Dollhouse Flooring Guide

There is a wide range of flooring options for your dollhouse, each presenting its own challenges. Here are some important tips for applying popular flooring types.

• Always apply flooring after assembling the dollhouse. This allows you to accommodate the room's unique shapes and ensure a proper fit. If you cover the floors before assembly, some slots may become inaccessible, resulting in an ill-fitting structure. Additionally, avoid gluing walls to covered floors, as the added thickness can prevent a tight fit necessary for successful assembly.
• If you're staining the original dollhouse floors, do this before wallpapering. However, if you're adding a floor covering, wait until after you've wallpapered to avoid damaging either the flooring or wallpaper.
• Modify all interior doors if you plan to hinge them, as the new floor height will require adjustments.

Floor Preparation

The quality of your floor covering depends on the original floors. Sand them down to make them as smooth as possible for an even application. It's also a good idea to paint the original floors a color that matches your chosen floor covering to ensure consistency.

Flooring Vs Trim

One of the biggest challenges with dollhouse flooring is managing color differences between the flooring and trim elements like stairs, windows, and doors. Stains may not fully mask these variations. Dollhouse parts are made from different types of wood, each with distinct hues and grains. This can lead to noticeable differences between your flooring and trim. While these variations can create an authentic look, they may not appeal to everyone.

Inspect your kit upon arrival to see if you’re comfortable with these potential differences. You can easily spot hue and grain variations before staining, allowing you to make informed decisions. If you prefer a more uniform appearance, consider painting your trim and staircases instead of staining them.

This issue is not limited to tab-and-slot dollhouses; it also affects cabinet-grade or MDF (medium density fiberboard) dollhouses. If your dollhouse combines both materials — like MDF floors with plywood trim — staining may be impossible, making a floor covering necessary.

Making A Floor Template

Templates can help you apply various flooring types, especially carpet, fabric, or polystyrene plastic sheets. You can create templates using any paper; printer paper works well since it’s readily available and affordable. Avoid using paper that could transfer ink, such as printed newspapers.

To make a template, place the paper in the room and crease it along the walls to capture its shape. For rooms with complex layouts, you may need to join strips of paper with masking tape to achieve the correct shape.

 

After transferring your floor impression to paper, you can use it to cut out your flooring cover.

If your dollhouse is small and has only one room per floor, you can trace the flooring onto paper before assembling the dollhouse. This will save you time later by avoiding the need to crease paper around the walls. 

Keep in mind that your template may not fit perfectly, as walls can sometimes extend over the edges of the floors. Once your dollhouse is complete, adjust the size of your paper template by fitting it into the finished room and trimming any excess.

Baseboards and Trim

No floor is complete without baseboard trim. You can choose from a variety of miniature baseboards for your dollhouse or opt for more affordable alternatives. Tab-and-slot dollhouses have unique measurements that can make selecting and applying trim challenging. Their interiors often have many angles, so if you plan to use real miniature baseboards, you should be familiar with making miter cuts. You can find tutorials for making miter cuts for baseboards that apply to both life-sized houses and miniature dollhouses:

• Ruler Guide
• Molding Angle Chart and Calculator
• Corner Miter Cuts Tutorial

Due to the true-to-scale designs of tab-and-slot dollhouses, real miniature molding in one-inch scale may appear large compared to your dollhouse, especially in smaller cottages. You might consider using half-scale moldings instead.

In addition to real miniature baseboards, you can find suitable trim in the woodcraft section of your local craft store. There, you'll discover easy-to-cut strips of wood in various widths and lengths, usually costing less than a dollar each. One strip can often trim up to three rooms. For a more decorative look, you can also find ornate wood strips in the framing department. For simple baseboards, wooden skewers work well, and fabric ribbons can be painted to create flooring trim that matches fabric floors.

Clamping Baseboards

Clamping trim while the glue dries can be tricky. An effective method is to use hot melt glue sticks along with masking tape. Simply place the glue stick against the trim and hold it in place by taping it to the floor with masking tape.

The above suggestions also apply to crown molding.

