Tuesday 12 January 2010

Day Twelve , Stairs and Plans

As I am still waiting for my bricks and want to work on the sides of the house before finishing the roof I have been making plans for the interior and working on the stairs .

Hmmmmmm, I have no idea why it is, there must be a reason , but the kit instructions assure me the stair board IS the right size and just a little sanded off each stair will ensure they WILL all fit on.
For the life of me I cant find the reason, but I sat for an hour sanding each little step until eventually they did fit.
They look lovely but life would have been easier if they had just been cut to fit in the first place !!!

Here are the two sets of stairs. I used ronseal wood stain which gives a beautiful effect without
un natural gloss and build up of varnish which might need even more sanding.
While I was at it I stained all the doors and bannisters and left it all to dry .

The next part seemed simple enough, simply glue a banister into each hollow on the staircase and allow to dry.

Apparently a small sanding on each banister would ensure a good fit.
The holes were more like shallow indentations so sanding didnt make a lot of difference but I glued them in/on and after a lot of fiddling to make sure all were straight and pointing in the same direction left them to dry.
So far ,so good !



I was very happy up to this point, the stairs look great dont they :0)
Then I simply had to glue the stair rail on ..........................
You have to sort of push the stair rail firmly over each bannister and make sure its straight.......................
there was an audible " ping" and bannisters shot every where !!!!!!!!!
There then followed a very frustrating battle between stairs, bannisters and rail !
But I was determined.............. I would not be defeated............. I only snapped one bannister in half................. and happily I had 2 spare :0)

Eventually I had them all in place and I have to say it was worth the effort. With stair carpet in place it looks perfect .
I may yet make some stair rods, watch this space , but for now I am happy.





So now for some planning.
As you know this shop will be home to the characters in the stories I am writing.
Old Uncle Mortimer and his neice and companion Belle .
Uncle Mortimer is a bit of a recluse and doesnt stray far from the two rooms at the top of the shop.His workroom and his den, where he sleeps and eats. The hatch above his workroom leads to the loft space .
Belle has her own room above the shop and a small kitchen .
I can already envisage these rooms and am really looking forward to working on them.
The shop floor though is a bit more difficult.

This is the shop with the back wall and door temporarily in place,

The space under the stairs is pretty much dead space. The trade entrance opens into it so it doesnt work putting shelves in there as Ihad first intended.
I have plenty white wood shop shelf units so have been playing round with these but the room is a very awkward shape with the window on the side wall and the door to the house next to that .




I tried the units in tofit the walls and dont like it at all.
I then tried the units with a corner unit added.
Although I lose space behind the corner unit I gain space in front of the stairwell and tradesmen can still enter LOL

I quite like this option but also have some floor display units and need to fit a counter in.

All ideas welcome !!! I could build up my own shelving but I really like these shelves .









Couldnt resist adding this pic of my lovely old tom cat Pepsi.
Think hes figured out the only way to get any attention in this house is to be on my work table LOL
julie xxx

16 comments:

Ara said...

OH no! I am about to start on the banister in the Mansion.... I am glad I prewarned! I didn't think it'd be any big deal! haha - it did turn out lovely though! hugs, ara

Michelle said...

I've made a few stair cases before now, and you should try making a metal spiral one to nearly send you to the nut house! lol lol I almost got carted off there! lol NEVER again!

With wooden stair cases, I can't remember whether I glued the banister’s into the stair rail first and then glued the whole thing in place. Whatever way you do it, I think it's tricky! Looking great so far. I have some of those shelf units, they are great. I particularly like the stair carpet though, very nice indeedy. :o))
Michelle xxx

Tabitha Corsica said...

I like the corner unit...tradesman don't need much room to enter anyway. (hehehe) I have always had lots of trouble fitting staircases and bannisters and rails so I am not much help there. But the place it looking nice and I am very impressed with how fast you work! I love the stair carpet and if I ever get a staircase to fit in properly, I may add that.

Tabitha

julie campbell said...

