Finishing attics with slanted walls and dormers can be quite challenging. It’s best to complete all finishing work before assembly, especially when using wallpaper with stripes or geometric designs that must align in one direction. Applying this wallpaper after the walls are up would be very difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, it’s advisable to wallpaper the slanted and angled walls before installation. This attic is large, so three sheets of wallpaper will not be sufficient. You will need at least six sheets to cover it completely. Unfortunately, I only had three sheets, and since I purchased the wallpaper in a bundle, I cannot get more of this pattern.
In such situations, you have a few options - you can paint the attic, stain it and add beams for a traditional look, divide it into smaller rooms, or use a combination of wallpaper and paint. Another option is to take the wallpaper sheets you have to a local office supply store and have them printed as copies. The colors may vary slightly, but you can use those on the side walls while reserving the original sheets for the front. I chose to use both paint and wallpaper. The standard approach is to wallpaper all the walls facing you and paint the side walls.
I also decided to wallpaper the dormer. I started by priming all surfaces and then installed the front triangle walls. The roof structure is tricky because it has minimal support for the third floor. The main support comes from the front walls, so it's important to let them dry completely before proceeding. Use clamps to keep them straight while drying to prevent tipping over. Remember to wallpaper these walls after they dry and before adding the side walls.
I painted and glued on the roof brackets. It’s efficient to paint them on wax paper; just lay them down, paint one side and the edges, let them dry, then flip them over for painting on the other side. Once glued onto the dollhouse and dried, you can touch them up as needed.
I used spackle on the roof edges to fill any gaps and then repainted the overhang and roof trim for a polished finish before attaching the brackets. I followed the box photo for spacing and quantity of brackets. Using a pencil to mark spacing makes it easier to glue the brackets accurately along those guidelines.