If your floors are made of paper, carpet, or fabric and you want to avoid using masking tape, consider using long glue sticks. You can insert these glue sticks between the trim and the opposite wall, or between the floor trim and the ceiling, to hold stubborn trim down toward the floors. These glue sticks can be cut to fit narrow hallways and tight spaces. They are flexible and smooth, so they won't damage wallpaper but are still strong enough to serve as effective clamps. Additionally, they are reusable, eliminating the need to purchase more for future projects.

Flooring Options

Staining the Dollhouse's Original Floors

Staining is a cost-effective finish for dollhouse flooring and is often the first choice for beginners. It offers great versatility in terms of application and product selection. 

When it comes to staining your dollhouse's wood floors, you can choose between real wood stain and faux stain. Both options work well on wood and yield similar results.

Real wood stain is available in a variety of colors and may come pre-mixed with polyurethane or in water-based formulas. It is sold in different containers, including cans, sprays, and pens. Regardless of the type or container, all real wood stains perform similarly on wood. You can find real wood stain at local hardware stores, with a limited selection available at craft stores.

 

 

Real wood stain has an oily texture that can interfere with glue adhesion.

It's important to note that stain must penetrate the wood to show its color; it does not cover mistakes like paint does. Areas of wood floors that have been sealed or have glue on them will not stain evenly. 

Additionally, wood glue does not dry clear, making it visible under or over the stain.

Faux stain offers the benefit of being fume-free and can be used in areas without ventilation. It also allows for greater color flexibility since you can use any acrylic craft paint to create a stain. While faux stain is more forgiving with glue, it's still essential to sand off any glue or paint drips from the areas you want to stain.

To create faux stain, simply dilute your chosen acrylic craft paint with gel stain mediums, acrylic varnish, or plain water. I have found that acrylic varnish works best out of the three options, all of which are available at local craft stores. However, gel stain mediums can be pricey and may cause streaking, making it challenging to achieve a smooth finish.

 

Acrylic varnish has the ideal consistency for diluting craft paint and applies evenly to floors. I recommend using a gloss interior varnish, as it adds extra shine and is water-soluble for easy cleanup.

While water is easy to find and can dilute paint, I do not recommend using it because it dulls the color and adds unwanted moisture to wood.

For making a faux stain, acrylic craft paint is the best choice. It is thick and mixes well, while latex paints are too watery, making it difficult to achieve a vibrant stain color. It's also a good idea to check with the manufacturer to see if their paints can be turned into stains using acrylic mediums, as I haven't tried this myself.

Leftover faux stain can be stored in a sealed disposable container for future use.

Sealing the Floors

Both real wood stain and faux stain need to be sealed after application for a smooth, shiny finish. Light sanding between coats is essential for maximum shine. Real wood stain is typically sealed with polyurethane, while faux stain can be sealed with acrylic gloss varnish. You can also opt for a matte or satin finish if you prefer.

 

Acrylic gloss varnish, like polyurethane, is clear and adds shine to your floors. If you used varnish for your faux stain, you must apply two coats of varnish after the stain has dried. Always let the varnish dry completely between coats; otherwise, it may develop a white film that cannot be removed.

Applying Stain To Floors

A foam brush is typically recommended for applying stain. While this works well for real wood stain, you can use a regular bristled brush for faux stain if you prefer. 

Apply the stain evenly across the flooring without overlapping. Avoid applying fresh stain over dried stain or in separate sections. For the best results, finish staining what you start.

Challenges

Now that you know about the materials for staining and sealing, it's time to consider what you want to stain. Usually, this refers to the original wood floors of your dollhouse, but these floors can present challenges. One of the main challenges is the grain of the flooring. This issue is significant enough to warrant further discussion.

Many novice dollhouse builders may mistakenly blame the quality of their kits or their own skills when, in reality, it stems from a lack of knowledge. The grain in a dollhouse's original floors can run in different directions between rooms or floors, and there may be varying hues as well. When you apply stain to these different hues, you will achieve different color outcomes, even if you use the same color stain throughout your dollhouse. These potential problems are clearly visible on the floor of the Garfield Dollhouse.

