Hello. This project I will take a different approach try to make a shelf. Maybe you have seen a doll’s house before, it just a section of the house, that you can see the interior in all the rooms, it’s usually 2- 3 stories. This project I design a section of an old building that has a window and a balcony on each floor, between each floor connected with a yellow stairs cast. The flat roof’s top has a half wall to support the as the end book. The color is light green and it seem to fated away by the sun light, so you can see the cement color and some point you can see the bricks. That is going to be my theme for the project. Let begin to work on the “SHELF ter” project.

The overall shelf dimension: Width 104 centimeters x Length 100 centimeters x Depth 23 centimeters.

Supplies that you need to do the “SHELF ter” project.

1. MDF 15 millimeters thickness and parawood, or depend on what you have, plywood will work as well. Due to the weight of the shelf, (but I used MDF.)

2. Spray paints colors: (light green, medium gray, dark gray, light yellow, light orange, beige, and (white as the primer), also wood stain.

3. Wood glue, air nail gun, screws 1/1/4 inches, and drill bits.

4. Masking tape and brown paper (to cover when painting).

Step 1: Cut MDF to Sizes

You need to draw 1:1 scale on the MDF and start cutting, you can use table saw, cut 5 pieces size (98 X 22 centimeters) that going to be the floors, 3 short walls (22X 22 centimeters), 3 Medium walls (33X 22 centimeters), 1 long wall (57X 22 centimeters), and 2 sizes of half wall (98X 8 centimeters and 22x 8 centimeters). Now you need to cut the stair opening on the floor (3x 7 centimeters), and window opening on the wall (12x 12 centimeters), you can use wood router to cut, but you need to make the template, so when you cut the opening will be the same size. After you have cut an opening , now you need to make the window molding from the thin piece of wood, the width should be about 14 millimeters. You need to cut, use wood glue and air nail gun to stick around the window (when use air gun make sure do not nail near the edge, it will make the wood split), it will look like the window frame, and also stick the molding on the top end of the wall. It will looks like the molding on the balcony. Then you need to fill in the air nail gun holes with filler or plaster mix and sand the piece, make sure that it’s smooth. Now you should prepare the MDF wood for painting, before that you need to apply the wood stain to all pieces, maybe twice should be enough, so the MDF will not absorb the spray paint too much, if too much the MDF will be swollen. Then you need to spray white paint as primer, make sure you cover all area maybe two or three times.

Step 2: Spray Paint the Colors

Prepare for spray paint. You need to wipe off the dust with dry cloth and clean all pieces. Now use the masking tape around the window molding and inside as well, around all the wall edges, and also the molding to the top end side, make sure you tape it well. The wall have 2 side (Interior wall and exterior wall, I will start on the exterior wall. Before you start, you need to cut the masking tape to a small strip and tape as the brick pattern first. Then you sprayed paint light yellow first on exterior wall that I want it to be brick showing (on the masking tape), let it dry and spray paint light orange just over the light yellow. Next use masking tape over the bricks and cut into the brick pattern. Then I spray the medium gray (cement color) lightly to all the pieces, some area can cover more paint and let it dry. Next I spray paint light green lightly in some area as well and let it dry. Next you need to spray paint on the interior wall (you should tape around the window already) use beige color to all the pieces , spray maybe 2- 3 times and let it dry. After that take all the masking tape off, if leave it on for too long, the glue from the tape will stick to the paint. Then in order to make it looks old (like it’s faded by the sun light) I use the sand paper sand it off a little, until you can see the light gray that should be enough.

Step 3: Do the Floors and Staircases

All the floors need to be spray paint dark gray, only on one side (make sure you arrange it before), and you need to use masking tape to the edges before. It will look like the floor is dark gray and the ceiling is white. The edges should be white from the primer (white color). You need to cut MDF thickness (6 millimeters) to size (7x 2.5 centimeters) 68 pieces, one staircase need 17 pieces, and you need 4 staircases. Maybe you should cut a little more, in case it damage. First you need to use wood glue and air nail gun (do not nail too close to the edge). These stairs will take times to make. Then you need to fill in the air nail gun holes and the edges of the riser/ tread with filler or plaster mix and sand the pieces, make sure that it’s smooth. Then spray paint white primer and let it dry. Next spray paint light yellow, maybe 2-3 times and let it dry.

Step 4: Assembly the SHELF Ter

Now it is time to put the shelf together. You need to use a small drill bit and a screwdriver bit. First you need to attach the short walls, do one wall at the time, if not you cannot attach other wall. (You drill smaller drill bit first, before you screw in). I screw down from the 4th floor the short wall on the left (first), next I screw up from the 4th floor on the right, then screw down on the 3rd floor on the right, next screw up on the 3rd floor on the left, and last screw up on the 2nd floor on the right. (You need to cut the wood spacer and put on the other side when you attach, so the dimension will not change). Next attach outer walls by doing the same process and attach the 3 pieces of parawood that had been cut and spray paint white at the back of the shelf. It should be strong, will not lean to the side and put the hook for hanging on the wall. You need to use the paper punch then you get small pieces of round paper and glue the round paper to the top of the screw and painted on the round paper with brush use the same color. The last thing is to use all purpose glue attach the staircases to each floors. (The rectangle cut out, already on the floor.)

Special Thanks to: Mr. Sakorn, Mr. O