Circa 30's and 40's loft space: Karon asked about access to loft space in 1930's houses here in UK. I was brought up in the house my parents bought (new) when they married in 1939 and remember a square "trapdoor" in the bathroom ceiling that led to the roof space. The "lid" didn't have hinges or anything that advanced - it simply balanced across the hole in the ceiling. It was slightly bigger all round and had to be put back diagonally and twisted round to fit and close the loft. We had to get the stepladders out to get into the roof and I remember that the space was used as storage for things we wouldn't need for awhile (Holiday luggage, deck chairs, kids' tents, Christmas decorations, etc.) and for things that my dad (an inveterate hoarder of things others had thrown out) thought would "come in useful one day" and that my mum considered "rubbish."

As a child I thought that the roof space must be an Aladdin's Cave of treasures - an old wind up film projector (with films), a steam engine that eventually gave forth little puffs of steam (my father, then a diesel engine fitter, made it for us), several old 78's that we no longer played but held happy memories, and many bits of my dad's "useful rubbish".

Whenever I asked where a particular item I'd missed had gone, my mum always told me it was in the loft. I was too small to get the ladders out and look, and of course I believed her. I now think that "in the loft" really meant "in the bin" and that my mum, over the years, disposed of dad's rubbish. It didn't matter of course, because by the next month he'd found another treasure and had forgotten what he had "in the loft."

Elaine Manchester UK

Circa 30's and 40's Loft Ladders: The loft/attic in our house when I was a child was storage space only. This was a 1930's house in London. To get up there, you had to use a stepladder and lift the cover up and sideways. Later we moved to a more "modern" house (1940's). You caught a metal flange with a metal bit at the top of a pole, then leapt out of the way to avoid being hit by a descending metal ladder. That loft even had windows, but as the floor wasn't finished, there wasn't much you could do up there balanced on beams with ceiling plaster between. Good for hide and seek, however, behind the water tank, if you were careful.

Kay Gale

Circa 30's and 40's doilies and lofts: More on the huge doilies for anyone wanting to maybe be crazy enough to make one in miniature. They were about 24-30" wide and the ruffle would be about 6" deep. The glasses used were regular tumblers and would give you an idea of the size of the ruffling around these. In the 40's the sugar starch was more permanent than regular starch which tended to "wilt" in a short time. With that much work, nobody wanted to redo it for a long time. The sugar starch ended up making the ruffle of the doily into a "sugar cube," and I had forgotten about the ants which did happen to my mother once - she freaked out to think there were ants in the house. I imagine that, depending on where you lived, other "critters" would be attracted too. By the way the sugar water was boiled like any good starch of the day.

However, in a doll house the critters are not a problem, or for that matter neither is sugar water, because we have neat stuff for making lace and fabric stiff now which could also be used for big doilies of that type too. I had forgotten about the pointy ruffled type; that could be great, too. If you are doing a 30's to 40's house, be prepared to crochet tons of doilies because they were all over everything! Embroidery and crochet were being done constantly by the "little woman." I think when women started getting out into the workplace, especially during the 50's, the doilies, etc. were put away. Who had time for all that stuff anymore?

I have been interested in the "lofts" being mentioned. In my area of the country (the West Coast) they were called attics (of course I still call big roads Freeways while on the east coast they are called Thruways) and the opening (usually barely enough for a man to get through) was the attic access. Our house was built during the war to house the shipyard workers moving into the area. Our access was located in a linen closet, of all places! My Dad removed the linen closet and turned it into a small hall that went from the back door to the bedroom area (this also kept the flow of traffic away from the living room). Then he enlarged the opening and put in a hinged trapdoor. For access, he built a ladder arrangement permanently attached to the corner of the wall. He eventually floored in the attic where my brother put his Lionel along with bookshelves etc. to handle the household overload. It did get hot in the summertime but in all was a wonderful addition to the house.

ana gerard

Bunkum. oakum? For log cabins. Here in the US we have a substance called oakum which I'm sure is the same thing as bunkum. It is oiled (tarred) hemp fiber that is used for caulking boats and in plumbing. In the navies of the world it was used on the old wood decked ships to pound into the seams of the deck (and hulls) to seal them up. It was also used in a tight twine to wrap life lines before wrapping them with canvas. In plumbing it is uses to pound into the bell of a cast iron pipe joint before melted lead is poured in to make the joint tight and secure. You can still buy it at hardware stores in a little coiled rope about 1/8" in diameter for wrapping old faucet stems as a packing. If you want to use it for miniatures don't get the product that has lead or graphite mixed in it. It is messy and hard to use for minis.

Bill Hudson

Tile roofs: I used corrugated cardboard with pleasing results.

Dr Bob

Foam core for building: I do not know what size your scene is.

If it is larger than a standard sheet of paper I strongly recommend you reinforce it. You may gently insert rods made of wire coat hangers or glue a wood cross brace to the underside or frame the piece (see #3). I remind you that we live in Florida and foamcore absorbs moisture. Please reinforce so your project does not warp.