Different hues on the first floor of the Garfield Dollhouse

Although the same stain was applied to the entire floor, one side appears much darker than the other. These two areas will eventually be separated into different rooms once the dollhouse is assembled, but you should consider this difference in color in case it doesn't match your desired look for the dollhouse. 

 

It's rare to find a dollhouse with floors that stain evenly across rooms. For example, the wood in the Lily Dollhouse, Westville Dollhouse, and Coventry Cottage Dollhouse shows a more uniform stain.

 

Uniform hue of the Lily Dollhouse

Uniform light hue of the Westville Dollhouse

Uniform dark hue of the Coventry Cottage Dollhouse

The staircases and interior trim of all three dollhouses are stained to match the flooring and each other perfectly. However, don't expect your dollhouse kit to have the same luck. Like I mentioned above about trim, most tab-and-slot dollhouse kits are made from various reclaimed wood sheets, each with different grains and colors. 

 

It's important to note that tab-and-slot dollhouses aren't the only ones that can have staining issues with their original floors; even cabinet-grade dollhouses can face similar problems.

 

Strawberry Patch Dollhouse with prominent wood grain

The Strawberry Patch Dollhouse features stained floors with noticeable grain detail, including on the staircase. Some people might prefer less visible grain for a smoother appearance.

Staining the floors of your dollhouse won't conceal inconsistencies in the wood, such as the dark pattern along the right side of the attic floor in the Emerson Row Dollhouse.

Emerson Row Dollhouse with dark streak in attic floor

Not all dollhouse floors can be stained. Some may have water or burn marks that are too noticeable to leave as they are.

Tabs and Slots In Floors

Stained dollhouse floors will reveal exposed tabs and slots that need sanding, filling with wood filler, and then re-staining. The only wood filler that stains well is Minwax Stainable Wood Filler. Even with careful work, the tabs and slots will never be completely hidden, so you will need to decide if you can accept their visibility.

Considering all of this, it’s important to inspect your dollhouse floors when your kit arrives. This will help you determine whether they are suitable for staining or if you would be better off using a floor cover.

Floor Coverings

Real wood floor covers are the most popular choice among dollhouse builders. These covers consist of thin sheets of real wood veneer cut to resemble planks, which can be applied over your dollhouse's existing floors. The veneer is thin enough to cut easily with scissors and is laminated to a special paper backing for easy gluing. 

You can use tacky glue or double-sided carpet tape to attach this flooring. It is available in scales that match your dollhouse, and often comes pre-stained, allowing you to simply choose the color you want.

 

Real wood sheet in oak

 

Real wood sheet in walnut

The simplest way to install this flooring is to create a paper template of the area you want to cover, then cut the flooring sheet to fit. 

Wood-look flooring doesn't have to be made from actual wood; you can achieve the same appearance with affordable vinyl. Vinyl wood flooring comes in 12-inch strips, sized perfectly for your dollhouse. You can peel and stick the planks to your dollhouse floors, staggering them for a realistic effect. The flooring can be easily cut with scissors. This vinyl flooring is perfect for tab-and-slot dollhouses and is exclusively made and sold by Greenleaf Dollhouses.

 

Vinyl wood flooring in oak

 

Vinyl wood flooring in walnut

 

I applied this flooring to the Aster Cottage Dollhouse. It's a good idea to first paint the dollhouse floors a color similar to your floor coverings. This helps conceal any gaps around the cuts and between the planks. Even though it's a peel-and-stick floor, you should always use tacky glue to secure each plank for a longer-lasting hold.

 

Stagger the joints of your planks for a more realistic look. Place the planks as close together as possible, starting from the back of the dollhouse and moving toward the front wall. You can also use these flooring strips as matching baseboards.

This flooring has a beautiful and realistic finish and does not need a sealant. If you notice sticky areas on the surface, you can remove them with mineral oil or Goo Gone by following the instructions on the label. Goo Gone is safe for this vinyl flooring, but be careful not to let it touch your wallpaper or trim. For more precise application, use a cotton ball and apply it sparingly, as a little goes a long way. You can also rub off the residue with an eraser.

