4 Ways to Build a Dollhouse

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

The miniatures of the buildings have a special charm. In particular, dollhouses have the power to ignite the imagination of children and even adults. Making a dollhouse helps keep the fantasy alive, not least because you can always make improvements over the years. Follow the instructions, starting with the first step, to create an enviable dollhouse.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Traditional Dollhouse

This is a traditional dollhouse. You can change the size proportionally to the size of the doll. No great skills or special tools are needed to build this house.

Step 1. Collect everything you need

A hard material such as wood is ideal.

Step 2. Cut two pieces of wood of the same size

These will be the sides of the house.

Step 3. Measure the width of the base that the house will have

Set the two already cut pieces aside.

Step 4. Join the main sides

Using nails, secure the side panels to the bottom and top panel of the house. Do this on both sides so that you have a box shape with no front and no back.

Step 5. Cut the facade of the house from a wooden panel

Lay the open front on a piece of plywood. Trace and cut the resulting shape and nail it. At this point you can install the L-brackets to make the house more durable.

Step 6. Cut a shelf the same width as the inside

Put it inside the box. Make sure there is a small hole on this shelf, inside which you are going to insert a ladder so that the dolls can go up and down. Secure the shelf with support beams made from other pieces of wood, or use other L-brackets.

Step 7. Decorate the walls

If you want, you can decorate them with wallpaper. For the floor, on the other hand, you could use old thin tiles.

Step 8. Add lights if you want

Drill holes in the back of the box with a large drill bit. Purchase some Christmas tree lights and insert them through the holes. You may need an extension cable.

Step 9. Have fun

Now you can fill your dollhouse with furniture and start playing!

Method 2 of 4: Use a Shoe Box

If little girls want to make the dollhouse with their own hands, this method is the most suitable for them. They will be able to make a house for small dolls, less than 18 cm high.

Step 1. Get several shoe boxes of various sizes

Get at least two or three large rectangular or square ones. It would be preferable if they were all the same or similar in size.

Step 2. Orient the boxes

Cut or remove the lids, then lay them on the long side. The wider side that corresponds to the base of the box now represents the wall of a room, while the long side is the floor.

Step 3. Decorate or paint the rooms

Decorate or paint the inside of the boxes to make them look like real rooms. For the floor, you could use scrap wood or pieces of carpet. The walls, on the other hand, can be covered with paper, paint or drawings. With tape you can cover certain areas of the room. Just follow your imagination!

Step 4. Glue the rooms together

Once the inside is done, glue the sides together to form a house. The house can have more than one level, but if you prefer it can be developed on one floor only. The size of the whole house depends on the number of boxes chosen.

Step 5. Create the roof

The roof can be flat, in which case you don't have to do anything, or you can fold a pointed piece of cardboard and pin it on top of the box to make a pitched roof.

Step 6. Decorate the exterior

Once the boxes have been glued together, you can decorate the outside of the house to make it look as much like a dollhouse as possible. You can paint the walls, cut out the windows and doors, you can even glue the shutters!

Step 7. Your dollhouse is ready

Admire the results of your work and enjoy your beautiful cottage! Good fun!

Method 3 of 4: Using Wood

This house is suitable for dolls about 30 cm tall, such as Barbie dolls. Eventually you will get a four-room cottage on one level.

Step 1. Go to the hardware store

You'll need a couple of pieces of wood and some basic tools (figure it's a Barbie-sized dollhouse). The tools you will need are very common, maybe you already have them at home. Otherwise, some hardware stores also rent them. Just ask! Here are the tools you will need:

4 pieces of raw lumber (at least 60 cm long each) or a beam about 2.5 meters long if you buy a single piece;
4 pieces of 30x30 cm chipboard or similar material (you can find it in DIY stores);
A drill with a 6mm bit;
A jigsaw for small cuts in wood;
0, 6 cm dowels (single or pieces of 8);
Sand paper;
Wood glue;
Paint and other finishing materials.

Step 2. Cut the wood

You will have four starting pieces, although two will be split later. For now, cut all four pieces of wood so that they are 60 cm long.

Step 3. Drill the fixing points

Line up the four pieces and, with the help of a pen and a tape measure, mark the holes to be made at 7, 5 cm and 15 cm from both ends, keeping them 2 cm from the side edge (only one side will need holes). Make sure all the holes line up properly. Each piece of wood should therefore have four hole marks. Drill a hole in the center of each of the marks you made, using a 6mm bit.

Step 4. Cut the pieces

Leave two pieces of 60 cm, while the remaining boards are cut in half, and then remove another 0, 95 cm from the inner edges. You should now have two 60cm and four 29cm boards.

Step 5. Join the boards

Insert glue and dowels into each hole on the 60cm boards. Let the glue dry, then glue the holes onto one of the shorter pieces. Fit the shorter pieces onto the gussets of the larger pieces, so that the cut edge is in the center of the larger piece. This way you will have two end pieces with a distance of about 1.90 cm in the center of the middle of each board and a total length of about 37 cm. Sand the edges with sandpaper.

Step 6. Mount the walls

These two pieces fit together perfectly on the halves, like a puzzle. Once together, they form the walls of the four rooms. This way you can take them apart whenever you want and keep the dollhouse without too much bulk.

Step 7. Add special finishes

Paint the walls and cut out the doors, in short, you can decorate your home as you wish. Just remember not to glue anything on the two jammed edges, so as not to join them permanently.

Step 8. Join the pieces of chipboard

The chipboard will serve as the floor. Use a 30x30cm piece for each room. Paint or decorate only one side of the 4 pieces depending on the room it will represent (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc.). When they are dry, arrange them in the desired order, then turn them and glue them on one side only.

This will allow you to fold and store your dollhouse effortlessly

Step 9. Admire your beautiful new cottage

Insert the walls and start filling it with furniture and accessories. Your kids will be able to play with dolls in every single room. When the game is over, folding it and putting it away will be quick and easy.

Method 4 of 4: Use a Library

This house is suitable for dolls about 45 cm tall. It does not require a lot of work, unlike the other methods, in fact it can be done in two or three hours.

Step 1. Buy a deep shelf

Look for a wooden bookcase with deep shelves. Preferably, the shelves should be 9 cm or 10 cm deep. A larger bookcase will be fixed to the wall for the safety of the children.

Step 2. Adjust the shelves

Adjust the shelves to the right height to create "rooms" of about 50cm. If you have a bookcase with a greater depth, you should get 4 rooms.

If it is not possible to adjust the shelves to the correct height, you can add fixing holes or insert L-shaped reinforcement brackets

Step 3. You can add windows if you want

Use a hacksaw to cut the windows on the back or sides of the bookcase. Sand the edges with sandpaper to prevent little girls from getting hurt.

Step 4. Consider adding a roof

You can build a pitched roof by cutting two wooden planks and joining them at 45 degrees to form a central point.

Step 5. Decorate the floors

You can use old tiles, pieces of carpet, carpet or any other material.

Step 6. Decorate the walls

Paint them, add wallpaper or tiles to complete the look of any room. Get help from your children!

Step 7. Have fun

Once everything is dry and ready, you can add the furniture and other accessories, then finally it will be possible to play with this new dollhouse!

Advice

The wallpaper can be made from plain colored paper or pattern paper. Just glue it to the walls, taking care to smooth out the wrinkles and being careful of the corners.
Remember to put the furniture in at the end.
All operations must be performed by an adult.
If you are a child, get help from your parents. You risk getting very hurt!
Help from grandparents or the babysitter is also fine, but always with parental consent.
Have fun and let your imagination run wild!