselves so well in the San Franciscan that I have been unpleasantly surprised at their total lack of cooperation since. It's why I settled on scribing the "boards" directly into the plywood. I wish this product had been available years ago!The outside looks nice even with just the painted roof. I can always shingle later.I've looked at the picture & I think I'll use sandpaper shingles again on the Newburg. It still hasn't told me how it wants to look or what it wants to be, so that's JMO at this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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