Finishing the Bay Wall
Painting bays is typically easier than siding them, as it simplifies the finishing process and reduces potential issues. However, for this dollhouse, I chose to side the bay while alternating between shingles and siding. Since the one-inch scale shingles would be too large and blend too closely with the dollhouse roof, it's best to use half or quarter scale shingles. Fortunately, I had quarter scale shingles available.
I started by framing the openings for the bedroom and living room with trim, and I painted the foundation. Next, I added back edge trim to the rear of the dollhouse and painted that section as well. For the bay, I installed trim to distinguish the foundation from the bay walls before gluing on the shingles. The quarter scale shingles are made of cardboard, making them easy to wrap around the bay in a continuous strip.
I continued applying shingles until I reached the bottom of the window. I then added trim to separate the shingles from the siding and sided around the window with regular siding. I used hot melt glue for both the siding and shingles, while tacky glue was used for all trim. I sided up to the top of the window, added thin trim again, and continued with the shingles. I was pleased to see that the pattern lined up at both windows, allowing me to start and finish the shingles consistently. This process can be time-consuming, so it's important to take breaks to avoid fatigue. Step back occasionally to ensure your siding lines are straight and that pieces fit snugly at each corner without gaps.
Once finished, use spackle to fill any minor gaps at the corners where siding strips meet. I also added a trim piece at the back of the bay wall to even out the cut ends of both shingles and siding, followed by spackling any gaps. The windows are completed like others by attaching pediments and sills after finishing the walls. Spackle should be applied between window sills and casings to conceal any gaps, as well as at foundation joints.
Keep in mind that dollhouses are not always perfectly square. Window openings may vary slightly in size, which can result in uneven siding appearance. Additionally, since window positions can differ, each may have a different lap width at their tops and bottoms. The widths of siding strips are not always uniform either; even with accurate lap width measurements, slight variations may occur once applied. The same applies to shingle strips. Aim for a generally straight appearance; once the entire bay wall is complete, minor discrepancies in lap widths or slight slants will be less noticeable.
This approach gives the bay a unique and detailed look.
