Real Cherry hardwood veneer strip 3/8" wide(11mm) x 36ft. Coverage 1.3 sq.ft. approx.(Equivalent to a typical room size of 12" x 16" approx.) Includes iron-on adhesive for easy application. Standard wood finishes can be used to create the desired finish and colour - see application guide on main Floorboard page for further details.
Dolls House Floorboard Application Guide
(All examples below show the Cherry wood floorboard material)
Begin by cutting several lengths of the floorboard strip slightly longer than required to fit the room. Lay the floorboard strips down side-by-side on the floor, either one or several at a time, and apply heat using a hot iron. The iron should be on a medium to high setting and be applied to the floorboards for around 5 seconds. The temperature of the iron or the amount of time heat is applied to the floorboards may need to be adjusted to achieve optimum results. The floorboards should stick almost instantly - if not more heat may be required, but take care not to apply too much heat as this can scorch the surface of the wood. If the floor boards are not correctly aligned they can easily be re-heated to melt the adhesive allowing the position to be adjusted as necessary.
Note: To prevent burning the surface of the floorboards and protect the surface of the iron from glue it is a good idea to lay a sheet of brown paper over the floorboards when applying the hot iron.
Trim the ends of the floorboards with a sharp craft knife flush with the edge of the floor. The floor boards can be lightly sanded if required to smooth the surface and remove any surface blemnishes.. The floorboards can be left natural or finished with most common wood finishing products. We recommend using woodstain and an antique coloured wax polish.
Floorboard Sample showing etched plank markings and nail holes which can be added after application using a sharp tool. A dark coloured wax polish will highlight the etched markings giving an authentic floorboard effect.
The Material
The Floorboard strip is made from real hardwood veneer which has a smooth finish and includes an iron-on adhesive backing. We have found this to be by far the best wood for 1:12 scale floorboards as it is easy to apply and produces a very realistic effect with minimal finishing.
Finishing
The floorboards can be left natural or finished using woodstain and/or antique coloured wax polish if desired. The wood has a very smooth surface so wax polish alone will give it a very nice finish, without the need for varnishing although varnish can be used if preferred. The Floorboard strip is 11mm wide approx which is suitable for 1/12th scale - for 1/24th scale the strip can be cut to half its width.)
Note about Dolls House Lighting
If you intend to fit lighting in the dolls house it is usually easier to do this before fitting the floorboards and other decoration so the wiring can be hidden underneath. Usually small grooves are cut in the floor to accommodate the wires from ceiling lights. It is a good idea to fit the floorboards in line with these grooves so that if you need to access the wiring in the future you can do so easily by removing just one floorboard. They can usually be removed quite easily by heating the adhesive with an iron whilst gently lifting them. The floorboards can then be re-applied in the usual way. This is a big advantage over other types of flooring material which would have to be completely stripped and replaced from scratch.
What If My Iron Won't Fit?
From experience we have found that a typical iron will fit into most 1:12 scale rooms, but small rooms such as hallways or smaller 1:24 scale houses may be a problem. It's best to plan ahead and fit the floorboards into small rooms before assembling the dolls house if necessary. Alternatively a smaller travel iron may fit into smaller rooms. As a last resort, it is possible to stick the floorboards down using a separate adhesive or double sided tape, but the iron-on adhesive is generally the easiest and most effective option.
Please see our dolls house lighting and wiring guide for further information.
