Installing a staircase can be challenging, and there are several important factors to consider. First, ensure that the tabs do not penetrate the wallpaper on the opposite side of the wall. Carefully insert them into the slots while holding your finger on the other side to prevent any damage to the wallpaper. When cutting out slots for the tabs, be cautious not to cut through the wallpaper as well. An alternative approach is to wallpaper the back wall last; if you choose this method, remember to sand down the tabs that go through to keep the wallpaper smooth.
Using glue sticks for large areas, like flooring, can be problematic because they may not hold securely until the baseboards are installed. This can cause corners of the floor to lift, requiring you to reapply glue. Therefore, I don’t recommend using glue sticks for adhering wallpaper on larger scale models. While they work well for smaller projects, they are less effective at one-inch scale. Gravity helps with flooring, but you might encounter issues until the dollhouse is fully assembled.
I painted my staircase in two tones to match the flooring. I was fortunate to have paint that matched the dark borders of the floor, so I used it for the steps and banisters, while I chose a lighter color from the floor design for the rails. Although the photos may show a slight difference in hue, they are actually identical. I painted all parts of the staircase before assembling it. I glued on the back floor sections to help square up the dollhouse, which is crucial now that the staircase is drying.
Additionally, I attached the back walls to further ensure that everything is aligned. One of these walls also forms part of the porch. Don’t forget to paint the backs of your back walls. While you don’t need to wallpaper them since they won’t be visible from behind, unfinished wood can be seen through windows. I painted mine a neutral color that matches the ceiling.
This dollhouse has a unique design; it is open on one side instead of at the back. I installed the front roof easily but decided to wait on putting in the back roof until I finish work on the front. The back roof will need staining and time to dry.
After drying, I stained the roof, but found that while this wood finishes nicely, staining can result in a blotchy appearance. The wood absorbs stain unevenly due to its smoothness and lack of grain detail. For now, I’ll leave it as is, but if it doesn’t improve once all components are added, I may repaint it.
I started painting the outside of the dollhouse after sanding down some tabs. I applied two coats of paint; however, since this wood absorbs paint quickly, I plan to fill in any gaps and apply a third coat tomorrow.
I added thin stick baseboard trim in one room and used longer pieces of scrap wood to create trim around walls that separate different wallpaper patterns. I also installed interior trim around both doors.