You don’t have to stick with a plain wooden floor look. Miniature wooden flooring can be used in various ways. You can learn to create your own designs by following a parquet flooring tutorial. Once you master parquet, you can apply the same technique to create any wooden flooring design. Quilt patterns are excellent templates for designing wood floors or making floor medallions. Mosaic patterns and stone patterns also serve as great guides for customizing your floors.

Carpet and Fabric Floors

Carpeting comes in many textures and colors, but it is generally more challenging to install than other flooring options. Miniature carpet can be expensive and easily damaged if cut incorrectly, as it usually comes in one sheet per package, large enough for just one room.

To cut your carpet accurately, first make a paper template of your room’s floor. Place the template face down on the back of the carpet sheet and trace it with a fabric pencil. Then, use sharp scissors to cut out the shape. Since carpet does not patch well, ensure that your piece is large enough to cover the entire floor. 

Depending on the type of carpet backing you choose, you can attach it to the floor using double-sided carpet tape, spray adhesive, or a thin layer of tacky glue. Be cautious not to use too much glue; if it seeps through or reacts with the carpet dye, it could ruin the material permanently.

 

You don't need to use miniature carpet on your floors to achieve a carpet look. Many affordable fabrics at craft or fabric stores can give you that appearance. Simply create a template of your room to trace onto the fabric, just as you would with actual carpet.

Before applying fabric with spray adhesive, double-sided carpet tape, or thin tacky glue, it's important to check the color fastness, just like with carpet. Always test a small piece of fabric first. Glue this test piece to a scrap of wood and let it dry overnight to ensure there are no delays in how the fabric reacts to the adhesive.

Choosing your own fabric allows you to create matching runners or carpets for your staircases. You won't need to worry about frayed edges, as baseboards will cover them. To prevent fraying at the back edge of the floor, apply a bit of tacky glue or fabric glue along the cut edge of the fabric.

You can find many products at craft stores suitable for dollhouse carpeting, such as peel-and-stick felt and textured scrapbook paper.

Tile Floors

For tile floors, individual tiles can provide the realism you want for your dollhouse. They also let you design unique patterns like mosaics or murals. Tiles are available in solid colors or patterns and can be made from materials like ceramic, vinyl, plastic, or wood.

 

Ceramic tiles

 

You can use tacky glue to stick ceramic tiles to your floors.

Peel-and-stick vinyl tiles

Peel-and-stick glass-look tiles

Vinyl and plastic tiles typically have a paper backing that allows for easy peeling and sticking. However, it's best to use tacky glue to ensure they stay in place for a longer time. 

 

Plastic peel-and-stick tiles often resemble real glass tiles, making them ideal for backsplashes, bathrooms, or adding architectural details to your dollhouse.

 

Wood tiles

Wood tiles are versatile and can be stained or painted to fit any decor. Made from thin layers of real wood veneer, they feature a variety of grains and colors. You can leave the tiles natural with just a sealant for a stunning effect. These wood tiles are exclusively produced and sold by Greenleaf Dollhouses. 

 

I used them to create terra-cotta "tile" floors in the Spanish-style Loganberry Dollhouse and a rustic handmade ceramic "tile" look for the Mediterranean-inspired Haunted House Dollhouse.

 

Terra-cotta style tiles in the Loganberry Dollhouse

Ceramic-look tile in the Haunted House Dollhouse

Always sand your wood tiles after applying them to ensure they lie flat on the floor. 

The best adhesive for wood tiles is hot melt glue, as it prevents warping and keeps your pattern intact while drying. You can create mosaic wood designs by making paper templates of your floors and applying the wooden tiles to them.

For tile application, a Standard Flooring Guide is commonly used, which is provided by Greenleaf Dollhouses. Although designed for their peel-and-stick vinyl floors, this guide is suitable for any type of tile flooring.

