Today, I am assembling some basic walls and floors. This part is tricky because the pieces are very heavy and can easily topple over. Keeping the structure stable until the glue dries will be difficult, so you will need to use a combination of weights, masking tape, and bottles or other dollhouse parts to keep the walls square. I also used a level to make sure everything was straight.
The walls have grooves that allow the floors to fit securely into them. This design helps keep the dollhouse straight, aligned, and sturdy. In the past, dollhouses did not include this feature, and assembly required glue and nails. Modern versions use these grooves instead of nails, allowing you to assemble the structure entirely with glue.
Although I am trusting the manufacturer on this, the parts are very heavy. If you prefer to use nails for extra support, you can do so. Just make sure to drive them in straight and in the correct places to avoid damaging the floors and ceilings.
The instructions are poor, though the illustrations are somewhat helpful. Make sure your dollhouse matches the illustrations exactly at this stage, or you risk assembling it in the wrong direction, which will prevent the staircase from fitting properly. Many people have made this mistake and had to discard their staircases. Once MDF of this thickness is glued, it is very difficult to separate the parts to correct errors.
I am using both wood glue and tacky glue for assembly. Be careful not to get wood glue on the finished floors, as it does not dry clear.
Finally, use high-quality masking tape. Cheap masking tape will not adhere well to MDF. I learned this after some frustration, but once I switched to better tape, everything held together perfectly.
