If your dollhouse kit does not include siding, you can purchase birch veneer siding strips or pre-milled siding sheets in different sizes and lap widths from your miniatures vendor. (The lap width refers to the amount of overlap between each siding strip.)
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| Birch Veneer Siding Strips |
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| Pre-milled Siding Sheet |
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| Lap Width |
Siding a dollhouse can be challenging and time-consuming, but it significantly impacts the overall appearance. Poorly applied siding can detract from the beauty of the finished product, so careful planning is essential.
Choosing Your Method
There are two main methods for siding a dollhouse:
- Application Before Components - Install windows, doors, and moldings after applying the siding.
- Application After Components - Install windows, doors, and moldings before applying the siding.
Read through both options and choose the one that suits you best.
Important Considerations
Do not apply siding to unassembled walls. Doing so can lead to several issues, including:
- Siding may prevent walls and floors from fitting flush.
- It cannot be applied where walls overlap, hindering proper assembly.
- Siding will cover slots for tabs, making assembly messy.
- It can be unclear which wall sides will face outward or inward, potentially resulting in an sided interior wall.
- Tab and slot designs may result in uneven wall heights after assembly, causing misaligned siding.
For these reasons, always apply siding only to a fully assembled dollhouse shell.
Application Before Components
Preparation
To apply siding before adding components, first assemble the basic shell of the dollhouse, including all bays. Do not install windows, doors, or trim at this stage. Leaving the roof off is also advisable, especially for gabled designs. The basic shell consists of just the floors and walls.
While you can paint siding before installation, it’s often easier to paint it afterward when there are no components in the way. Painting before installation may cause warping. You may lightly sand the edges of the siding before application, but this can complicate the process and increase the risk of splitting. It’s usually simpler to sand exposed edges after applying the siding. A fingernail file or sandpaper wrapped around scrap wood can help you smooth rough edges; work slowly to avoid damage.
Use scissors instead of a craft knife to cut siding strips, as birch veneer is brittle and prone to cracking.
Glue Selection
Choose a high-quality glue since all windows, doors, and moldings will be attached over your siding. I recommend Aleene’s Quick Grab Tacky Glue for this task. Be aware that water-based glues like Aleene’s may slightly warp your siding. You’ll need to clamp it in sections with tape while drying; once dry, it should lay flat again. Non-water-based glues are available but may have fumes; use them in well-ventilated areas.
Application Process
Once your dollhouse shell is assembled and dry, you can begin applying siding. There’s no need to prime or paint the exterior walls beforehand.
Tip - If your kit includes birch veneer siding strips on a sheet, roll each sheet back and forth along its perforations to loosen the strips without splitting or breaking them.
Start at the bottom of the wall with your first strip, ensuring it doesn’t touch the foundation. This first strip should align with the bottom of bay walls; anything below is considered foundation. After placing the first strip, decide on a lap width for continuing up the wall.
The lap width is your choice. Some prefer wide siding, while others like it narrow, depending on the dollhouse style. For example, narrow siding suits a Victorian style, whereas wider siding works better for a farmhouse.
Decide on the lap width you want and create a template. Use this template to draw pencil lines up the wall. These lines will guide you as you apply each strip of siding.
Tip - Assorted fingernail files can serve as excellent templates for drawing siding lines, especially if you want varying lap widths. Craft stores also offer strip wood in different widths. I used a 1/4" lap width for the Willowcrest and Beacon Hill Dollhouses, and a 1/2" lap width for the Westville and Lily Dollhouses.
Make sure your lines are straight to avoid crooked siding. Step back occasionally to get a wider view of your dollhouse; this helps you spot any uneven lines.
Rely on your eye rather than strict measurements to determine if your lines are straight. Dollhouse components like roof trim and window openings may not be perfectly square, so what looks straight mathematically might not appear straight visually. Trust your judgment on what looks right.
Work your way up the wall by overlapping each top strip over the bottom strip, using your pencil lines as guides. Cut siding pieces around windows and doors; the edges don’t need to be perfect since they will be covered by trim. The same applies to corners, which will also be concealed with corner trim.
