I installed the front door after I sandwiched it together and clamped it over night. I also glued on some of the windows.
Now it's time to assemble two sub assemblies. The dormers and the bay. Both of these assemblies must be assembled and finished completely before installing on the dollhouse. You won't have much room to access them once installed, so work patiently and carefully. Work on both of them at the same time so that while one dries, you are able to work the other one.
Once the dormers were assembled, primed and wallpapered. I was able to install them. Do not add the dormer roofs during the sub assembly. It's just going to make it harder to work with the pieces. The roofs can be put in later. As you can see I wallpapered the dormers with a variation of the pink textured wallpaper. Also you can not install the windows or any window trim until the dormer has been glued to the dollhouse.
The bay is a different story. I completely finished it all around and it's waiting to dry before installation. I left a little over hang on the back side of the flooring, so I can hide the joints between the two floors. Remember that the bay has a ceiling so you have to finish that as well before putting it on the dollhouse. I had to patch the bay wallpaper because I was running out but I made the patches around the windows so with the interior trim they are less noticeable. In fact they are relatively invisible.
Now the roof supports. Get these done before you continue. The roof supports will finalize the squaring of the dollhouse. It will make the gable peaks meet squarely together. The best way to glue these on is by turning the dollhouse on its back side. Then your going to have to push down whatever side of the roof is not square and insert the support so it keeps it square. You can paint them later. After they are installed, clamp the roof tightly to keep them in place. This will have to dry over night because of the pressure.
I then installed the dormer window that’s not over the bay. You're going to need the opening of the one over the bay to clamp the bay, so leave it open for now.
I painted the bay railing and spackled the joints of the roof. I also painted the designs that are on the wall on each top corner of the bay opening. I dry fitted the bay to see what the best position to insert it would be. I also had to make sure that the overhang of the flooring paper would fit right. Once I knew how to do it and where to apply the glue, I put it in place.
Through the interior, I stained the little designs on the top corners and the bottom corners. This bay does not bring trim for the bay opening, so I will have to make it myself. I got some scrap wood from the kit and made the bay opening trim. I also finished putting on all of the baseboard trim to all the rooms.
I got little wooden caps I had and put them on the staircase rail, so they look like post caps. The one in the back also hid that little unpapered white strip over the rail.
I glued on the top window and trim on the tall gable wall.
I trimmed with skewers. I trimmed all the gables and where the roof and wall meet. I also trimmed the ceiling on the first floor. The real tedious and exhausting work is not the build itself, but all of the aesthetics for the dollhouse. Trimming is just something that has to be done if you want everything to look finished and good.
Masking tape and hot glue sticks are the best clamps for trims. They really hold the trim down tightly against the joints.
