Suggestions for building a model house

**AngelEyes**[$] · #1 03-01-2002, 09:55 PM

I am a 13 year old girl in 8th grade and I need some suggestions on how to build a model house for my Enrichment Project. I am supposed to desighn a house on paper, draw it to scale, make the floor plans,and build the house. I will have my project displayed in the Reading Museum. Any suggestions on what I should do would be greatly apreciated. thank you.

~*~Sarah~*~

magenta321 · #2 03-01-2002, 10:30 PM

Angel, I would build it like how you build a model for a theatre set.

After you have all your plans, you can cut out peices from that foam board stuff (like posterboard with foam in the middle) and make a three-D model.

It's a nice effect. It's like what the Puzz 3-D puzzles are made of.

HTH

**MrsNormanMaine**[$] · #3 03-01-2002, 10:40 PM

Check to see if there is a local chapter of NAME (National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts) in your area. Their members are very helpful in such projects. Also check to see if there is a local hobby store or doll store which carries doll house furniture and supplies. The people there may also be able to help you.

MNM !queen

**thinkerlady**[$] · #4 03-02-2002, 12:01 AM

How about craft sticks???? You can buy them by the thousands!!!In many different sizes---

**pluckyduck** · #5 03-02-2002, 07:08 AM

What fun!

Here's a link which should help.

I'll see what else I come up with.

Andrea

kurt_messick · #6 03-02-2002, 06:12 PM

Building models can be great fun. The theatre suggestion is a good one; also, doll-house enthusiasts may have some suggestions as they are in essence making model houses, too.

nicholmere · #7 03-02-2002, 06:39 PM

Hello and welcome!

I've never built a model of a house before. It sounds fun. How detailed does the plan have to be? Do you have to consider things such as energy consumption? Safety/structure issues? Are you going to have more than one floor?

Would styrofoam be a good building material for the sample home? Styrofoam can get a bit crumbly when you are cutting it so you'd have to keep pets and younger children away.

A Lewiscraft (if you have them in your area) or any local hobby shop might have suggestions on building materials for you.

Good luck! Maybe you can post a picture of the project when you have finished it.

- Katherine

jenninca · #8 03-02-2002, 06:44 PM

I highly recommend that foam board stuff. I'd stay away from the styrofoam if I were you. It crumbles way too easily.

I would love to see a picture when it's finished!

Cindy

vonboob · #9 03-04-2002, 02:24 AM

A new architect needs to know first: is it supposed to be a real house scaled or something what looks like a house. The trouble is, the real house scaled, looks sort of flat... The plucky link tells you for example to use 1/4 inch for 1 foot (very difficult to work with, trust me). A real floor of such house would be only 2 inches tall (8 feet scaled). The modellers most of the time distort proportions...

Now, the foam board (somewhat expensive but excellent material) is usually 1/4 inch thick what does great job as a wall in 1/2-inch scale and would look massive in 1/4-inch scale.

If it's a real, residential house "architectural" mock-up, I would recommend using 1/2"=1' scale: you'll be able to actually put your hands inside. A real dimensions of say 30'x40' will scale to 15"x20", while say 2 floors and the roof might be about 30' tall, in this scale it's about 15". Over all, you'll end up with a model about the size of a monitor.

Few things to remember what miniature creators seem always to forget.
- Except for garage, floors are not on the level with the ground.
- Think about presentation: do you need to show inner wall arrangement or it is not important?
- Finishing: you could simply print a window on paper and glue it on the wall or go for the works...

I'd also avoid designing a house. Can you make a model of an existing one? Have fun!