Wood Doll House Shingles Demystified

Have you been putting off the process of adding shingles to the roof of your dollhouse because the process looks too complicated? When I first started building dollhouses, each of mine ended up with a bare roof because I was too scared to lay down the first stripe of glue for a row of wood doll house shingles.

Whether you're using plain rectangular ones or shingles in the shape of an octagon, fishscale, or something even more exotic, the process begins the same way. First, you'll need to get the dimensions of the roof to determine the square inches. That will help you figure out how many shingles to use. Make sure to buy plenty – wood doll house shingles are inexpensive, so don't be worried about buying a bag more than you need.

Paint or stain the shingles, if you wish, before attaching them to the roof. Your natural inclination might be to start from the center of the house and work outwards, but it's actually better to start with the bottom layer, along the roofline. As you work your way up, you will likely need to cut a few shingles to work them into gables and edges. Some wood doll house shingles are soft and thin enough to be cut with scissors, while others require a razor blade. This is a project that requires a lot of patience, but within a few hours your dollhouse's bare roof will be transformed into a masterpiece!