For grout, lightweight spackling compound can be used with any tile. You can mix it with craft paint to achieve your desired grout color. However, be cautious when using a painted mixture with wooden tiles, as it may cause staining. It’s advisable to seal the wooden tiles before applying painted grout.

Plastic Flooring Sheets

Many flooring styles come in polystyrene plastic sheets that mimic brick, stone, and various tile patterns. Some sheets are clear, allowing you to paint them on the underside in any color you choose. When flipped over, they reveal beautifully painted, shiny tiles.

 

Plastic flooring sheet

These plastic flooring sheets are affordable and easy to install, eliminating the hassle of arranging small tiles. You can easily cut them with scissors.

To apply the sheets, start by sanding your floors to ensure they are smooth. Any bumps or hard spots from glue or paint drips will show through the plastic. The sheets can also be easily damaged if something pokes them, so it's important for them to lay completely flat without any bulges. 

Once your floors are smooth, paint them a neutral, light color. This will help prevent dark areas of raw wood from showing through the sheet. Although the sheets are plastic, they are thin, and any unevenness in the floor's color will be visible. Even if your tile sheet is dark, using a light base is essential because your grout lines will likely be white, and you don’t want to darken them by placing the flooring over a dark surface.

 

Once your floor is prepared, create a paper template and transfer it onto your plastic sheet. This will help ensure that the sheet is even across the entire room.

You can attach these sheets using double-sided carpet tape or tacky glue. No sealant is needed for this flooring, as it already has all the shine it requires.

It's best not to patch this flooring, as it won't blend well. Instead, always cut a piece large enough to cover the entire room of your dollhouse.

Paper Flooring

Paper is one of the most versatile and affordable flooring options for dollhouse. It can be printed to resemble wood, tile, stone, or any design you can imagine, including historical patterns. Additionally, it comes in various scales to fit your specific dollhouse size.

 

Paper flooring in a tile pattern

Paper flooring in a herringbone pattern

 

Paper flooring in a parquet pattern

 

You can purchase miniature flooring paper from a miniatures dealer, or you can print your own. Alternatively, you might find real-life scale wallpaper or contact shelf paper in suitable patterns.

Applying flooring paper is similar to using wallpaper. Ensure that any overlapping seams are hidden from view. You don’t need to create paper templates for your floors; you can use the flooring paper itself and fold it along the walls to shape it. It’s best to paint your floors first with a light, neutral color to create an even base and enhance the colors of the flooring paper.

Miniature flooring paper from dealers is typically high-quality and thick, with patterns printed at the correct scale. You can apply it using spray adhesive or a thin layer of tacky glue. While wallpaper adhesive works, thinner adhesives are preferable since wallpaper paste can be too thick. Be cautious with the amount of glue you use and how you apply it. Excess glue can cause wrinkles or tears due to moisture. Use a foam brush to spread a thin, even layer of glue across the entire floor before placing the paper. Avoid quick-grabbing glues, as they don’t allow enough time for adjustments after laying down the paper.

Depending on the thickness of the paper, you might notice some buckling or bubbling, but this typically flattens out as the glue dries. Check if your flooring paper is colorfast. Most miniature flooring papers are good quality and colorfast, but some may not be. If the paper isn’t colorfast, moisture from the glue could alter its color.

When printing flooring from your home printer, be aware that it may suffer from ink loss and streaking, and it might not be colorfast. Details like wood grain or small floral patterns may also be lost in the print. Additionally, printing at home may not be cost-effective; high-quality prints require a lot of ink, which can be expensive. For example, printing enough flooring for my Vineyard Cottage Dollhouse used up all my color ink.

Vineyard Cottage Dollhouse patterned flooring paper

If you find a beautiful flooring design online that you want, save it as a PDF and take it to your local office supply store to print. They will provide high-quality paper and a sharp image for just a few cents per sheet.

Alternative Options

You can use contact paper or wallpaper with a semi-solid pattern to create a marble effect. Contact paper is peel-and-stick, but it's best to make templates of your room and transfer them onto the contact paper. To ensure a stronger bond, consider applying tacky glue to your floor before sticking down the contact paper. 

