A Guide Choosing Your Dolls House

Dolls House Plans - Dolls House Kits - Ready Built Dolls Houses

Choosing a Dolls House
The Dolls House hobby is very diverse and choosing a dolls house is probably the first and the most important decision you'll need to make. Dolls Houses come in all shapes and sizes and whilst personal preference is a major influence in choosing a dolls house, there are numerous other important factors to consider.

Dolls House Scales
Most dolls houses are 1:12th scale or one inch scale where one inch equals one foot, and it is generally safe to assume that dolls houses and accessories are 1:12th scale unless otherwise stated. 1:24th scale or half inch scale dolls houses where half an inch equals one foot are becoming increasingly popular although there still isn't as much choice as for 1:12th scale dolls houses. Vintage dolls houses were usually 1:16 scale, but this scale is generally only available from dealers who specialise in vintage dolls houses.

Dolls House Materials
Most dolls houses are made from 9mm thick MDFboard or Birch Plywood, and are either made using computerised CNC machines or by hand. MDFboard is probably the most popular material for dolls house construction as it is considerably cheaper than Birch Ply and therefore the dolls houses are much cheaper to buy, particularly when mass produced. Birch Ply dolls houses are generally regarded as being of superior quality and they are mostly hand made (not to be confused with cheap imported dolls houses made from very thin ply which we do not recommend). There are many good quality dolls houses available made from either material so it's a choice between value for money and outright quality.

Dolls House Period and Style
Most dolls houses are designed to resemble houses from a particular period in history. Common periods are Tudor, Georgian and Victorian and the pictures below show typical examples of period features such as the Georgian and Victorian window frames and the Tudor timber frame.

To Build or Not To Build the Dolls House Yourself?
Dolls houses can be built from scratch using a plan or your own design, or they can be purchased in kit form, ready built or completely finished and decorated. Some people enjoy doing as much as possible themselves whilst others prefer to leave the hard work to the experts. We have provided further information on the different options on the following pages.

Dolls House Kits
& Ready Built Undecorated Dolls Houses
Most people choose to buy their dolls house in kit form as they offer excellent value for money and there are hundreds of designs to choose from. Dolls house kits are generally very easy to assemble as all the parts are precision cut by machine so they can easily be slotted together and glued. Most dolls house kits can be assembled in minutes rather than hours although they do vary in complexity so it's a good idea to check what's involved before buying. Alternatively you can buy a ready assembled dolls house, but these tend to be slightly more expensive and there is less choice.

Before buying a dolls house kit it's a good idea to check what parts are included as they do vary. Some dolls house kits don't include basic things like chimneys, internal doors and stairs which have to be purchased separately so this should be taken into account when looking at the cost. Most dolls house kits do include these items, and some include extra items such as wiring, brassware, internal mouldings for skirting boards etc..

Although buying a dolls house kit does save a lot of the hard work of building from scratch you should be aware that it takes many hours of work to decorate and finish a dolls house inside and out. Also, depending on how you want to finish your dolls house you will need to purchase a lot of additional materials. Most people enjoy decorating their dolls house, but if it all sounds like a bit of a chore you can buy a ready decorated dolls house or pay someone else to decorate it for you - many dolls house suppliers offer a building and decorating service.

Dolls House Plans
& Building a Dolls House from Scratch
Building a dolls house from scratch using a dolls house plan or your own design can be a very enjoyable and rewarding process, but it's not easy unless you have the necessary practical skills and tools, and you should carefully consider what's involved before taking on the task.

Building a dolls house yourself from scratch may seem like a good way to save money, but that's not necessarily the case, particularly if you need to buy tools. You may be able to save a little money if you make everything yourself including the doors and window frames, but this is quite tricky and time consuming. You can purchase a wide range of dolls house doors and window frames from most dolls house dealers, but in some cases this can work out more expensive than buying a complete dolls house kit.

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