Plywood Dollhouse

This project is a small dollhouse made of Birch Plywood.

( 560 x 350 x 400 mm)

I got inspiration from nordic furniture and decided to design this simple wooden toy that can fit anywhere without taking lots of space.

I used one third of a full sheet of plywood (18 x 2500 x 1250 mm) that i had from a previous project.

I hope you enjoy and make one too!

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials

1 - Birch Plywood or other kind!

2 - Masking Tape

3 - Dowels (8 x 40 mm, to cover screw holes)

4 - Wood Glue

5 - Wax finish

6 - Papper Templates

7 - Spray Glue

8 - 1 x Big Dowel (25 x 350 mm)

9 - Sandpapper (180 and 250)

10 - Wood screws

Tools

11 - PowerDrill

12 - Drill bit for wood (same diameter as the dowels)

13 - Hinge bit (25 mm diameter)

14 - Clamps

15 - Jig Saw

16 - Circular Saw

17 - Chisel

18 - Orbital sander (optional but makes the task of sanding faster)

Step 2: Dry Fit and Holes

You are done with the cuts!

Drilling Time:

1 - I marked the location of the holes on the template and you just need to follow that.

2 - Use the power drill to make all the holes!

3 - Don´t forget to use masking tape to avoid tearout.

5 - On top of Side A and B, you should use the hinge drill bit with the same diameter of the Big Dowel and make a hole 10 mm deep!

6 - Dry fit the dollhouse and make sure that you don't have to fix any error before applying glue.

Step 3: Fixing Mistakes

My list of mistakes, can be usefull for you:

- I used too much spray glue in the papper templates, so it took lots of sanding to remove all the glue.

- I had to fix some cuts after dry fitting the dollhouse

- Although i was using masking tape in my cuts, i have some tearout in the windows and doors. So i decided that the best solution would be to apply a wood filler.

Step 4: Glue and Assembly

After dry fiitting and fixing important mistakes....

Glue:

1 - Apply glue in both sides

2 - Screw everything and use some clamps to keep it in place.

3 - Don't forget to clean the glue with a wet rag.

4 - Let it dry for few hours!

5 - Cover the screw heads with wood plugs

6 - Cut the plugs using a hand saw and the chisel for the final details.

Step 5: Sanding and Round Edges

This task is going to take a while....turn on some music and be patient! Try to sand every single edge until it looks soft and rounded!

First - Use 150/180 grid sandpapper to make the sides rounded and take some imperfections.

Last - Finish with 220 grid sandpapper to make it soft and ready for the finish.

Step 6: Finish

Because this is Birch Plywood i decided to use a Clear Wax finish. This is really easy to apply and takes 30 minutes to dry in between layers.

How to apply Wax Finish:

1 - Use a clean cotton rag

2 - Put some wax on the rag and apply the first layer evenly on the dollhouse.

3 - Wait 30 minutes and use sandpapper to correct any rughness.

4 - Apply the next layer of wax finish and you should be done!

5 - You may need just one more coat of wax to look perfect!

Step 7: Personalize and Play

I made this project as Dollhouse that could be personalized with stickers, paint,....really anything!

Mine is going to be a gift for my cousin's newborn daughter and could be a nice christmas gift to last generations!

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Ana Labrincha,

Lisbon PT