A Very Different Dollhouse

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Next, scout out a supply of rigid corrugated cardboard. Try to find stiff, undamaged panels from appliance or shipping cartons; you'll need 65 or 70 square feet to complete the house. You'll also have to gather about four 18 " X 24" sheets of white poster board. It's available in many colors, but it's best to use white unless you're very careful when gluing the pieces, because the adhesive may ooze and show through the seams.

Finally, gather the odds and ends. You'll probably use between one pint and a quart of white glue or wet-tack yellow aliphatic resin. White-stick hotmelt glue is also a good choice because it dries quickly. Get some 6-penny (2") box nails to fasten the foundation framing, an assortment of paper and upholstery-cloth samples to cover the walls and floors, and ribbed, .177-caliber air-gun pellets for doorknobs.

All the wooden members can be cut from 3/4" boards to the dimensions indicated in the accompanying wood-strip sizing chart. Finish lengths vary from 1" to just under 36", so 3' sections are a handy size. Clear, knot-free woods -white pine, basswood, redwood, poplar-are best to work with because they're easy to shape and handle.

Once the strips are sawn to width, "cut" them to length by scoring all four sides with a trim knife and snapping the wood at the marks. Ragged ends can be trimmed or sanded smooth. In a few places, such as the window casings, roof crowns, and fascia boards, the trim width will depend on the thickness of the cardboard that makes up the finished wall. Be prepared to adjust the size of those pieces to match the wall you build.

From the Ground Up

The foundation frame is the only part of the dollhouse that's nailed together. Cut all the 3/4" X 1" pieces to length, and glue and nail the strips together, 3/4"-side up, in the pattern shown. Use a carpenter's square to true the corners, then cut a piece of cardboard to the shape of the frame, and glue it to the face. Set something heavy on the board to hold it down while the glue hardens.

All the wall, floor, and roof panels are made in the same manner-by sandwiching a wooden frame between two corrugated sheets. Cut the wooden members first, then cut the cardboard to size, using a straightedge and a sharp blade. Mark the placement of the framing on the cardboard, and glue the pieces in place. This way, wall openings can be cut into both sheets before gluing; if you trim out the openings after the panel has cured, take care to start the cuts within the wooden borders.

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