Today I began painting the exterior of the dollhouse. MDF absorbs a lot of paint, so even high-quality paint requires at least two coats.
I was initially unsure about the exterior color, but I really like the subtle appearance of this pink. I specifically wanted to avoid a Barbie-like look, and this shade achieves that nicely.
For sanding between coats to create a smooth finish without damaging the pre-milled siding, the best method is to use a paper bag or a piece of cardboard from the kit. Since I didn’t have a paper bag, I used a piece of cardboard from the kit, folded it in half, and sanded each siding groove. This produced a very smooth surface for the second coat.
A fingernail file can also be used, but the cardboard or paper bag are highly effective and allow you to work quickly without worrying about damaging the siding. If you use sandpaper, you must be careful to avoid sanding down the siding, as this can happen easily. While MDF is strong, raised details can be sanded off quite easily.