The edges you want to keep neat and flush are around the bays and roof peaks. Since there is no trim in these areas, be careful when cutting the siding. Dry fit the siding strip to see where it needs to be cut, then mark it with a pencil for a perfect fit.
Remember to cut the siding around any slots for porches or roof trims. Cut closely, but perfection isn't necessary, as the components that fit into these slots will cover any uneven edges.
Use masking tape to keep the siding in place while it dries. Binder clips can hold the siding flat around door and window openings.
When the wall is longer than the siding piece, you need to place siding pieces side by side to achieve the required length. Ensure that the joints where the pieces meet are staggered along the wall, rather than aligned in a straight line. Staggering these joints helps distribute the visual focus across the wall and prevents a single, noticeable vertical line.
Tip - Use masking tape on the butted siding joints. This allows both pieces to warp equally and remain even and flush once they dry. Without masking tape, one piece might warp more than the other, making the joint more visible.
If you are using water-based glue, do not worry about warping. Siding will warp, but you can clamp it to prevent shifting. Once the glue dries, the siding will return to its flat state. You do not need heavy books or weights; binder clamps and masking tape are sufficient to keep the lines from shifting.
After completing the wall, let the siding dry completely. If necessary, sand the edges and then paint. The paint will not cause warping since the dry glue holds the siding firmly to the wall.
Once you paint the siding in your chosen wall color for the dollhouse, paint all the window trim and attach it to the window openings. Use binder clips to keep the trim flat against the siding.
There is some debate about whether applying siding first will affect the fit of the windows and doors. However, from my experience, you don’t need to worry. Your windows and doors will fit even with siding underneath. I have sided several dollhouses this way, each with different styles of windows, and I’ve never had issues installing them. If there’s a gap between your exterior window trim and the wall due to the siding, you can fill it with lightweight spackling compound, then sand and paint it.
Once the windows are installed, attach the shutters and corner trim. The corner trim covers the cut edges of the siding at the wall corners. You can also finish installing the porch and balconies.
This method allows you to avoid cutting siding around complex architectural details, resulting in a more professional and finished appearance.
Application After Components
Preparation
To apply siding after adding components, first assemble the basic shell of the dollhouse, including all bays. Paint the walls, preferably in the same color as the planned siding to minimize the visibility of any gaps. Install all finished components, including windows, doors, porches, balconies, trim, and moldings.
Paint all siding before installation for the best results. Painting the siding beforehand simplifies the process and produces better results than painting after installation, especially around small architectural details. If the siding comes in sheets, paint the entire sheet before separating the strips. Use weights to prevent warping while drying. For individual strips, paint both sides and dry on wax or parchment paper.
Glue Selection
Use hot melt glue on the high setting for application. No clamping is necessary as this glue does not warp the siding strips and dries instantly. Hot melt glue is fine to use as siding isn't structural.
Application Process
To start, decide on the lap width for the siding and create a template. Use this template to draw straight pencil lines up the wall. Begin applying the siding at the bottom and work your way up, overlapping each top strip over the one below it. Ensure that your lines are straight and even.
When you reach a component, you will need to cut the siding around it. For more precise cuts, use a sharp craft knife instead of scissors, as the cuts will not be straight. Work carefully to achieve clean cuts and reduce the risk of splitting the siding. Install shutters after all the siding is in place.
Use lightweight spackling compound for any touch-ups. A Q-Tip can help you apply spackle to small areas.
There are no clear advantages to installing siding this way. Some people prefer it for a more authentic look for the dollhouse. Ultimately, neither method is right or wrong; it depends on personal preference and comfort with the work involved.
Siding and Double Hung Windows
Some dollhouses feature double hung windows that cannot be installed over siding; they must be installed first. The Lily Dollhouse is an example of a sided dollhouse with double hung windows.
I recommend installing the windows and window trim first, then cutting the siding around them. This should be straightforward since the cuts are straight, and the casings of double-hung windows are always square.
Wait to install sills, bottom trim, and pediments until after siding is complete to avoid cutting around them.
