Here is a plan to make a dollhouse like in the photo to display dolls of several sizes.
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
- 3 long bolts made to hang heavy shelves on drywall or plaster board
- 1 pint of clear acrylic varnish
- fine sandpaper
Tools:
- electric or battery powered hand drill
- level for hanging dollhouse straight
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!