Since contact paper is thinner than it used to be, make sure your floor is smooth; otherwise, imperfections will show through. You can also apply the contact paper to poster board first and then use it for your flooring.

I used marble-look contact paper for the Gloucester Dollhouse.

 

Gloucester Dollhouse with marble-look contact paper flooring

In some cases, it may be easier to apply the flooring paper before assembling the dollhouse, especially for smaller models with limited visibility and accessibility after assembly. The flooring paper is thin enough not to hinder the assembly process. For example, I applied tile flooring paper to the Fairfield Dollhouse before putting it together.

Fairfield Dollhouse first floor with Victorian flooring paper

Sealing Flooring Paper

 

Always seal your paper flooring after it has dried. I recommend using acrylic gloss varnish, but you can also choose a satin or matte finish varnish based on your desired look.

Before applying the sealant, test it on a small area, preferably a scrap of paper away from your dollhouse. This will help you check if the paper is colorfast. Using a sealant on non-colorfast paper can cause streaking or lift the ink, and it may change the color hue. 

When applying varnish, avoid brushing too long in one spot; move quickly to prevent tearing the paper with the moisture. Do not sand between varnish coats on paper flooring, as this can damage the paper. Instead, use a paper bag to gently rub the dry varnish before applying a second coat. You can spray seal your flooring paper before application, but be careful to only seal the printed side; sealing the glue side will prevent proper adhesion.

Painted Floors

Many people overlook painted floors, but there are many creative possibilities with paint or pencil. You can create your own tile flooring using masking tape and paint.

Start by painting your entire floor in a base color. Once dry, draw a grid with a pencil and use masking tape to cover the lines you don’t want to paint over. After the paint dries, remove the masking tape to reveal a checkerboard tile pattern. Finish with gloss varnish for a shiny appearance.

 

You can use paint to achieve a faux marble or stone appearance. Additionally, you can stain your floors and outline plank boards with a pencil. Fingernail files serve as an excellent template for the plank widths. For added texture, use a sharp utility knife to score the planks. Staggering the joints of the boards will enhance the realism.

Painting should be completed before assembling the dollhouse to allow easy access to the entire floor.

Stone Veneer and Brick Floors

Stone veneers are made from high-density casting plaster. They can be cut with a craft knife and attached using mortar mix. Available in various styles, they provide a realistic appearance and are ideal for porches and driveways.

 

Flagstone veneer

 

Mortar mix

Miniature clay bricks, made of real clay and adhered with mortar mix, would create a perfect rustic kitchen floor. They are sold as individuals or attached to a mesh sheet. Dollhouse stucco can also be used as mortar.

 

Individual bricks

 

Brick sheet

You can seal your stones or bricks with varnish, and I recommend using a matte finish. 

Stenciled Flooring

For adding details to your floors, stencils can create visual interest. I used temporary tattoos to design a unique floor for the Buttercup Cottage Dollhouse.

 

Buttercup Cottage flooring stenciled with temporary tattoos

Apply gloss varnish over your stencil designs to secure them. You can print wood inlays from your computer and glue them to the center of your floors for an attractive focal point. I chose to do this for the Orchid Dollhouse.

Orchid Dollhouse with printed floor medallions

 

Stencils and printed decorations for flooring should be applied before assembling your dollhouse. Be mindful of how the walls will fit on your finished dollhouse to ensure your floor decorations are positioned correctly.

You don't have to stick to traditional flooring materials. Get creative and explore different options. Craft sticks, skinny sticks and birch veneer siding offer various ways to finish your floor. Use craft sticks and skinny sticks as wood planks to create your own hardwood flooring. Birch veneer siding can be cut into different shapes for wooden inlays. Corkboard is also a unique choice for flooring. 

Don't overlook Creative Paperclay. This modeling clay can be stamped with various stone or brick designs and adheres well to wood. You can use the backside of a polystyrene plastic sheet with a stone or brick pattern to stamp the clay, achieving perfectly scaled designs.