How to Build a Pilgrim Doll House

Pilgrims were the original European settlers of the North American continent.

Pilgrim houses are the houses built by the first European settlers of the North American continent. These houses were simple, and built from wood with straw covered roofs. Building a pilgrim dollhouse, or a dollhouse that looks like a pilgrim house, doesn't mean building a house with wood and straw. Building a pilgrim doll house is therefore only a matter of reproducing the basic shape of a pilgrim house in a scaled-down version. Pilgrim dollhouses are ideal for beginning woodworkers and do-it-yourselfers.

Things You'll Need

• Four 1-foot-by-6-inch plywood boards
• Miter saw
• Wood glue
• Clamps
• Two 6-inch-by-9-inch plywood boards
• Pencil
• Drill
• Jig saw
• Sandpaper
• Paint

Instructions

1. Cut four plywood boards so that they are 1 foot long by 6 inches wide. Use a miter saw to make the cuts.

2. Swivel the miter saw to a 30-degree angle and cut into the profile of three of the 1-foot-by-6-inch boards on the 1-foot edge. This will allow two boards to connect at a 60-degree angle for the roof, and allow the third board to connect to the roof as the front of the dollhouse.

3. Attach two of the boards at a 60-degree angle to create the roof. Apply wood glue to the 30-degree cuts on the profile of the boards, then clamp the pieces together and allow time for the wood to dry to attach the pieces.

4. Attach the other two remaining 1-foot-by-6-inch boards to each other using wood glue. The pieces should be attached so that the two 1-foot edges meet at a 90-degree angle. The 30-degree profile cut on one of the pieces should be facing up and away from the second piece. Clamp the pieces together and allow time for the glue to dry. This will create the front and bottom of the pilgrim dollhouse.

5. Cut two plywood boards so they are 6 inches wide by 9 inches long. Draw an X on one face of each board with a pencil. The X should go from corner to corner.

6. Draw a line down the center of each of the 6-inch-by-9-inch boards. This line should be parallel to the 9-inch edges of the board and go across the center of the X on the board.

7. Swivel the base of the miter saw to a 30-degree angle and make sure that the saw is back at a 90-degree angle. Then cut into the face of one of the 6-inch-by-9-inch boards at a 30-degree angle. This cut should go from the intersection of one of the 6-inch edges of the board and the center line out. Repeat this step on the other side of the board, and then repeat this step with the other 6-inch-by-9-inch board. You should now have two boards with a triangular end. These will be the side walls of the pilgrim dollhouse.

8. Attach the side walls to the front and bottom pieces of the dollhouse using wood glue. The pieces should be attached so that the right angle created by the front and bottom pieces attach to the non-triangular end of the side pieces. The slanted edge of the side pieces should also continue into the slant of the front piece. This will create the bottom end of the dollhouse.

9. Attach the roof to the bottom end of the dollhouse using wood glue. The roof should be attached to the 60-degree angle of the triangular part of the side pieces. Make sure the roof is flush to the 60-degree angle of the side pieces and the inside face of one side of the roof piece lays flush on the 30-degree cut on the profile of the front piece.

10. Draw a door shape and window shape onto the front of the house, and then drill a small hole into each. Cut out the door piece and window piece using a jig saw.

11. Finish the pilgrim dollhouse by sanding all the edges smooth with sandpaper and painting the house however you want.

References

• Plymouth Arch: Pilgrim Houses
• Mayflower History: Houses in Plymouth