Today, I prepared the floors for staining in the dollhouse. Finishing materials are a significant part of the cost, so doing as much work as possible yourself can save money. The cardboard box can be repurposed to create extra parts, a landscaping base, or even a turntable. It can also serve as a table protector while you paint or wallpaper. The leftover sheet scraps are useful for additional trim, spacers, and architectural details, helping to minimize waste.
For this dollhouse, I drew and scored wood planks directly on the original kit floors. Using a sharp utility knife and an appropriately sized spacer makes this easier. I used a leftover Greenleaf Vinyl Floor plank from the Aster Cottage Dollhouse, which is true to scale at 5/16" wide and 12" long. Always work with the grain of the wood to avoid splintering and creating a rough surface. Sometimes the grain direction varies between floors, which is normal and not a concern; even real houses often have different plank orientations in various rooms.
Start at the nearest corner of the floor and draw your lines with a pencil, applying just enough pressure to make them visible. Since the 12" plank template may be shorter than your floor, you will need to do one side first and then connect it to the other side. If your lines are straight, the joints will be nearly invisible. Once you've drawn the plank lines, use the utility knife to score along them. Score lightly; you only need to cut the surface without going too deep, as this could weaken the floor. The scoring should be felt rather than seen, which is why drawing the lines first is important. After scoring, lightly sand with the grain to remove any splinters — be gentle to avoid erasing your pencil marks.
Next, measure out 12" planks and create staggered joints according to your desired look. Traditionally, plank joints are staggered, which is what I aimed for in this dollhouse. Stain and varnish your floors as soon as possible because the pencil lines may rub off during handling. I used a light stain color.
While using your dollhouse's own floors is cost-effective, it can present challenges since everyone has different preferences for finishes. Consider these factors when working with dollhouse floors:
- The floor's hue may clash with your chosen stain; some floors have red undertones that affect stain appearance.
- Different hues and grains may exist between floors; for example, the first floor might have a red hue while the second is more yellow.
- Grain direction can vary across different floors and even within rooms.
- Watermarks or stains from the wood itself may become visible after staining.
Keep in mind that each dollhouse kit's wood sheets are stamped from various types of wood, leading to hue differences. The direction in which these sheets are fed into the stamper can also affect grain patterns. This variability can add unique character to your dollhouse's wooden floors, but if this look doesn't suit your vision, carefully assess your options before deciding whether to use or cover them up.