Edges may be finished by sealing with caulk applied directly from the caulking gun and smoothed with a putty knife-lightly sand when dry-stain or paint as desired or glue a coat of the same groundcover you are using in your scene. I do not recommend hot glue for the edges of foamcore. It will melt the foam and damage the strength of your edges.

When building architectural models, we simply seal the edge with a thin strip of poster board.

I often use picture frame molding. This makes a great "frame" that makes it easier to pick up the piece and move it.

Becky

Foam: When joining two pieces of foam core glue together then use sewing pins to clamp it. Don't use the sewing pins with glass heads as when the project is dry you pull the pins out and if you use the glass head pins the glass head comes off.

Karen Hill

Cutting Foamcore: Use a sharp blade in a utility knife. Use a steel straight edge and make the cut three times. The first cut is a light score just through the top paper. The second cut a little deeper, the third cut deep enough to cut through the bottom paper. Make your cuts on a surface of matboard, cardboard or glass. Never on wood, carpet or countertop. You should end up with a perfect smooth edge. If your foamcore is 1/2 inch or more use more cuts to get through the board. Happy cutting.

Colette, North Carolina

Cutting Foamcore: you might want to try some saber saw blades from Sears. I bought some recently, but have not had the opportunity to use them yet. They are like knives - just a sharp edge, - no teeth and are made like a regular saber blade. They suggest using them on foam board and wall board. Real inexpensive - under two fingers! I have also cut the "board" with a hollow ground planer blade on the table saw, but even then there are some jaggies - more like fuzz to smooth out. I had fair luck with an emery board, but ran it lightly across the edge, working from top to bottom instead of running straight down the edge. I have had good luck sealing the edges with white glue. I spread a fairly thick, smooth coat on the edges, let it dry and sometimes come back with a second coat.

Lynn K. Kuhnert

Foamcore edges: The best way I have found of tidying the cut edges of foamcore is to glue a strip of light weigh card around the edge. use tacky glue, some craft clues will melt the polystyrene.

If you are clever when you cut the foamcore you can cut thru one layer of the paper and the foam in one place, then a little further along cut right thru the 3 layers. Then peel one layer of paper and the foam off the other paper and then fold that piece of paper up so you are covering the cut foam with the same paper that covers the rest of your foam core. This makes a really neat finish with only one cut edge (the other being a fold.

Sandra Monk

FOAMCORE TIPS: This is a good medium for someone with your unique challenges. You can relax, have a good time and throw away any cuts that do not please you. Don't be concerned about perfection, strive for satisfaction. Yes, you may apply your wallpaper and your flooring before you glue the box together. I would recommend that you leave a boarder that equals the width of the foam core you use. This is usually a 1/4" thick piece so you would leave a 1/4" uncovered edge on 3 sides of the floor and on two sides of the back panel to the room. I suggest you build a box just for fun. Don't worry about the size of anything. Just have a practice run to get the hang of working with the material. Be sure to use a very sharp X-Acto blade to make your cuts in the foam core. Change your blade often. Tacky glue is a good bond for this trial box. A metal edge ruler with a cork back will grip the surface of the foam core and make it easier to cut a straight line.

Make the first cut lightly, just to cut through the first layer of poster board. The second cut will cut through the foam. The third cut will cut the last piece of poster board. Cut two equal squares of foam core. These are the side walls. Two more pieces should be rectangular, 1/2" wider. These are the ceiling and floor. The last piece should be 1/2" wider than the original squares on the top as well as the bottom. This is the back wall. Pin them together with dressmaking pins to check the fit. Trim away any excess. Use a pencil to mark where your edges come together. This will make it easier to glue the wallpaper in place. Copy some printables from the web. Glue them in place for wallpaper and flooring. Add pre-painted strips of wood for baseboard, etc. Glue these in place before you assemble the box. Glue your decorated pieces together using the same dressmaker pins to hold them in place while they dry. Small strips of bass wood, pre-painted and trimmed to fit the exposed edges of the front of the box will give you a nice finish.

Congratulations! You've just made your first room box. Now you've mastered the skills necessary for a basic box. If you want to electrify a foam core box, I highly recommend the small strip lights that are available from many dollhouse companies.

Becky

More Faux Brick: I was just sitting here and checking out all the faux brick patterns on About.com and started wondering...wouldn't it be possible to print brick out on parchment paper and emboss it like they do greetings cards with the technique called "pergamano"? Seems like it would really be a raised pattern like the original and would look wonderful, esp. on the floor of a period home, possibly for the outside walls, too...can you imagine this on the walls of a castle? I can. One could also use it on a modern type dwelling since some people put brick around fireplaces, whether in the kitchen or wherever. Also, I have brick on one wall of the living room to give it a little extra "oomph". This would be fine on a floor or even perhaps on an inside wall. Some of those roomboxes that hang on the wall and have paper ppl, etc., may possibly benefit from this treatment, IMHO.

