Here is a plan to make a wooden dollhouse like in the photo to display dolls of several sizes. Or, if hung low on the wall in a child's room it can be made into a nice dollhouse for play with mini dolls or fashion dolls. Or, rather than hanging on the wall it could be set on a dresser top.
Materials:
- 1 foot wide by 1 inch thick boards - 3 pieces 36 inches long for horizontal shelving and 2 pieces 33 inches long for vertical sides
- one board for hanging doll house to wall which should be 34 inches long, one half inch thick and 2 inches wide
- 12 wood screws at least 2 inches long each for joining vertical boards to shelving
- 4 wood screws at least 2 inches long each for joining narrow support board under topmost horizontal board
- wood putty to spackle over screw holes
- 3 long bolts made to hang heavy shelves on drywall or plaster board
- 1 pint of clear acrylic varnish and paint brush
- fine sandpaper
Tools:
- electric or battery powered hand drill
- level for hanging dollhouse straight
- tape measure and pencil for marking holes for drilling
Construction method:
- Sand and varnish your wood lengths with 3 coats acrylic and sanding between coats before assembling. Make your final sanding just a light touch. I use clear acrylic varnish for easy soap and water clean up.
- Layout your doll house assembly. The 3 boards 36 inches long are the horizontal pieces, the shelves. The 33 inch long boards are the sides.
- First screw the narrow board for hanging the doll house underside the top horizontal board at the side that will be next to the wall. Screw the 2 inch screws in from above in 4 locations.
- Next use two 2 inch screws at each end to attach the top assembly to each end of the vertical boards from the outside to inside. Now the top is complete.
- Space your middle board so that one of the openings is at least 19 inches high if you have 18 inch dolls to stand up. I have one opening at 19 inch and the other is 11 inches. Screw it to the sides as with the top board.
- Screw on the lower horizontal board with 2 of the 2 inch screws at each end.
Finishing:
- Screws should be slightly recessed and filled in with wood putty for a nice professional finish.
- Have a helper on hand to hang the assembly using the 3 bolts made for hanging heavy objects to wall board.
Stand back, enjoy your handiwork, and introduce your dolls to their new home! Mine are right on the living room wall!
Article and photo of dolls in dollhouse by Susan Kramer
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