How to Make a Scale Cabin for a Doll

Make a cabin doll house to scale.

Building a scale model of a cabin for a doll requires drawing the cabin design on graph paper. Include the chimney and any desired porches. A good scale to use is 1/2 inch to 1 inch per foot. The best graph paper to use is 1/4 inch so you can see all details when cutting the desired material. Remember that old log cabins did not have walls separating the rooms, so do not add walls to the scaled drawing.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 inch graph paper
• Ruler or yardstick
• Straight sticks
• Sharp hobby knife
• Craft sticks
• Wood glue
• Cardboard
• Wooden dowel rod
• Tree bark

Instructions

Design

1. Draw the layout or design of the log cabin on 1/4 inch graph paper, including the chimney and porch.

2. Count the squares on each side of the cabin, chimney and porch. Write the number of squares by the lines in each area.

3. Multiply the amount of squares by either 1/2 inch or 1 inch. This will be the length of the sticks needed to create the log cabin.

4. Cut a piece of cardboard 12 square inches larger than the outside dimensions of the cabin and porch to use as the cabin base.

5. Draw the scaled outline of the cabin and porch in the center of the cardboard base.

Building the Log Cabin

1. Lay a stick along each cabin line. Cut a notch in the end of the front and back sticks to hold the two side sticks. Cut a section out of the front stick for the door. Notch the stick on either side of the door for two small sticks to sit in cross wise.

2. Cut a notch in the top of the two side sticks on each end for the next layer. Cut a notch in the two small sticks by the door to hold the next layer. Place wood glue in each of the notches. Place the second layer of sticks into the first set of notches. Repeat the gluing and notching process to increase the height of the cabin.

3. Cut windows in the sticks as you increase the height of the log cabin. Notch the sticks on the edge of each window and place a small stick in the notch.

4. Continue notching and placing sticks until the cabin has reached the height of the top of the door.

Door Construction

1. Lay craft sticks side by side to create the center of the door. Cut the craft sticks to the appropriate height. Place glue over the entire surface of one side of the craft sticks.

2. Cut sticks to place over the door in the opposite direction as the craft sticks. Glue the sticks to the entire surface and let dry.

3. Turn the door over and place glue over the entire surface of the craft sticks. Cut sticks to place over the door in the opposite direction as the craft sticks. Glue the sticks to the entire surface and let dry.

4. Cut a 1/4-inch dowel 1/2 inch longer than the height of the door. Glue the dowel to one side of the door and let dry.

5. Stick the dowel into the cardboard at the location of the doorway.

Continue the Build

1. Cut a stick to place across the front of the log cabin. Mark the spot where the dowel extends above the doorway on the stick. Carve a hole in the stick for placing the dowel. Place the stick over the dowel and across the front of the cabin.

2. Continue to notch the sticks and build the sides of the cabin to the desired height.

3. Create the peak on each end by cutting each stick 1/2 inch shorter than the last one.

4. Notch the final end sticks after the sides have been completed and place a small stick crosswise in the section. Add the shorter stick. Repeat the process until you have built each peak.

Roof Construction

1. Measure the side of each peak. Write down the dimensions on each side of the peak and add them together. Measure the distance across the front of the cabin and write it down. Example: Each side of the peak measures 8 inches. Add both sides together to get an 16-inch roof measurement. The front of the cabin measures 14 inches.

2. Add 1 inch all sides of the cabin roof measurements. Example: The cabin is 14 inches long with 16 inches needed for the peak. Adding 1 inch to each side of the roof would create a 16-by-18-inch rectangle

3. Mark the size of the roof piece required on a piece of cardboard. Cut the cardboard out on the lines.

4. Mark the top center of the peak on both ends of the cardboard roof. Draw a line from the mark made on both sides of the peak. Example: The 16-by-18-inch roof square would be marked at 9 inches on the 18-inch side.

5. Place a ruler or yardstick along the center line for the peak. Draw the hobby knife along the edge of the ruler or yardstick to score the cardboard. Do not cut all the way through the cardboard. Remove the yardstick and fold the peak at the scored line. Glue it to the log cabin.

Porch Construction

1. Cut and place the straight sticks in the area designated for the porch. Glue the sticks to the cardboard.

2. Glue a straight stick across the front of the house at the level of the porch roof. Let the stick dry.

3. Cut a piece of cardboard to the desired size of the porch roof. Cut two sticks tall enough to work as supports for each end of the porch roof.

4. Poke the porch supports into the cardboard base at the desired locations. Place a line of glue on the porch roof support stick on the front of the cabin. Lay the cardboard roof on the support stick and poke the porch supports into the cardboard. Let the glue dry.

5. Glue tree bark to the roof of the log cabin and the porch. Let the glue dry before use.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the roof removable by not gluing it to the top of the log cabin. Add extra support to the roof by gluing a stick along the scored peak and each end of the cardboard.

References

• Dltk Kids: Log Cabin Craft

Resources

• Indiana Humanities: Lincoln's Log Cabin