Linda

log cabin "chinks"--I just finished a small log cabin and had the same problem--daylight (and mini drafts)! As I started with an assembled kit, sealed in light wood with glue already in the cracks that would not"take" the furniture stain that I used on the rest of the exterior; I tried acrylic paints (bit of green and dark brown mixed) with some white glue and used coffee grounds "painted" into the chinks with a small brush fully loaded. It not only filled the cracks and covered the light spots, but gave a convincing look to the "mud". I took my finger after filling the cracks to smooth the stuff and remove excess from the logs. Any color that strayed was easily rubbed into the wood as it was close to the other stain in color. You could probably use spent tea, also--something to give it texture and covering quality. I was happy with the results. I am using oiled parchment on the one window, in a frame that will open "out" for a full view of the "lake and the mountains"--which are on a piece of oil painting cut from its frame and standing on a backdrop behind the cabin.

Xmas Carol

Foam Core: I built a 2 story dollhouse for my daughter over 20 years ago before I was ever into miniatures. It was a simplicity pattern that I used in conjunction with real good toys. That dollhouse lasted through her and countless # of friends playing with it over several years, and then when she grew out of it I took it over and put it in our living room and changed it and added to it over the next several years. Even added a 3rd floor to it. It held up beautifully. I also use foam core exclusively to build my room boxes.

Kathy

Building With Foamcore: I have built a 3-story house with 1/2 inch foamcore, and it is very solid. It is finished with wooden clapboard siding, shingles, hardwood floors, etc. Even with all that weight, it is extremely sturdy. I used a couple of techniques which worked well for me. For gluing along the corner seams I used a product called "Glue Screws" that I found at K-Mart. I also used wide packing tape to be sure the seams were tight and there was a good even bond. In addition, after gluing, I used nails, about 2" long, dipped in white glue which were inserted every 4" or so. That probably wasn't necessary, but since this was my first effort I wanted to be extra-certain of stability.

The foamcore I buy is 20" x 30". Where I needed to join 2 pieces of foamcore side by side to make a larger "slab" (for my floor base and front of the house which is wider than 20") I used the Glue Screws along the edge, and then also used"biscuits" (similar to what Norm uses on "This Old House" all the time). I used thin pieces of wood (1/8" or so thick and about 1/2" wide x 1" long) and cut a slot into the edge of the foamcore with a razor knife. Then I squeezed glue into each slot and inserted the biscuit into one slot and slid the other piece up to it making sure the biscuit went into the slot. Do a dry-fit of this before messing with all the glue! Leave it flat until the glue dries, and you have a nice even sheet of foamcore, but in the larger size you need. You can also cover the seam with a nice wide piece of thin tape, like packing tape for added insurance.

Inside the house, the walls are 1/2" foam, too, but I did use a couple pieces of gator foam in a wall near the center on each floor, just because it is extra strong and I wanted to be sure nothing sagged. You can also use a structural beam of sorts (1/2 square or so) here and there if you can fit them someplace that won't be too obvious. I'm thrilled with the results and am working on another structure right now.

Karen Golomb

Log Cabins: http://rusticreplicas.com/ Someone was interested in Log-Cabin kits. I think that these are reasonably priced and very rustic looking. There are some good Pioneer stories too.

Laura Busch in Burnham, PA

Hollowing Logs: Someone did the most adorable 1/4" kitchen scene inside a rolling pin at the Birmingham regional. What she did was take a quarter of the pin off. She left the sides and handles intact and made a cut halfway down the center of the pin and halfway through the front side. To visualize this take a circle and divide it in four quarters. Remove one quarter wedge and you have the back and bottom remaining while the wedge you remove becomes the area for the scene. Have I lost you yet? What the woman did, who made the rolling pin scene, was get a piece of plexi glass to replace the wedge she removed, and this protected the scene she made within the pin.

dee dee

Dollhouse Kits: As a general rule, I think the more expensive the kit, the easier it is to put together. The first dollhouse kit I put together was from Real Good Toys with Houseworks components and it was easily assembled and sturdy enough to be a family heirloom 20 years later. The second was a die-cut cottage; it took three times as long to finish and the result is only a quarter as good. My Dura-Craft San Franciscan went together easily and I thought their use of channel moulding for the corners was very clever. Then, I got to the roof where the pieces don't fit together properly around the tower and noticed the whole structure was leaning toward the left. They have since come out with a "new, revised version" but I'd guess the weight on the left still pulls the house out of shape over time. Laser cut kits go together very easily -- even the micro-minis. They're sturdy and the trim pieces are wonderfully detailed and elaborate. So for a beginner, I recommend going with RGT, Walmer or laser cut. Die-cut houses take more patience and skill...

Sally Cook-Thomas

Building MDF Houses/Kits: If you decide to use screws, (recommended), make sure you pre-drill and countersink your holes. If you sink the screws slightly below the surface, you can cover the holes with wood filler and sand smooth when it dries. If you use nails, pre-drill also because the MDF will split out if you don't. Use glue in both cases. Don't be scared. Go for it! Wood filler and paint cover up a lot of goofs.

Spencer Stall

Chinking for Log cabins: when I chinked my loghouse I bought caulking made by "frost king" it looks like a solid roll but actually its a strip that pulls apart in 1/4" strips, just place and push in seam then using a slim flat paring knife go along both edges and it smoothed out evenly and flat. Made a big difference in appearance.

Alice Prosky