Siding Fan Patterns
This advanced technique is challenging and best suited for experienced builders. I was inspired to recreate this design after seeing it on Jenny's Willowcrest Dollhouse blog. Creating a fan siding design requires uninterrupted work until completion. If the glue dries before the design is perfected, you'll need to start over.
Avoid precise measurements; instead, rely on visual alignment. Exact measurements may result in an uneven appearance due to the imprecise nature of dollhouse components.
Complete all surrounding components before starting the siding. Dry fit these pieces frequently to ensure proper siding placement. Begin by siding the dollhouse normally, then gradually fan out the siding as you approach the barrel roof's top circle. Work on both sides simultaneously to ensure even meeting points. Maintain consistent lap widths while fanning each siding strip outwards.
Using tacky glue allows you to adjust the design multiple times for a perfect fit, unlike hot melt glue which sets quickly.
Place the dollhouse on a table at eye level. This helps you ensure that the siding is evenly fanned on both sides. After adding or adjusting each siding piece, step back to check the overall appearance. Viewing from a distance helps you spot defects that may not be visible up close.
Make sure the siding fits under all components without showing through architectural details, such as holes in the curved trim or the attic window. This requires frequent dry fitting of components so you can adjust or cut the siding as needed before the glue dries. Therefore, it's best to fully assemble and finish these components before starting on the siding.
The middle siding piece should be applied last, covering both fanned sides to join them together. After the glue has dried, you can paint the siding.
Finally, you can place the components on top of the siding.
You will need to use spackling compound to fill the gaps between the window trim and wall because there are multiple layers of siding underneath.
Keep In Mind
Some dollhouse kits do not include siding or corner trim. This means that the rough edges of your cut siding will be visible at the corners. You can purchase L-shaped corner trim from a miniatures dealer to cover these edges, or you can make your own by gluing two pieces of strip wood together in an L shape.
Your dollhouse kit might not include corner trim for walls that meet at an inside corner. While you can make your own corner trim from wood, it's not recommended, as it can negatively affect the dollhouse's appearance. Some areas are better off without trim, and added trim may not align well with the existing trim. Instead, use spackle in inside corners. Apply it with a wet, flat paintbrush to avoid lumps along the siding lines. Always position your siding as closely as possible at inside corners to minimize gaps.
Keep in mind that tab and slot dollhouses may not be perfectly square or level. You might find that despite your efforts to align siding lines, some walls don't match in height, leading to inconsistencies in appearance. Don't worry too much about these minor issues; as long as the overall look of the dollhouse is good, small imperfections will go unnoticed. Remember, these are handmade structures, not machine-made ones.
Troubleshooting
Laying Flat
Birch veneer siding is thin and can be affected by moisture and heat, making it difficult to lay completely flat once installed. Even with hot melt glue for a flatter outcome, slight variations will still occur. These small lifts are most noticeable on wide walls with few components and contribute to a realistic finish.
Warping
Some users report severe warping of birch veneer siding that persists even after drying. High humidity can cause this issue. To fix it, use a hair dryer on each strip while holding it flat until it cools. This process is tedious but necessary if you want to avoid removing all the siding and starting over.
To prevent warping, avoid siding your dollhouse in damp places like basements or garages. Instead, work indoors if you live in humid areas. Use high-quality paint with good coverage and allow glue and paint to dry properly between coats. Running a fan in your workspace can help reduce humidity and speed up drying.
Rough Edges
Birch veneer siding may have rough or uneven edges due to its nature. You can discard any strips that are too uneven or lightly sand rough edges with a fingernail file once installed and dry.
Pre-milled Siding Considerations
You generally cannot use pre-milled siding on tab-and-slot dollhouses because they have many architectural details that require precise fitting. The correct choice for these dollhouses is birch veneer siding strips.
Sanding Pre-milled MDF Siding
For cabinet-grade dollhouses with pre-milled MDF siding, do not use sandpaper for smoothing. Instead, rub a crumpled brown paper bag against the wall in the direction of the siding for a smooth finish without damage.