Hi Ara hope your staircase goes together like a dream :0) its fiddly but in the end it looks great.

Michelle, I have my eye on a metal spiral staircase kit to display some of my children on....... LOL dont know if I can handle it but think it would look fab !
The stair carpet is a really cheap one from dolls house emporium but it just looks perfect doesnt it :0)

Hi Tabitha,thats what I thought too about the tradesmen LOL I will probably have a rocking horse or push a long toy sitting there rather than waste an inch of space !
julie xxxx

Sandra Morris said...

I made up a metal spiral staircase kit once. Never again!
Ditto wooden staircase kits.
I love those bare wood display cabinets and used loads in my toy shop. They're really versatile due to the removeable shelves. I added individuallight bulbs inside each section of mine, a total of 30+. It was a nightmare at the time but the effect when they're all on is just magical.

You're doing really well with this shop. At this rate you'll be finished before the thaw!

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

Julie, so pleased you posted this on the stairs, as I have them to work on too! I was wondering how on earth they went together as my shop was already put together, and no instructions, albeit badly and it all fell to bits on arrival! I have tried putting them together just to see how they went but could never get it right so Ill follow your pics!
I think the room looks great with the corner cabinet, maybe a low counter under the left window and then a large counter in the centre of the room with the till etc? Can see it all now with all the toys! I cheated as you konw and took out all the back walls giving me one huge downstairs pie shop and then 2 upstairs rooms and the barber attic .....only cos Im lazy and it looked too fiddly with all those walls and corridors to figure out, youve done it beautifully though. getting my Empire out this week yippee, cant wait to get going on Sweeneys shop again. Kate xx

Michelle said...

If you're really that keen and mad to want to build a metal spiral staircase, I am happy to share tips etc. I'm sure Sandra Morris would agree that any pre advice etc., is a 'must'! ;o)) lol
Michelle xxx

julie campbell said...

Hello kate, will post more pics of the bannister sections,they were much easier than the stairs.I always cheat and remove the stairs in my houses LOL I liketo use the space and then have a fake door at the backleading to imaginary stairs !
I was very very tempted to do this with the shop to gain space on the shop floor like you but I just love the little corridor and will add some special features to it even though its tiny.
However I do really need to decorate it and light it before putting in the wall properly.
Better get my skates on LOL
julie xx

julie campbell said...

LOL Michelle after reading Sandras post too am having second thoughts !!! I'm looking for a ready built one so if anyone knows where I can find one please shout !

Hello Sandra, thats a fab idea but not one I plan to follow LOL more than 30 lights is pure dedication !
will see how it goes when I light the shop .
I havent really given a thought to lighting but I dont plan on using copper tape. it will be a simple drill the hole and push the wire through affair for me !
julie xx

shannonc60 said...

You could try putting a wall into the back of the store to separate off the tradesman entrance/stairs. It would be in line with the small wall with the door leading to the upstairs. Then you'd have a large, flat wall ton put shelves against.

julie campbell said...

Shannon,you have given me an idea !
would love your opinion on the new photos I've just added in the new post ,
thanks :0)
julie xxx

Floor sanding said...

your floor look spectacular!!!
Thanks for these very important tips about floor sanding.

Floor Sanding London said...

Great post!!!
Thanks for the great information ......

Unknown said...

Looking at how you assembled that staircase for your dollhouse made me remember the time when my husband and I attempted to make our own for our house. It was crazy of us, I know! We thought we could do it, but we eventually called the real experts and had a professionally-constructed spiral stairs delivered. They started with spiral staircase kits since it was indoors, and they slowly built it to perfection. Thank God for them, they're life savers!

Unknown said...

I love those bare wood display cabinets and used loads in my toy shop.

Flooring company

Anonymous said...

Hi
I have just found your Blog AND LOVE IT!!!
I am planning (more like dreamin about) making a special and memorable house and only recently thought of a shop.
I'm off to put the kettle on read through your Blog.
Thanks
Simon